Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-12-09
Powerful Maine Organization Formed.

The biggest step forward ever taken
by any state toward bringing city and
country people together In one central
business organization for the promotion
OF mutual interests, was concluded ct
Bangor Wednesday afternoon, Dec. Sd,
when the State Board OF Trade, 10 Q
special meeting, voted to accept the
recommendation Of its officials, and
amalgamate with the State Agricultural
and Industrial League into one body ia
be known ~ the State Chamber OF Com.
merce and Agricultural League.
So far a. this paper IL aware, no other
state In the Union now has one central
business organization acting as q state
wide clearing house for the best interests
of it's manufacturing and commercial
industries, Its agriculture, Its consumers,
and It's labor.
The machinery for securing proper
action for each and all interests In the
State of Maine ls as follows: an Indus.
trial, q Commercial, an Agricultural, 9
Labor, and a Home Directorate, each
composed of sixteen members, one from
each county.
The chairman of each Directorate to.
gether with the president, the vice.
president, secretary and treasurer form
an Executive Council, which is to direct
the work of the organization and ite
paid staff. Thus every interest hai
representation on the Executive Council
which becomes q bona flde clearing
house for all statewide projects for the
good of any or all interests.
The perfecting of this new--and II
should prove neutrality-suspicious.
will come at q particularly auspicioui
time. 1t is planned to have the work ir
full swing by January, 1920, Names
| Centennial yesf, and with such . con
centrated organization available, repre-
senting all interests in the state, 9
powerful medium would be available fol
rousing statewide interest In the Cen
tennial, and for enlisting the support o.
all sections and interests.
The scope for progress OF this reall!
representative state. wide organization II
almost limitless. Since 1t ia the STATE
tie-up body of all the Chambers of Com
merce and Boards of Trade, az we'll al
the clearing house for all other interests
it can put into effect q unified program
for State development, parts in which
can be assigned to each respective inter
est, so that all will pull together for TIT
big objects.
The high character of the men behint
this organization can be judged from tn
following list of the officers OF the tw'
bodies which have amalgamated:
State Board OF Trade: James O.. Gul
nae, Bangor, President; E. N. Blanding
Bangor, Secretary; Henry A. Free, Lew
istoD, Treasurer; and Norris L. Slugg
Belfast, Henry T. Hooper, Portland, !.
N. Littlehale, Rocklahd, P. A. Olinto
Bath, Executive Council; and, as Vice
Presidents, all the Presidents OF th
Chambers of Commerce and Boards o
Trade Of Maine.
State Agricultural and Industrial
League: Silas B. Adams, Portland, Pres
ident; Charles F. Flagg, Portland. W
III. Thompson, South China, Leslie Z
McIntire, Waterford, VIM. T. Cobb
Rockland, Waldo Pettengill, Rumford
Vice Presidents; and Fenton TomlinsoD
Portland, Acting Treasurer.
The election of officers for the new
organization will take place immediatel
upon the meeting together of sixteel
representatives from each OF the mere
ing bodies, one representative from eac
county for each organization. Whe
these representatives meet, they vii
have before them recommendations frou
the Chambers of Commerce and Board
of Trade of each county, naming tw
men for each of the five Directories
One of these will then be elected TO
each Directorate from each county.
II 1t is felt that this method will give
true statewide and local representation