The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-15


COLI mhia, :. C.-Lucius +. Wilson.
known as the foremost chamber Of
commerce man in America" has pre-
pared the following article on the
work Of commercial organizations
showing the necessity for cooper
alton:
The tremendous spread Of chamber
OF comm rec organization city
promotion eiforts--is one Of the great
est pher omena Of the present day.
Fifteen years ago the fingers Of one
hand would have been sufficient 10
number the organizations Of this sort
in the United States that were we'll
financed thoroughly established, and
making progress. A reasonably cor
rect list Of the associations in exist
ence about August l, 1912, showed
1000 Of these. Figured in percentage,
the growth has been stupendous If
the calculation is based on the dollars
annually expended the increase is still
more startling. Seventy-five Ameri-
can cities spend an aggregate of about
$3,OO0,000 annually in self-promotion.
ChanIbe"s of commerce have done
more-much more-than merely stim-
ulate growth in population for the
home town. The scope Of their or
ganized efforts has spread, year by
Year, until these associations are tre-
mendous ethical forces in a thousand
business communities. Men are social
animals and the chamber Of commerce
offered the only non-partisan, nom
sectarian body in which business
metho6s, merchandising ideas and
commercial ideas could be brocaded.
The organizations developed into
clearing mouse for business thought.
Unexpected things always happen
when men are brought into public
conference. The power of publicity
is a mighty thing. When business
men met in chamber of commerce
sessions and expressed opinions con-
corning commercial practices in lines
other than their own they unanimous
ly demanded the observance of a high
standard Of ethics by the "other fell
low" 1t is a good thing for a COM
munity when any group Of men def
nitely voice a standard Of business
practices of citizenship to be applied
to Oth ers If the hardware merchants
can reform the drygoods dealers. or
the grocers point better road to the
bankers Of the town it is worth while.
The great public always profits from
the light no matter who trims the
candle.
Out o. much meeting together, men
learn the Art of Cooperation" A
know something of it. The best part
Of a political campaign is not the cleo
ton nCr the successful candidate, but
the re eX of the team work on the
people The chamber Of commerce
brought Cooperation into the business
field. Until II came business men re-
garded competitors as enemies and
sought by secret means their destruc-
ton. Mankind's attention was fasten-
ed upon those points wherein ones
selfish gain might he lessened by an
others activity The thought Of the
business world was concerned with
destructive differences instead of con-
structire Hlenesses in lines of trade.
The chamber Of commerce in
Ameri a have been great teachers tnat
changrl the slant Of the business
mind. Through organizations the
consciousness Of the constructive
community opportunities have come
TO cities and towns. Individual COM
merciM problems have been solved
cnmasSe.
Transportation charges freight
classit.cations and contentious with
railroads have been adjusted for en-
tire communities at one time. Efforts
to enlarge a city's trade territory by
both Wholesale and retail merchants
have been successfully made by or
ganized corporation. business theory
and practices have been improved and
enriched by the exchange of ideas
among men who are no longer afraid
To talk with competitors.
Through the same medium, men
have learned t. join together to de-
vclop aericulturc, not because they
were farmers but because the pros
pcriN of the farmer meant collater-
al prosperity for them. They have
encouraged schools. not because they
needed education, but because an in