Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-01
Salem Commercial Club Does
Splendid Work for County
Believes the UpbuiIdng of the County Is the Surest Way
to Make City Prosperous

When business man starts for his
office in the keen fresh air Of a bright
morning, aside from his coat, he is
wrapped up in the folds Of his OWL
private business. There are very few
exceptions to this, man must heed
the law of self-preservation.
But this man leaves his wife and
children at hCme for the day, while he
concentrates his time and attention on
his business. His children will not be
properly educated if the chools are not
kept up to standard, they will be con
stently exposed to contagious diseases
if the health laws are not enforced.
They might be victims of accidents if
the traffic laws are not enforced. He
does not worry about the general civic
industrial and mercantile affairs as
one might suppose this business man
would do; he treats it in very busi-
ness like manner and joins the Com
mercial Club, knowing as he does that
this association will check up the af-
fairs of the city, promote reforms
when needed, and further the indus
trial and business interests Of the
town
And this is the fundamental purpose
of Commercial Club; the idea of CO.
operative effort in the uncovered field
lying between the function Of the in
dividual and the function of govern
ment sometimes termed ''nobodies
business is fundamentally correct.
There is need for some organization
which permitA collective effort and
which at the same time encroaches on
neither the power of the individual
nor the sphere Of the local government
The Commercial Club then is piece
of machinery driven by collective in
fluence. 1t responds quickly to public
opinion, moulds public sentiment into
q working influence and uses that in
fluence for the best interests of the
city.
1t is not the purpose to set forth
herewith all the efforts Of the Com
mercial Club during the past year.
This would be an impossibility. Only
the items which will prove Of general
interest are here set -orth
General Condition of Club.
(For further information sec Annual
Report)
FINANCE.
The expenditures Of the club have
been governed by budget system in
stalled in the previous year. SO close
ly have the expenses been estimated
and controlled that in no quarter of
the year has there existed a discrep-
aney between the directors apropria-
tien and the actual expenses.
MEMBERSHIP.
The quota of membership has main
tained its level during the past year
and today this organization is the
strongest club per capita in the State.
MEETINGS HELD.
Board OF directors ....................-..... Ia
Membership meetings .......-......-....--.-- III
Executive department committee
meetings ......................- %
General committee meetings ........... z
Miscellaneous meetings, including
Salem Floral Society, Rod and
Gun Club, Marion Co. Cattle Club,
Marion County Potato Growers
Association, Cherrians, Good Roads
Committees, Red Cross, d. A. RS,
Grange Committee, Taxpayers
League, State Associations of all
kinds 224
Total .,.................. GIL
MAIL REPORT.
Letters received durino year ...... 5,t1I
Letters sent during year ...-...-...,. 9,942
L'ieces Of literature mailed during
the season ..........................--. lO,lll Il
Miscellaneous mail matter, post
!cards, me9ting announcements,
etc. 17,457
GENERAL ACTIVITIES.
New WOEl