The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-02
Farmers Join Commercial Club.

idea, in regard to their Commercial
Club, which would be a good thing
for Leon to do. They have boosted
the membership of their Commercial
Club to five hundred members by
taking in as members farmers who
reside in territory adjacent to that
city. A press dispatch from Tren-
ton tells the story of how the deal
was worked as follows:
Trenton. Mo-, April 1.-Two
months ago Trenton was a city of
six thousand people, and the county
seat of Grundy county, drawing
trade from a prosperous agricultural
territory and further enriched by a
Rock Island monthly payroll of
100000.
Today Trenton has forgotten the
city limits and lost interest in the
census. Today Trenton is not a
@'city of six thousand people" Tren-
ton lis a "city with a Commercial
Club of five hundred members"
The Trenton idea" is a CONNER
cial Club with as many members
among the farmers as among the
tOwnfOlks 1t is a club which wants
to forget town. selfishness, which
wants to work. for the advancement
of its entire trade territory and
which wants to join similar organic
ations in a systematic boost cam
paign for North Missouri. Good
roads, is it's paramount issue.
Governor Hadley, the principal
speaker at Commercial Club dinner
attended by five hundred men last
night at the Trenton Convention
Hall, was impressed when he learned
of the Trenton idea' and how it
was working out. The governor
would have the Trenton idea" taken
to every city and town in Missouri.
"A few weeks ago NJ. v. Watson,
chairman of the ways and means
committee of the Kansas City Com
mercial Club, went to Trenton in re-
Spouse to a request for advice in re-
organizing an inactive business club.
Mr.. Watson was met at the depot
by T. N. Witten, a business man, now
president of the new club.
How many citizens have you?"
the Kansas City man asked.
a "Six thousand" MIR. Witten said,
with some pride.
How much ground do you
cover?" f.
about two miles,"
altogether too small" Mr.. Wat
son commented "Your city is too
small to accomplish things. Just
two square miles! Extend your city
limits Wherever you draw trade,
place where people live. It's place
u IL h,,~S Srot-
about it," - 4, a. :;
Trenton business q. men, thought
about it. They shook hands-and
then "shook" the city limits. They
called every man who came into the
business district of Trenton a Tren-
ton man, ignoring whether he walk
ed six blocks or drove six miles to
get there. IA IA B j.sssss Hs:-.4 f,::,5, 4.}
Trenton has "a Commercial Club Of
nearly five hundred men, almost hall
of. whom are farmers. Rock roads
\ in the county are being talked. Rock
roads to adjacent county seats are
being urged. The projected railroad
from GAINESVILLE to Chillicothe, which
3 would give southern outlet to the
4 fast developing coal fields of Gains
ellie. is being encouraged! A friendly
alliance with the business CLUBS Of
North Missouri is sought sgpg
Trenton, which doubled its boost
y ing population by, new idea leading
away from the old self-centered rut,
sent special train with q hundred
citizens and band to meet Governor
I Had,ey at Gallatin yesterday. Owe,
III eco school chilrden with flags gave
the governor reception which he
said. had not been equaled. in his ex-
perience. Il ls,.3 tf l.s II ~ :iBss la
~ Last night more men than ever as
Eembled in Trenton, FOL, q cOmmunity
i project bespoke the vigor Of the
81. Trenton idea. 2 WheR M. ". Wat
son appeared with the Kansas City
guests, the Ave hundred" cheered
and greeted him as dad. Every
one OF the five hundred was q mem
Der OF one Of sixteen active commit
Y tees. ss II .srs III y. i4Fss y, \
Representatives cf several North
Missouri CON nerrial clubs were ia
Trenton to nee what the .Rsx ren-
ton idAA really wai.
~ - 0lksss1 - the dinner wsre: