The record. (Greenville, Ky.) 1899-1???, 1917-03-29
COOPERATION
WITH RESULTS
How This May Be- Actually
Accomplished.
HARMONY OF ACTION NEEDED

A Wonderful Change of Standards Has
Come About Both Among City Off
cials and Chamber of Commerce
Workers Throughout the Country In
Recent Years.
1t often happens that the line of de-
marcation between the functions of
the city official and the chamber Of
commerce is not clear. The following
is q safe general rule: 1t is the busi-
ness of the chamber Of commerce to
create sentiment, Of the city official to
enact into ordinance and enforce the
ordinances or execute the plan as re-
suit Of the sentiment, writes ]. E.
Surratt, secretary Of the Texas Town
and City Planning association. in the
Town Development Magazine.
There has been n wonderful change
of standards both among city officials
and chamber of commerce workers
throughout the country, and especially
in Texas, during recent years. The
city official of today has a broad con-
ception Of the obligations that the city
owes to its people. Had any Of our
progressive city executives of today
been in Office thirty, twenty or even
fifteen years ago and attempted to put
through at that time the programs
they are now working upon they would
have been hailed as Socialists of the
rankeSt type.
There has also come about a wonder
full change in the standards of our COM
mercial organizations. Only ten or fif-
teen years back the whole and sole
duty of the commercial club was that
Of factory getting. Every commercial
club, no matter the size of it's town,
had as its slogan more Smoke" No
thought was given to the matter of
holding or developing the factories or
other institutions located within the
city, while better living conditions.
better housing, better sanitation and
better educational facilities or improv-
ed moral surroundings for the men and
-Srot!sen EhG worked il tire factories
were considered wholly without the
domain Of the. chamber Of commerce.
Every progressive chamber Of com
merce worker today realizes that these
are fundamentally important tasks for
the chamber of commerce.
The problems are also of equal i'm
portance to the city official.
The rule laid down at the outset OF
this paper, however, can be followed as
a guide in determining in all these
things how far the chamber of com
merce should go and how far the city
official.
A few concrete illustrations: The
city of Paris, Tex, has become ia
nous throughout the country for its
adoption of a city plan, and to Mayor
McCuistion is justly given the credit
for this notable achievement. Yet
have it from Mr.. McCuistion that the
Paris Chamber Of Commerce played
the very important part of bringing
the citizens Of Paris around to the
point where they not only saw the
need of a city plan for Paris, but de
manded it of their city officials.
4 few years ago the writer was sec
retary of the progressive little city OF
Mart, Tex, where sanitary conditions
were very bad. The Commercial clul
spent an entire year conducting an ed
ucational campaign, with the final re
suit that Mart is now classed by the
state health department as one of the
most sanitary towns in the state. A
numerous meetings held Throughout
this campaign the mayor, city healti
officer and other officials served a:
members of the Commercial club com
mittees helping to arouse public senti
ment. After the sentiment had Onc
been created it was an easy task 70
the city officials to get the results.
1t is true in Sherman; it is true il
Paris; it is true in Dallas; it is true il
every other city, large or small-"ther
is more to he done than all of us vii
ever get done" When we remembe
this we can easily divide the tasks be
tween the chamber of commerce ant
the city government, so as to have Il
conflict and still get the greatest pos
sible results. Ny plan has been to lie
wants to handle, unless his handling
is in clear conflict with some pronoun(
cd policy of the chamber of commerce
This seldom if ever happens. and b.
working OH this principle the chambe
of commerce ard city officials ca
other to bring about the best and mos
lasting results for their city.