Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-26
will be decided by the whole member

will be decided by the whole member.
ship,
Standing committees will be abol.
ished. Men forget from month ~
month that they are members and
will not attend meetings. Now, when
new project presents itself on the
Commercial associations horizon. "A
committee will be selected to look in
10 It, This committee will be made up
Of men who, on account of their bust
ness relations or other reasons. are
peculiarly adapted for place on this
body. #E&#. E
Want New Quarters.
THE plan Is to enlarge the present
quarters by converting the ground
floor of the present building into club
rooms with club features. An extern
sion would be built at the rear, too
to give more space
Real club facilities are being plan
ned These would include reading
rooms. writing rooms, billiard and
pool rooms, Offices for the secretary
and bureau heads, a large assembly
room for holding public meetings, q
Kitchen and several committee rooms.
This plan has not been definitely de-
cided yet and should something ap-
pear which. in the opinion of the
members, would be better, then the
latter will be adopted.
The object in providing these fea
lures is right along the line OF getting
people into the work of the essocia-
ton and to do their part in helping
to make Ottumwa a city, better worth
living in and better worth living FOR
Individualisn Must Go.
IF you men were living in GERMANY
France or England in times OF peace
and were business man. yon would
not be asked to become a member OF
the commercial association or a body
corresponding to it. You would, in
voluntarily become one. They are
supported by tax there and you
would have to pay 1t as regularly and
as certainly as I hope some Of you
will have to pay your income tax In
two or three years.
AL observers will agree that there
has been great spiritual change in
the war SCARED countries of Europe
since that awful cataclysm began. In.
dividualism has been wiped out and
1t must go in business life. too. We
must get rid of selfish motives and
work all together for the future.
"Ottumwa's new attitude of mind
finds expression in the ,reorganized
commercial association. 1t is a new
spirit and that fact will help to make
the city a better one in which to live,
Iowa better state, the United States
better country, and the world bet
ter one in which to be a part. be it
ever so small. What we do here will
not cease here. 1t will 60 on, and
on, and on, and on, to the ends of the
world In its influence"
The Ottumwa Spirit.
M. B. HutoAison when called on for
remarks referred to q reorganization
of the Commercial association some
eight or nine years ago when the or
ganization grew during a burst of en-
thusiasm from handful of workers
to hundreds of good live boosters and
he recalled a conversation held recent
ly with former Ottumwan who re-
that in reply to the question, why the
man returned, he was given the fol-
lowing answer: ...-:..
, II have come back to live here be-
cause there Is no community to my
knowledge that has changed for the
better SO rapidly as Ottumwa."
Mr.. Hutchinson said that the Ottum-
wa spirit is fast becoming like the
California spirit, everybody is boost
Ing. "A denomination Of enthusiasm
and boost for Ottumwa such as is seen
here tonight" said he, ''is inspiring
and can accomplish much. Every city
should have such an association to be
nucleus, body Of mon to meet to-
gether to discuss and plan for the bot
torment of the community and to
handle the community's problems of
all kinds. The man is not good citi-
zen who living here and either finding
employment or success in business in
the community, does not lend his aid
to the improvement of the community.
Every good citizen will help.
THE community like man, either
goes ahead or backward. There is no
middle course and Ottumwa has reach
ed the point where it shall be advance
or retreat and Judging from the
spirit manifest here tonight the indi-
cations are most pronounced for. ad-
vancement. The Commercial associa-
ton. is deserving for much credit for
what has been done. If we have an
association with adequate room where
Z man can take friend or 60 himself
to meet his neighbors or fellow citi-
zens and discuss things of common in
terest, and also find some amusement
or diversion or attraction, it will aid
in the growth of Ottunwa. Recently
/ have heard a great deal while away
from home about Ottumwa and it was
all about the city's growth and pros
perity. This is good news to hear and
hope that every man and interested
citizen of Ottumwa will become
member Of the association"
The talk of Mr.. Hutchinson was fol-
lowed by the banQueters all singing
Dixie.
Not Bigger But Better.
H. l.. Waterman, who spoke next,
brought out forcibly his ideas that Of
tumwa did not necessarily have to be
made bigger, but better, and after that
had been accomplished, it would auto.
matically be bigger, because it was
better.