The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-04-21

""soh traihs mas Deen formed here
and food carried to the people of Co.
lumbia. Now if Sumter was shut off
from the West for two weeks. famine
would stare the people in the face. He
said that Mr. Coker, the head of the
State committee. had told him that
Sumter county was ahead of any 9TH
er county in the State, and as far
as be knew, ahead of any county in
the country. He said this fact was
Que to the effective work Of the
Chamber Of Commerce
Mr.. Phelps stated that in Atlanta
the Sumter plan was adopted at the
meeting Of the Public Safety Commit
tee and telegraphed from there to ev-
cry county in the South and it's adop-
tion urged by the Atlanta meeting.
Mr.. Davis d. Noise referred to his
interest in the work os the Chamber
of Commerce, but he had never en-
pected to see it SO we'll organized and
doing such effective work as it was
doing now. He believed that it was
because Of the Chamber of Commerce
that the community spirit in Sumter
was so strong. He said that nc had
recently been on trip through parts
of the South and he had noticed that
where there was diversifcati0n with
plenty Of live stock that there was
plenty of signs Of prosperity. II was i'm
possible to make money by raising only
cotton and corn; diversification must
D" practised. live sock must be rails
ed to make, money. He urged that
each citizen of the community work
for his community, as we'll as for
himself. and he could best aid his
community by working through the
Chamber of Commerce which was
always ready to accept any good sug-
gestion and aid any worthy cause.
Mr.. r. b. Belser, former presi-
don't Of khe Chamber of Commerce,
pointed out that the organization was
one representing the community. He
was therefore glau to see such a rem
resentative body of men gathered for
the meeting. as it indicated that the
work of the organization was being
appreciated. He said that the Cham
ber would develope every helpful
idea brought to 1t, but that it could
not do work without cooperation. es-
pecially financial support. He refer
red to the small amounts which were
being carried over each year by the
because the body did not
have sufficient funds to pay back dues
and to run on throughout the year.
He said the work which the body did
Tor the community was certainly
worth to each business man the small
amount he paid towards its support.
He said that sometimes one enterprise
was worth to the community the
"'OohS Poio W support the
Chamber OF Commerce. 1t only need
ed $500 a year. On this amount
1t could and would develop the agri-
cultural interests of the community,
which in turn would develop the
business interests of the town. II
needed and should have the support
of the business men of the COM
Mr.. Phelps stated that the meeting
was a most encouraging one and he
hoped that there would be such
meetings each month, hereafter,
where the men could keep in touch
with each other and discuss matters
OF public interest. He thought ii
worth the while of every man in bus
mess to belong, to the Chamber oi
Commerce and hoped that when call
ed on the men would respond prompt
~ and willingly. He thought the slo-
gan of the State Preparedness Com.
mittee was good one for the Cham
Der of Commerce Service for All,
for there was no place in business to-
day for man who lived only 70.
himself.
Secretary f. /. ReardOn said that
the Chamber of Commerce was KEEP
exceedingly busy these days. He ex.
planned that he had inherited much q
the blame which had been placed
upon the body. and that some nc haf
come by justly. The deficit spoken
had been inherited when he came int,
office. and was not of his making. FL
said 1t was chiefly the non-public
spirited men who laid the blame fo
their injuries and the injuries to bus
mess in the community to the Cham
her of Commerce He said that /,