Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-30
BUSINESS MEN
HEAR WILSON AT
NOON SMOKE TALK.

MUM SMOhL i ALh
About IS Of the business men in
The city met Saturday noon at thu
Elmwood hotel for a luncheon and
smoke talk, and much enthusia sm
was shown when the question # the
recognizing Of the Chamber OF Com
merce was brought up and discussed
by Lucius f. Wilson Of New York
City, who was the speaker at the
mass meeting last Friday evening.
Mr.. Wilson is a most able speaker
and certainly biought out the facts
why Waterville should have 4
Chamber Of Commerce at this time. :"
He thoroughly discussed the subject
and after he finished his address a
few minutes which were left were
passed in answering and discussing
questions which were asked by the
members present
Harry Brown. president Of the pres
ent Chamber of Commerce in the
city, presided and after the luncheon
made few remarks, after which
he introduced the speaker, L. E.
w llSOn, WHO Sdlu any
American who cannot look pleasantly
today has some thing wrong with
them. | am regretful that We have
so little time left to talk about this
important subject Of the Chamber Of
Commerce The man who says that
the movement now ust land where
your money has landed in years be-
fore when the Chamber of Commerce
was being reorganized. does not
know what he is talking about. Therc
are certain things in the reorganiz-
ing that you must do, and in the long
run you will have to come across. "
not at present. Why it will be in a
very short time, because Chamber
of Commerce is a necessity and must
be organized in every city ami town.
You men Of Waterville have the
chance today to make use of tho
things Of the past and this is p gooh
opportunity.
He referred to the Chamber of
Commerce in cities the size or wa
tcrvillc, and told how they were pros
perins and of what great necessity
this organization is to a community.
He said that the membership fee Of
s25 a year for dues was all the ex-
pense, and that at the opening ~ the
organization it is necessary TO nave
the dues paid on the three-year pas
Is. in order to have the required funos
to work with. -.
There are certain things you Will
have to have il this is organised.
First you will have to have the three
wears subscription dues paid, and az
ter that the dues will be $500 a
year. A three year pledge If abso-
lutely essential. You have had no
programs in the past but now you
will have one, and the program will
be laid out for the work OF each COM
mittee of the organization. THOSE
qualities are enough to guarantee the
Chamber of Commerce to any city.
The new organization is organized
with the same men. but will be car
ried on on a different scale. If this
is not the time for the reorganizing
of an organization Of this kind, l
think that President Wilson ought to
be notified and have it brought to a
stop, but he approves Of 1t as we'll as
OtnefS WHO are UoOSSiH6 VIC SAA
paign every day.
Waterville has got to have some
kind of leadership, with the thinking
men of the town. A town either
knows where it is going or doesn't.
There are some men who say that
this Is all a bunk and that there will
never be an outcome. Sitting still is
the easiest thing that human being
ever does, and the most prontless
thing in the world to himself and to
his community"
Mr.. Wilson referred to the Chamber
of Commerce organization In other
cities and states. If this Chamber
of Commerce Is the wrong thing" he
asked why some of you people of
Waterville should go to those cities
who already have the organization
and tell them a few things" He said
that since the first of January there
had been over 20 different cities and
towns organized as chamber of COM
merce or reorganized by the same
men that were here in the C, ity from
the American City Bureau, ana that
they still had several more towns and
cities on their lists to visit and in
which to start similar campaigns.
Some of You people think that
when you have nothing else to do
that you will give this some of your
time and attention. We have come
to the point that if you can prove by
the best sort of clear logic that this
is the thing to do and if you don't
want it. now Is the time to drop it..
Cities are built where men want
them"
TIE remarks by Mr.. Wilson were
followed by discussion by some of the
man nroeenf