The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-13
HANCOCK ON THE
COMMERCIAL CLUB.

To The Forum: In your issue Of
last Saturday appeared an editorial
headed ''Fargo's Obligation The ar
ticle was well written and to the
point.
have also noticed during the past
six months number Of similar ar
ticles appearing in The Forum having
for their object the stirring of the
people to action, in order that the city
may keep up with the procession of
other towns in the state.
AS shown by the last government
census, Fargo has not kept up the
lead she had over Grand Forks ten
years ago, and it is only a matter of
short time, unless something is
done, when she will have to take sec
ond place.
The live energy exhibited in towns
like Valley City. jamestown, Bismarck,
! Mandan, Dickinson, Devils Lake and
Minot will also have to be reckoned
with if the appeals made by The
Forum and other like warnings are
allowed to pass unnoticed and no eff
fective effort put forth to keep Fargo
in the lead.
to that organization misnamed the
commercial club, so far have been
without result. But still, not being
discouraged, The Forum has put forth
another and more beseeching appeal
Wont the commercial club please
wake up and act?"
Such an appeal is a discredit to a
town that never ceases to boast of
being the biggest little" city in the
country.
No one dares even to think how big
town it might have been, had 1t been
blessed with a live, up-to-date COM
mercial club whose sole object was
the upbuilding and advancement of its
interests.
| The Fargo Commercial club made a
| fatal mistake when 1t lent It's inf1u-
ence in the attempt to take an unfair
advantage of a sister city in the cow
ardly effort to wrest from her her
rightful share of the state money in
support of the state fair.
The effects of such needless mis-
take as this are not soon overcome.
This is not all; there have been other
mistakes, wilfully made, and equally
as destructive. of which this so-called
commercial club has been guilty. Take
the John Monson box factory deal
as an example, to say nothing of other
and grosser delinquencies, any one OF
(which is sufficient to render abortive
any eleventh hour efforts that ii
may spasmodically put forth.
Fargo should and could have a live
persistent, up-to-date and real com.
mercial club of at least $50 active
members, instead of the few stragglers
out Of which the president can hardly
even get together a sufficient number
to form a quorum with which to dc
business.
Such is the Fargo commercial club .
Why not recognize the fact, correct
past errors, as far as possible, and
start anew, putting Fargo on the mar
as real live, active and progressive
city, that will speak for itself to any
strangers who may chance to be look
ing for a suitable place in which to To-
cate, and protecting them after they
have located, instead of attempting ia
drive them out OF business, as in The
Epast?
Politics cards and smokers never
did and never will make successful
commercial club, and If Fargo is t.
hold its proud position as the leading
city of the state 1t must wake up and
do things in spite of the great handi-
cap under which it has so long beer
laboring.
I'm righteousness shalt thou BIZ
established" applies just as well Il
commercial clubs as 1t does to indi
Eviduals or any form of government.
Geo. Hancock.