The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-10
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB
OUR TOWN

Every COWn anu COHHSICIdA Va
ganization should discriminate be-
tween the chronic pessimist and the
man Of real caution-the man who
objects to public good to save him
self little expense, and the man
who objects because he believes it
will save the town foolish invest
ment.
The Commercial Club has its own
troubles. 1t faces the wors sort of
opposition Of inertia. In
every town are both business men
and private citizens who want all
the advantages of good town with
out giving either time, tax, or even
commentator, in return. They are
cold-blooded, selfish, lumpish OBJ
structionists, who never contribute
anything to the community but 81
don't see what they are doing that
for!
The temptation to swat these, and
swat them hard, is great; and they
deserve it. But do not class with
these the fellow who sees a great deal
but talks little, and is brave enough
to point out the broken leg in the
boosters hobby horse.
One of the most important tasks
Of any Commercial Club is to bring
about spirit Of unity-a feeling of
common loyalty to the town. This
is both its best and hardest task.
A town is naturally full of jeal-
ouies. The smaller the town, the
more numerous the cliques, and big
ger the prejudices.
There are always some who want
to and some who don't; some who
will and some who won't. And there
are always conflicting interests.
Real-estate men who have lots to
sell and vacant storerooms to rent
want more business men more popu-
lation. Often the established con-
Germs do not want new competition.
Bankers would like to have the va
cant rooms round the square filled
with mercantile establishments
but not banks. The leading stores
would rather have two or three more
banks 60 in.
Hence, any movement of a Com
mercial Club to do things for the
town-infact, its very organization
is likely to start contention. And
that opposes everything the club un-
dertakes.
Many attend no meetings-except
an occasional mass meeting, to sheer
at every prospect proposed. Then
there is the part of town south of
the track which is aligned against
the north town; and the City Council
known as the City Hall Ring, has its1
trouble with it always.
No, wonder, seeing that the easi-
est way to get them all interested is
to bring in some outside good which
completes with none of them, the
Commercial Club SO often buys a
factory, or hires one to be moved to
the town. But often, in striving for
these big, obvious, material results,
the more subtle but finer elements
OF town progress are overlooked.
A Commercial Club should early
become impervious to criticism of its
lack of spectacular activity. Some
OF the best work is always invisible.
A state of being must be attained in
the town which makes living plea
sent as we'll as possible before any
desirable increase in population cen
be gained and kept. Before this
state can be brought about, senti-
ment must De created, reused, man
afactured-produced in some way
that makes certain conditions posi-
bic and others impossible.
It is true there are municipal ac-
,idents, just as there are accidental
Individual successes. Some towns
rave unprecedented. A village
It the forks Of the creek, or ham,
ct on the side Of a hill, has been the
:radle Of some infant industry; and
he town has grown up with the bus
ness. But we cannot depend upon
IN unknown uncle dying in the West
md leaving us a car Of potatoes or a
sheep ranch. Neither can a town
i've on accidental good fortune. We
nave to earn. And the first step in
earning is to be fitted for it-com-
oetent to handle good fortune if it
Ices come.-The Saturday Even