New Britain herald., 1916-05-11

most practical talk on the organlza- tlon of which he is the head of it's aims in divers directions.
 President Pease's Speech. President Pease spoke as follows:
 Il am very glad to be in Plainville tonight and bring to the Plainville Business Mems and Improvement as sociation the greetings of the Con- hectlcut Chamber of Commerce and your sister associations
 During the winter, when I have been present on occasions similar to thls have attempted to show the relation of the state chamber to the local organizations. I believe that a large purpose Of the state body is to provide a common meeting place where the individual association can accomplish for itself, and for the good of the state, by combining with other sister associations that which it could not do by itself alone. This is seen particularly in the matter of legisla- tive work.
 Among the measures which the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce helped to put through the legislature at It's last session was the so-cal1ed bill board act, under which bill boards were licensed on the payment of a tax Of one cent per square foot to the state. This was not the most import ant measure that we proposed to the general assembly, but there are So many different phases connected with 1t that l purpose to use it as the basis of what I shall have to say to you to- night.
 Tn the first place, this measure was suggested by the Windsor Business Mems association, an organization in a small toWn showing that an initla- tive may come even from the small Ter places In this connection, it is we'll to remember that this same Windsor association secured for itself the annual meeting of the state body last October
 Questions Decision.
 'The bill board law has recently been declared to be unconstitutional by Judge Walsh of the court of com mon pleas at Bridgeport. In the oplnlon of our attorney, MT. Ralph o. wells, 1t is not unconstitutional, and the directors at a recent meeting in Slructed MT. Wells to assist the prose- cutlng attorney of Fairfield county in defending the constitutionality of the Dill before the supreme court. During discussion at that meeting, the Ques ton was raised whether all the asso- clatons had acted upon this bill and It was brought out that the contents of the bill were thoroughly advertised and every association had ample Op- portunity to know just what was being proposed. This is a most important feature in the relation of the state and local bodies. Tn order to make the state body efficient, it is all i'm portant that the local should be in close touch with it, informed as to what the state body is proposing to do, and the state body in turn should be informed as to what the local asso- citation desires to have done.
 Tt was remarked by one at the meeting that this bill board act really interfered with the business of ad- Vertising, our action was not a matter of business, but rather of aesthetics Many of these bill boards which are erected are owned and operated by concerns from outside of the state and these concerns pay no taxes to any one in Connecticut. If, under this law, the state treasury does receive revenue from these parties, which oth erwise it would not receive, surely that is a matter of business. But pass ing beyond that, I believe that there is a place for the aesthetic even in business.
 Has Aesthetic Tastes.
 Tt must be evident to every one that the number and size of bill boards is rapidly increasing, and at times they fairly seem to Haunt them selves in the air, and to many are very unpleasant sight No one could operate a slaughter house in your town, or conduct a boiler factory. If offenses to the nose and ear are pro- hibited why not Offenses to the eye? In Hartford we have a fine new mu- nicipal building costing a million and a half dollars, but this building is flanl1ed on one side by these same Dill boards. There are those who are very sorry to see that the directors. o1 the New Haven road think that 1t is necessary to supplement it's earnings by resorting to the display Of adver- tisements in the cars and railroad sta tionS. Factories are everywhere sur rounding the buildings by lawns and ornamenting the grounds with flowers. The salesman of neat appearance who comes to you is far more apt to receive your attention than one who is care less in such matters.
 ''I do not wish to be considered as a Oscar Wilde, but I firm ly believe that even in the sternest business there is a place for the beau tiful, and you men of Plainville, espe- cially bearing in mind the title of your organization, should be on the alert to discover it and practice it."