New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1920-05-29
CITIZEN SPEAKS OF CHAM.
Der OF COMMERCE.
Editor Enterprise:

The New Iberia Chamber 0.
Commerce will soon inaugurate ;
campaign for new membership
and also renewals of the member
ships now on the rolls Of your
civic institution. This was de
cided on at a meeting of tht
/ board of. directors over a weeE
ago for the reason that the Cham
! Der of Commerce needs additions.
impetus in the way of new anG
additional blood in the organiza
ton, more funds and also active
committees who will work fo1
New Iberia, Iberia Parish and its
interests for the next fiscal year
which will begin on July 18th
1920.
: The Chamber of Commerce of
New Iberia is less than one year
old but the members believe that
in that short period it has made
its presence felt for the benefit of
all. For something like five
months the body failed to func-
tion to any great degree of sue
cess, owing to the fact that no
active secretary was employed
until the first Of the year, when
our present secretary. Frank Noel,
recently of Houston, came here
to take over the work in hand.
The writer is a firm believer in
the present Chamber of Com
merce. He further believes that
this is the psychological moment,
or year, which ever way you care
70 put it, to strike and put New
Iberia on the map-to stay.
Because of the fact that the
membership dues Of the Chamber
IF Commerce for the fiscal year
July 18th, 1919 to July 18th, 1920.
were away below the standard
suggested bv the Chamber of
Commerce of the United States of
america. of which the New Iberia
chamber is a unit, the dues will
re increased to meet existing cir
cumstances, so that the Chamber
of Commerce may properly func-
ton and bring to the City and
Parish the prosperity it so richly
deserves.
Z We have ascertained that a
5000 a year Chamber Of Com
merce will pay a secretary's sal
airy, a stenographer's salary, a
porter's salary, office rent, etc. !;
buy a bit Of stationery, stamps
and other office supplies, but it
will not pay for outside publicity
and advertising, nor help in any
way to develop our agricultural
resources, nor will it help to Sc
cure Parish Demonstration, nor
will it furnish the secretary with
a motor car, or its upkeep, which
will enable him to keep in touch
with, the Parish proper. All these
things must be considered in en-
tering into the new fiscal year
and under the present prices of
all necessities dollar buying
40 cents worth-it will take any
where from $500 to $4,000 per
year to properly maintain a
chamber that will really function.
In addition to this sum it is nee
essary that the members co-ope-
rate to the full If New Iberia s
population and land values are to
increase. There is no guess work
about this-it has been proved.
! A little chamber in Burlington,
North Carolina, with a population
of just 5000: and another in
Chillocothe, Mo-, both are operat-
ing on virtually ten-thousand dol
lars per year basis. They found
they could not function on less
and keep up with the procession.
Times are changing and we are
changing with the times and
we must keep up with the
times If we are to recover
our lost prestige; lost through
no fault of our own, but be-
cause we failed to grasp the
situation. We are undergoing a
reconstruction period that is
testing our very loyalty to the
government as well as to our own
City, but / believe that New Ibe-
ria viii come out with flying col
ors.
Further, 4 believe that our agri.
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