Norwich bulletin., 1914-10-16
NOW CONNECTICUT
 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
State Business Mems Association Votes
 For Change Of Name.

At the fifteenth annual meeting of the State Business Mems Association in Waterbury Thursday the following officers were reelected: President Frank H. Johnston, New Britain; first vice president, Charles A. Tease, Hart ford; second vice president, Edward P. Jones, Winsted; secretary F. S. Valen- tine, Derby; treasurer, R. -Lamotte Russell, South Manchester
 It was voted to change the name of the association to the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.
 The Norwich Business Mems Asso- citation was represented by Mayor T. c. Murphy, President Fl. R. Branche, secretary Charles W. Peason, vice pres
 ident William H. Cruicl1shank, James W. Semple, Robert McNeeley, A. S. Spalding and William E. Woods.
 The report of the committee on credentials, the first to be called for, showed besides the officers and direc- tors, present I34 delegates representing tN towns and cities. Owing to the press of business, and the shortness of time all speechmaking was dispensed with. and the routine business directly
 taken up.
 President Johnson's Report.
 In his annual address President Johnson said the work of the year had been both encouraging and dis couraging. Encouraging in that defin ite progress had been made in bring ing about greater cooperation between the local business mems associations and the state association, and discour- aging, possibly in the realization that reforms and such movements as ours are necessarily slow in getting defin- ite results" He pointed out that the scope of the business mems association, formerly imply mercantile organiza- ened, so that they had become civic l as well as business organizations, working for the betterment of their communities. He urged further broad ening of their work so that they should | be the real opponents of community patriotism.
 Norwich Second in Memhership Gain.
 President Johnston said he had | sought from each association as to its l percentage of increase in member l ship, the number of voters in its city
 or town. what had been definitely &C.,
 complisned during the year and how | the state association could be of as-
 sistance. The responses in regard to membership showed, he said, that the ! largest increase had been made by the | Windsor Business Mems association,
 it being 100 per cent. It also had the l largest percentage of members to its voting list, namely IT per cent. Nor | wich was second with II per cent. in- l crease, Putnam 50 per cent. with 1O cent. of it's voters in the membership 1 WetherSheid had a 15 per cent. ln- crease with 16 per cent. of its voters Manchester 25 per cent. with pei cent of it voters; Middletown 24 pei cent. increase, Torrington 20 per cent with per cent. of the voters; Ansonia 12 per cent. with per cent of ths
 voters; Shelton has 6 per cent of its voters in the association. Bridgeport Hartford, New London, Derby anc Danbury all show active progressive kassociations. The Waterbury chamber ! of commerce had a 200 per cent. in crease. New Britain organized $
 chamber of commerce with member ship Of 500.
 President H. R. Branche of the Nor | wich Business Mems association whi
 Is a state director of the business meI submitted an interesting report or what has been done by the association , in the matter of rural work in tht county.