Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-01-15
SAN FRANClScO PLAN
SHOULD BE SUCCESS
IN COME Ed BODIES

Giving his opinion on the proposed
amaIgamation of the Chamber OF Com
Imerce and the Merchants Association,
George R. Carter, president of the for.
mer organization, said this morning:
Neither organization has yet af-
forded a secretary who would give his
entire time to the work. and it seems
to me that the proposed greater body
should give its first attention to this
matter A secretary who would give
all his time to the work would be OF
great assistance to :. the committees,
and the right kind of a secretary
would stimulate the interest and work
Of the members. No long or. continued
campaign against strong opposition
from outside of Honolulu can be main.
tanned unless Honolulu presents a
solid and united front. AS yet We
have had no such struggle, but we
should be prepared for it in case 1t
comes. The question of the contro!
of the greater organization must lie
with the members, and 1t will be dem,
ocratic in proportion to the number
of members who take an interest.
1T will be a mistake If the pro-
posed greater commercial organization
does not encourage frank and out
spoken opinions, even though contra
dietory. Our community will never de-
velop to the position it deserves by
right of its geographical location and
valuable commerce unless its indfvid.
ual members, having courage Of their
convictions, freely state them. Too
often in our provinciahsm do we make
opposition into a personal difference
and let it affect our personal rela'
tions instead of recognizing the right
of individuals to their own opinions
and agree to disagree; leaving the set
tlement in the majority.
Il am in great hopes that we can
put into execution the modified plan
now being used in San Francisco
there the greater chamber of com
merce has a board of retail merchants
which acts in an advisory capacity
and disposes of large portion of mat
ters that affect the retailers eXclu
sively. The board can be composed
of a representative of each retail .es
tablishment and have its own officers
In San Francisco it has been found
mutually beneficial to require the pres
ident of this board to be a trustee
The operation of this plan has result
ed, in San Francisco at least, in Sc
curing for the retail merchants the
backing of the entire community, and
has enabled others to get better un.
Iderstanding of their needs, proving
mutually beneficial.
"The same plan in modified form
perhaps can be developed for othel
trades or professions. For instance
take an industry like the pineapple
lexport trade A board of pineapple
growers and manufacturers could bt
similarly organized if so desired. An,
one in this community who has en-
deavornd to secure information Of am
kind instantly recognizes the need O
a central Office where statistics OF al
kinds regarding trade matters NIGH
be collected and kept This feature
has, so far as I know, been developed
by neither the Honolulu Chamber d
Commerce or the Honolulu Mef
chants Association The usefulness
| is demonstrated by constant inquire.
made at the Promotion COMMITTEES fo
Information other than that feldtin,
to tourist travel Valuable data ha'