Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-10-16
ORGANIZATION OF
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AbbsriIlo. La, Oct. IL, 1920
NIb,ri1r MarHiouJl,
\hlr,iH. rr.e-r,-,
AJbevil,c, La.
Gentlemen.
N.. since It's carly days, the orgauiza-
tlp. SECRETARY of the Ncrmlllon Gambler
If Commerce. / feel called upon to re-
DIV - the article published in the last
i.-n, of tle M.riIioual and | earnestly
REQUEST that this letter be published in
both vuu papers as il viii NJ least serve
"a, AN explanation and probably lend
some comfort to those who are asking
question.
The first intense spasm at collect
in due, for the main tcuaurc OF the
Chamber wa, begun immediately fol-
lowing our organization meeting IN Feb
marv, an which meeting II was decided
not TO employ outside assistance TO carry
9u the membership campaign, but TO
10 it ourselves. During the months
of April. Nav and June and part Of
July, | gave dp my time for number
Of days, in company with one or two
others Of the organization committee,
going through the anything -but-Pleas-
ant task If soliciting membership dues.
This had to be done when business
men were not busy which was seldom, 1t
was hard work for those very few of lis
who were interested enough in the or
ganization of a Chamber Of Commerce
tor the Parish. We went 10 Kaplan,
Guevdan, Abhcville and other points In
the parish, but wc could not give up all
our time. Finally, |, as the secretary,
concluded that wc had enough members
somewhere in the neighbOrhOod Of 300,
obtained bv this personal solicitation,
which is called by our intensely enthus-
iastic journal 'spasm J TO have our
final orgsnizatino meeting TO elect Of
icers and directors.
Printed notices were ordered and the
work Of notifying each and every mem
Der carried cIt. This lnal meeting was
called for August 18th, 1920. BY actual
! "ount at the time for calling the meet
| ing to order, there were four members
present, and every member was notified,
Naturally, the meeting had to be call
| ed off aud no further meeting has as yet
been called.
! Ia Justice to myself, may ! not state
that during the months of August up t.
and including March, I have not the
time to dev{e to this good momement
which hadln the summer and there
IRE cannot sead the drive for the or
gaHizatieH. f IS everybody'S ofganiza
ton. II is the organization of the edi
tor Of the Mrridional, just az il is min'
,r anyone else <. and ! will he only toe
| glad 70 turn all records, moneys, etc.
over 70 the editor of the MeridiOnal, a,
the proper instance of the Organization
! Committee, if he will be so kind, patri
ltic and progressive as TO accept the
carrying on of this work as his duty.
! Personally, I have done everything il
nv power to put through what ! know
w0dd be an organization Of great bpns
fit and help 20 our parish, but ther,
must be cooperation in move Of THU
kind [ have not Ia the least lost IN
forest ! an still heart aud soul in il
and would assist whoever carries on thi,
work as much rs possible, but as stated
/ this is the busy season and my first duty
| is to ny own company.
All that il really now necessary i
the instillng of enough enthusiasm ovei
the movement to have a meeting by al
! the members, elect the directors and Of
/ icers and have a regularly organized
campaign for additional members i
this is net done, the final organization
and establishment OF the Institution Ell
not be ACCOMPLISHED It seems to m,
| that the Ahbevillc McridiOnal and thu
/ Abbeviile Progress with the Influential
use Of their newspapers can do Just thi'
and il IL my earnest suggestion to thu
members Of the feramilion mot Able
J Vile as the MeridiOnal call itI Chambe
| Of Commerce, tlat the continuation ol
| this work for our Parish he Irned owe
! 10 either or both of the Editors of th'
two newspapers and in particular tn,
| "no which is now evincing sufficient in
terest TO east destinations, vague as the
may he. upon those few citizens wht
/ had enough heart and spirit to buck ;
hard game However, it has been eve
/ thus Those wlo earnestly cndeavOr Z
do something good for their community
must, il their eff rrts De not Immediate
/ " meet with the fullest success, 81
1 helplcsslv bv whilst being criticised u,
"watchful waiter" or two.
With your kind forhearance. may no
/ I add fust one word about those wh'
are asking questions? If all viii only
7sk questions and by 50 doing Great,
the necessary enthusiasm, we woulr
have our Chamber before one could So,
Jack Robinson So ask question
here, there and everywhere. And here
lot nc also stat, that our Organization
! Committee will answer each and ever,
question promptly and willingly.
The organization secretary is at you
service.
EDWARD G. SABINE.