Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-12
MAKES APPEAL
TO CITIZENS
Membership Committee of
Commercial Club Asks
for Cooperation
EXPLAIN OBJECTS
OF ASSOCIATION
Need for All Ottumwans to
Assist in Organization
Given in Letter

Given in Letter
The membership committee Of the
Commercial association that has for
some weeks past been engaged in pre-.
paration for a campaign to increase
the size and usefulness Of the organ.
izatfon has issued statement setting
forth the objects and value Of com.
muntty association in Ottumwa. The
committee has mapped out q campaign
to get more members and expand the
work and value of the present organi.
zation to the end that 1t will be more
effective in accomplishing its objects
and making Ottumwa truly the Mag
net City. The statement follows:
why Is Commercial association
needed here at all?" This Is q ques.
ton sometimes asked by tho man who
has perhaps not given the matter very
much consideration.
The question may be answered by
asking Yankee fashion, another ques.
ton: "Why Is tho city needed? Why
did you decide to locate your business
hero instead of a cow pasture The
answer Is obvious: To do business
with people you have to 60 where the
people are. The kind Of people who
will patronize the kind Of business you
conduct. If you are retailer, you
need customers; II a lawyer, clients;
II doctor, patients; II manufacturer
labor; If wholesaler or jobber
enough stable, reliable retailers with
whom to do enough business to make
1t pay. No matter what your business
you must have people to do business
with, and the greater the amount Of
public spirit and cooperation among
the~e people. the greater will be your
business.
Business and Local Sentiment.
Business is largely a matter of senti.
ment, that is as far as the local condi
tons are concerned. Sentiment Is q
matter that must be created. Create
the right kind of sentiment concerning
your local institutions and the right
kind of business will follow. Stick q
pin here so that you will not forget it
Then again, you needed friends, en-
tertainment, church, library, .
school for your children, il you have
any; means of contact with the out
side world. All this Is simply anoth-
er way of saying that you needed tho
cooperation of other human beings in
order to promote your own welfare.
The commercial association or cham
ber of commerce is the latest, highest
and most effectual development of this
cooperative principle.
Your Prosperity and ottumwa's.
Now note this: AS you maintain
your life itself largely through the
city in which you live, your prosperity
is largely dependent on the city's well
fare. You know of many ways in
which this welfare could be promoted.
A spirit of greater confidence in the
city, willingness to work unsel1shly
for its best interest, and love Of pro-
gress among the citizenship would In
themselves accomplish wonders. Faith
and love precede work commercially
as we'll as religiously. There is no
monopoly of principles held by any
set of individuals. The same rule ap-
plies in every walk of life. These
things in city building and CONNER
cial affairs can only be brought about
through the combined action of num-
Der of men-through commercial or
community association. You can call
to mind many advantages that the city
needs and which could readily be se-
cured" if the people would only get
together" This is precisely what a
commercial association of the right
sort accomplishes. 1t brings the peo.
pie together. 1t brings together the
%1x,o fho
and women who are interested in the
community's advancement along all
lines and organizes them into an ef-
fcient working machine.
70 Get or to Give7
One other thought: The really great
need for commercial association Is
not the opportunity it offers you to
get more from the community. 1t is
the chance it presents for giving more
to 1t. Have you ever considered how
great is the debt you owe the city in
which you live? That city is produc-
ing or is the means of bringing to you
practically everything that makes life
worth living. This is a tremendous
service. Forget the idea If you ever
held it that the city cannot get along
without you; the truth is, you cannot
get along without the city. You owe
the city for all you have, or at any
rate you owe the people with whom
you do business something more than
a mere exchange of values for the
prosperity you enjoy. You pay these
debts in part, by at least working with
other public spirited citizens for the
best interests Of the city. A CONNER
cial association provides for the best
way of putting you in touch with such
men, without regard to creed, class or
politics.
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