The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-12
retail DEALERS
HOLU MEETING
.,,okuk Should Wake up and Tell
strangers Of Our Good Institu-
tlons-Thls Was Emphasized
q by Speakers.
WE SHOULD ALL BOOST
The offer Of the Y. W. c. A. to Fur
nish a Rest Room, as Recon-
mended by Commission,
Was Adopted.

. The Keokuk Retailers met last ev
,ning around the festal board of the
| Iowa hotel. After partaking of the
/ mod and substantial dinner provided
| by that hosiery several matters OF
| husiness were considered, and Incl
| aentalIy there was much talk for the
IT. rood of the city.
NJ. Z. Justice presided at the head
Of the table, and started the talkfest
p by calling on c. ]. Smith to give a few
| Of his ideas Of city betterment. Mr.
Smith said the worst thing that can
Be said OF Keokuk is that the citizens
ire too modest In his business of
In the district, and in enc particularly
be noticed that the citizens-men.
women and children-never lose an
opportunity to say good word for
their city. They are continually at it,
md it helps. Keokull should have an
awakening along this line. The city
has many good features, and we should
not be backward in regard to calling
the attention Of strangers within our
gates to these. We should get the
spirit, and not be afraid to let the
world know of our splendid manu-
factories, our good wholesale houses,
our fine hotels, our excellent retail
stores and our many other good insti-
luticns
The chairman, in endorsing the
statements of Mr.. Smith, said the best
cties OF the state make business of
putting the best foot forward. and
named Cedar Rapids as one of the
most progressive. The people there
make point to speak of the good
things of the city. The bad features,
which every town has more or less,
they allow strangers to find out for
themselves
Blinded Visitor.
Jacob Schouten talked along the
same lines. Not long ago Keokuk
man asked him what is the matter
with this city Mr.. Schouten asked
he party If he had been around and
seen our manufacturing plants and the
various industries that the city can
beast Of The man confessed that he
had not. he really did not know the
good features of the city at all. He
had seen few empty buildings and let
these blind him to the many good es-
|hblishments.
T. N. Conner said he would like to
Ek a question or two and Rave some
body answer them What is the mat
ter with Keokuk? If anything, what?
For his part, in the main. he thought
the city all rirht When he went to
Eneighboring cities and saw the poor
lights and dirty streets and had &C.
srasion to inspect some of the roads
Fading into them, he came home with
h feeling Of pride when he thought Of
our well lighted streets, our pave
|nents and good roads. He was then
|Elad that he lived in Keokuk.
Frank Swan said farmer had said
70 him that the merchants of Keokulk
don't seem to want the farm ers' trade
because they are offering inducements
TO people who come in on the train
by paying fares, and they also deliver
goods to people in town The farmer
does not get the benefit of these Mr.
Swan THOUGHT we ought to pay as
much attention to the people near by
as those farther away who come in on
the train.
George Bauer answered Mr.. Swan