Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-03-28
REVIEW OF FINANCES OF
THE BOARD OF TRADE FOR YEAR
Considerable Was Expended During Year for Advertising
and Entertaining
The Latter Item in Itself Was One the Most Effective advertisements
Detailed Statement the Sources Of Income the Organization and
What Money Was Paid Out FOFRua Meeting viii Be Held Tonight

At the annual meeting of the Board
of Trade at the city hall tonight the
following report will be presented by
the retiring secretary and treasurer:
To the Board of Trade,
City.
Americus, Ca, March 27, 1911.
Gentlemen:
1 beg herewith to present an item
lied statement of the finances of the
Americus Board of Trade for the pc
riod during which l have acted as
Secretary and Treasurer, from April
Il, 1910, to March 2S, 1911, or some
what less than a year. During that
time the amount of money coming
into the treasury from various sources
has been greater than in any prev
ious year of the organizations history.
The demands upon it for entertaining,
advertising and othe~ legitimate out
lays, though, have also been greater
than ever before, so that at the pres
ent time the treasury is practically
exhausted. As will be seen, how
ever, there are collections due within
the next thirty days aggregating about
$3.50, the greater part of which should
be good, and as the organization IS
clear of debt, has a large membership,
and has its specific work we'll in
hand, its financial outlook can hardly
be discouraging. While a certain pei
centage of members are delinquent in
dues, this is a condition true of all
voluntary trade bodies BY far the
greater number of members are un-
doubtedly willing to assist in sustain
ing the city's business organization,
realizing it's great Importance and con-
slant value to the entire community.
In his report the President reviews
the work done by the Board of Trade
so that it is unnecessary for me 20
enter into any report along that line,
confning my report to a detailed
statement as to the membership and
finances, as follows:
Membership.
Glass Paying $50 a Year ......... s
Glass Paying SIS a Year .........21
Glass Paying S a Year .......93
Total Membership ........... 132
If all the members met their obliga-
tions to the Board of Trade prompt
ly the income from this source would
be $1,170 a year, collectible quar-
terly. This, it is true, does not permit
of any extensive advertising in farm
journals and by the publication Of
pamphlets, and other literature. The
secretary's salary of $500 a year, to-
gether with an allowance of say 500
for postage, incidentals and stationery,
leaves available, if all members paid
their dues promptly, but $4,000 a
year to continue the publicity work
that is so important a feature of the
plans outlined for the Board of Trade.
The present secretary realizes that
the salary paid, if intelligent attention
is given to the work, is small compen-
sation The incumbent of such a po-
sition must be guided as much by an
earnest desire to promote the inter
ests of the city and county as by the
compensation that is received by him.
It is to be regretted that the Board
of Trade has not an adequate income
to justify it in engaging the entire SER
vices of an active publicity agent, but
it is impossible to cherish hopes along
that line with the finances as they are.