The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-15
BUSINESS MEN OF
 STATE IN SESSION
Address By President John ston of Chief Interest
 Today

[
 Waterbury, oct. 15-The 18th annual
 convention of the State Businessmen's
 Associatton was called to order in tLeavenworth Hall, Waterbury. this
 morning, at 1o:45 o'clock, by the state
 president, Frank H. Johnston. of New Britain. President Charles A. Col ley. of the Waterbury Chamber of Commerce in the absence of Mayor scully welcomed the visitors and of l fered to them the freedom of the cley The report of the committee on cre-l dentiaIs, the first to be called TOT, Ishowed besides the officers and d1rec- l tors present 134 delegates representing l27 towns and cities.
 One of the features of the meeting
 was the report of President John
 ston.
 President Johnston said the work of the year had been both encourag1ng and discouraging; encouraging in that. definite progress had been made in lbringing about greater cooperation between the local businessmens asso- tciation and the state association, and discouraging also in the realization s.that reforms and such movements as ours are necessarily slow in getting I6eanita results.'' He pointed out that the scope of the businessmen's associa-
 ton. formerly simply mercantile or ganizations, had been greatly broaden ed so that they had become civic as well as business organizations, work ing for the betternent of their com Inunities. He urged further broaden ing Of their work so that they. could be the real opponents of cona1nuntit ty patriotism. Continuing, he said:
 Through the efforts of the state association during the past year state wide interest was aroused in the study of our waterways and the possibili- ties in developing of our harbors and as result of these efforts the Con necticut Deeper waterways Associa- tion was organized in New Haven on April 1 at an enthusiastic meeting of 200 businessmen and is now taking up it's work along these lines.
 @The state association has actively assisted in the formation Of rural inn provement societies in difrerent parts Of the state, Knowing that every eff fort possible should be made toward
 building up the agriculture of the state.
 t6Ion to the report of the comnittee | Of revision of bylaws and their rec-i lo1nmendati0ns.
 Tn our efforts to broaden the field of this work so as to interest every fthoughtfuI man Of this state we have
 and narrowing although well adapted
 to the former needs of the associa- ton.
 There are over 14.ooo directly. Inter- ested in our membership but there are
 associations doing exactly the same
 work which we are doing whose mem
 bership totals nearly 3.0eo which are
 now affiliated directly with but which
 unite with us in special matters
 We want every organization of businessmen in this state directly .i1-a
 terested with us and this new set of bylaws end change of name Is put be-s fore you today so that you may care- fully consider them and looking for
 ward into the future adopt such
 changes as wilk unifei in the state of
 Connecticut every organization work ing for the upbuiIding of it's com
 1nunity.''
 President Johnston said he had sought from each association as to its the number of voters in it's city or town. what had been definitely accom- p1Ished during the year and how the state association could be of assist anee.
 The response in regard to member ship showed, he said, that the largest
 Increase had been made blythe Wind sor Businessmen's Association, 1t be- ing loo per cent It also had tho 1arg- est percentage of members to it's voting list namely, IT per cent. Norwich was second with Il per cent. increase,
 Putnam had 50 per cent with 10 per cent of voters in the membership, lWethers1e1d had a Is per cent. increase with IS per cent. of its voters; Man chester, 25 per, cent. with nine per cent. of it's voters; Middletown. 24 per cent. increase; Torrington. 20 per cent. with five per cent. of the voters; Ansonia, 12 per cent. with four per cent. of the voters shelton has six per cent. Of it's voters in the association. Bridgeport Hartford New London, Derby and Danbury all show active progressive associations. The Water
 bury chamber of commerce had a 200 per cent increase New Britain or ganized a chamber of commerce with a membership of 500,
 It was not possible, MT. Johnston said, to include in the report even a sample of the replies received as to what had been accomplished.
 It does proye.' he continued, .sthat the local businessnnen's association of today in almost every city and town have completely outgrown it's purely mercantile membership of former years and is actively interested in the civic and general development of it's com munity and occupying a much broad 1 CT field than ever before.ss
 MT. johnston, in concluding, recom- mended the proposed act enabling cit ies. towns and boroughs to enact or amend their charters; the active par iticipation of the association in help ing the formation of rural improve
 ment associations in every county in order to secure the assistance of the federal government Headed by President Joseph H. l3Whitcomb, committee composed of Joseph H. Whitcornb, Charles H. Da- wis, F. D. Bell, Frank W. Bolande, R. T. Rock, Robert E. Hurley, M w. Manwaring, H. H. Nettleton, Albert B. Lavery, Charles L. Gaylord. sam
 uel B. Vincent and Paul L. Miller rep resent the Bridgeport Businessmen's Association at the state convention in WKaterbury