Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1920-03-24
MAKING THE PUBLIC THINK

Very few towns or cities would
agree today TO remain just as
they are until 1925. Streets will
be paved, lighted, cleaned and
regulated better in 1925 than
now; schools will more nearly
meet the needs of real life; fac
tories will grow; population will
multiply; and citizens will learn
in increasing numbers, that busi-
ness exists because there are hu-
man wants that must be served.
In any normal American city
some of these changes will take
place whether anybody conscious
" looks after the public interest
or not. The upward push of en-
terprising individuals will achieve
some general advance. But, il
there is to be progress without
discouraging delays, the active
business men of the city must or
ganize TO MAKE THE PUBLIC
THINK.
This city in 1925 will look and
be what the average business man
of today wishes. Mind you, the
city will not make the progress
that one or two broad-visioned
men can imagine. Far-sishted
leaders are held back by the in
difference and ignorance of in
dividuals who cant see. A city is
like a fleet of warships-the pro-
gress of the entire fleet is re-
stricted to the speed of the slow
est monitor. So il is necessary
for the men who want progress
who want to see the prosperity
and conveniences of 1925 brought
into use as early as possible in
stead of as late as possible-to
organize to the end that "the slow
est monitor" may be speeded up
and the whole community carried
forward.
In more than twenty-five hun
dred American towns and cities
the business and professional men
have banded themselves together
in more or less intelligent effort
to ascertain what things will ad-
vantage the community, and, hav-
ing fixed upon the things worth
while, to seek and strive for them
unitedly.
Some Of these community or
ganizations have been in exist
ence for periods ranging from
three to fifteen years. Every one
has depended upon the support of
the most intelligent business and
professional men in each commu-
nifty. Critics of such ORGANIZATIONS
who are fond of alleging that
nothing ever comes of them"
should pause long enough to re-
fleet that serious-minded and in
telligent men don't support worth
less local organizations year after
year. Even the most violent
fault-iinder must recognize that
chambers OF commerce have lived
through the trial of years in hun
dreds OF places and under the
questioning eyes OF hundreds OF
thousands OF clear-seeing men.
There must be a large kernel of
virtue in the chamber of COM
merce idea to stand this test.
Chambers of Commerce are still
regarded by the general public as
primarily factory-grabbing insti-
tutiOns. This notion is a herit-
age Of the past and is today al
most wholly wrong. Bonus-giy-
ing as the chief magnet for at
tracing factories is pretty nearly
over. Sorry experience has
taught cities that buying a fac
tory is not necessarily getdng a
factory; bonus-seeking plant is
too often headed in the direction
away from permanent success.
and a chamber of commerce that
picks its factories through the use
OF artificial inducements is court
ing trouble
The folly Of bonuses would
have appeared much sooner if
men were not so easily misled with
surface appearances Of communi-
~ prosperity "Giye Us more
Dayrolls." say the majority OF
business men. "and the future will
take care OF itself" But actually
getting more payrolls is very
involved undertaking for a com
munity and the experience OF one
city must be studied very care
fully before applying it TO anoth-