New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-06-14
CLUBMEMBBRS URGE
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
LACK OF INTEREST IN AFFAIRS
OF COMMERCIAL CLUB
HURTS CITY
PRES. OTTOMEYER HANDED OUT
SOME HOT SHOTS AIMED
AT ABSENTEES

Closer cooperation between the mer-
chants in the same line of business, a
broader community spirit, united &C.
ton for the benefit of the entire CITY
and the abolition of petty jealousies,
were the principles considered para
mount to the successful carrying out
of anything the Commercial Club might
want to undertake, as expressed at the
regular monthly meeting of the club
last Wednesday evening. The awaken
ing came during the discussion of the
advisability OF arranging community
or civic picnic some time this summer
or fall and the closing of all business
houses on the day of the picnic.
In the opinion of several of the mem
bers, the business men of the city are
pursuing rather shortsighted policy
when it comes to supporting move
ment of that kind. About the first
thing they ask is: GLOW can picnic
Of that kind benefit me when my place
OF business is closed for the day."
They seem to lose sight of the fact
that the people from the surrounding
country would attend picnic of that
kind in large numbers and the mer-
chant would be able to meet and mingle
with the farmers or outside trade in
social way at the picnic grounds,
whereas, if the place of business were
open, only few strays would come
in and the day would be spoiled not
only for the outsiders but for the mer-
chant and his clerks as we'll.
Chas. Stolz as chairman Of the civic
committee reported that the idea Of
holding picnic had been frowrted upon
by several members of his committee
and he therefore doubted if it could
be successfully carried out in the face
OF opposition. Personally, he was of
the opinion that an affair of that kind
can be made huge success. He be-
lieved that the country people can be:
brought out at any time when work
in the fields is not too urgent. eve
must either work together along these
lines and make the farmers feel at home
and welcome in the city or we will
lose out to other towns of less Importance
than New Ulm,' is the way he put it,
He gave the members of the club food
for thought when he urged that the
committee arranging an affair Of this
kind should work in harmony with the
newspapermen, before, during and after
the picnic. T.
A. L. Book expressed himself along
similar lines and added that the farmers
can be brought to town at any time,
If something worth while is offered as
an open air attraction. If the farmers
want to 60 somewhere, they don't;
care nowadays whether they go to New
Uln or to Mankato- They can reach
either town as easily as the merchant
can because nearly every farmer has,
his car:
The proposal Of holding the picnic
IN conjunction with the annual picnic.
|of the old settlers was objected to be-.
cause the two would conflict and the
real purpose Of the old settlers picnic -
to give them good time - would
be lost sight Of. A special committee
finally was appointed to arrange for,
and take complete charge of community
or civic picnic, time and place to be left
entirely in the hands of the committee.
The committee is composed of W. B.
Mather, chairman; A. L. Boock and
G. c. Bromley.
The committee on the rest room
project submitted a report on the pro-
posed establishment of rest room
in the basement of the Somsen build
ing, but the committee was of the.
opinion that the room was entirely
inadequate. 1t also reported that the
new Armory board has tentative plans
for the establishment of rest room ON
the ground floor Of the Armory. The
committee was continued.
P. Liesch reported that an ad club
was in a formative stage and would
shortly be organized with approximately
twenty members.
The recent lecture on advertising was
referred to by President Ottomeyer
and he took occasion to hand out
few facts to those who do not take
an interest in the very things that
would benefit themselves and the city
at large. Among other things he said:
There are lot of dead merchants
in this city. Too many tightwads.
One merchant is afraid that the other
might sell a nickel's worth of peanuts
he should have sold. Petty jealousiess
must be erased if we want the business
men and the city itself to succeed"
Referring to the slim attendance at
the recent lecture and at Wednesday