The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-17
AN IMPORTANT WORK

Serious attention should be given
to the big movement announced by
the Governors of the Board of Trade
to strengthen the scope of activities.
membership and capital of that or
that Lakeland has the type of me9
for a great commercial organization,
and that the only difficulty is to get
their attention in a matter of this
kind. That in a rapidly growing
country there is room and actual
need of cooperative effort, will not
be denied by any one. That our
community has neglected its oppor-
tunities in the past in some respects
by not getting together in bust
ness-like way to accomplish them is
equally true.
Throughout the country, business
men in recent years have been CIV
ing more attention to business and
community building through coop
erative efforts. They have acquired
the habit of looking ahead far into
the future and studying tendencies
with the view of preparing for that
future far in advance. 1t is such
men with vision that are building up
the great business houses and the
great cities.
Give a city men with vision and q
spirit of cooperation, and that city
need not have NATURAL advantages.
Such men will build city in spite
Of handicaps. .s
Chicago is one Of the greatest ex-
.amples of this fact. Few men would
have decided upon Chicago as the
place for the metropolis of the mid
die west. 1t is not much more than
a swamp, and in order for the rail-
roads to reach 1t they had to turn
up around Lake Michigan for quite
distance. Besides there was no
harbor of any value. Down at San
dusky or at other points, cities were
already in existence with fine natur-
al -harbors. with great markets and
shipping trade;l alreedy, created.
There was no good reason for city
at the mouth OF; the Chicago riveA,
But the n VIII City" had a spirit
that other cities lacked. Its little
group of business. men looked ahead
and made things come to Chicago.
They built Q harbor. they persuaded
the railroads to turn aside from their
natural course, and they made that
city a distributing point. +. -
:. Chicago was pioneer in creating
An efficient commercial and civic Or
ganization for the benefit of the bus
mess men and the city. The Chicago
Association Of Commerce is one Of
the great commercial bodies in the
world. 1t has established exhibits
of chicago-made goods in foreign
ports. and in working in business.
like way to create market in South
America for goods made or sold by
Chicago firms. ~
1t has a very interesting motto:
Nothing is too great for us to I'M
dertake and nothing too small for
us to do, if it will work for the good
of Chicago.
Lakeland needs organization with
just such spirit---nothing too big
for 1t to undertake, and nothing too
small for it to do. II it will work
for the good of Lakeland But the
organization must be able to back
mp motto.
With its almost virgin back coun-
try, its possibilities as a recreation,
tourist and convention center and
ideal home city, and development
along civic, mercantile, jobbing and
industrial lines, there is a positive
need here of the highest type of COM
mercial organization Without such,
Lakeland can attain only degree
Of its possibilities.
II One Of the important purposes of
this new campaign on the part of
the Board of Trade is to weld the
community spirit in Lakeland A
means that will be taken Is the
bringing into active cooperation at
{, least the various organized bodies
that are working along the same
general lines. all having to do with
/ the upbuilding of the city. A great
ier membership, also, is wanted, and
1t will be attained partly by this
means, partly by evangelistic work
on the part of the members among
members.
The new heads of the Board of
Trade have started out we'll. They
aim at the gradual accomplishment
of big things for Lakeland and the
Lakeland territory They should
have the united backing and support
of the citizens.
Get ready for watermelons by |
- =