The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-01-21
START BOOM FOR
NEWPORT CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
200 Attend Banquet and
Better Cooperation with
Farmers Is Urged

A plea for a League Of Neighbors
and better cooperation between the
farmer and the business man was
voiced by o. II. Benson, director OF
the Junior Bureau of Children's or
ganizations, of Springfield, Mass, in
a forceful address delivered at the
business meeting and banquet of the
Chamber of Commerce held in the
dining rooms of the First Congrega-
tional church in Newport, Tuesday
evening. More than 800 local citizens
were present, it being one of the
largest crowds that ever attended a
Chamber meeting.
Last nights meeting Of the local
Chamber Of Commerce was primarily
for the purpose Of inaugurating a
far-reaching drive. for new members
for the organization and the result of
the opening night of the big CAM
paign was very pleasing to the lead
ers. A large. number of new men,
bcrs signed j. while all of the old
members renewed their membership
for 1920 A complete canvass of the
city is to be conducted.
President Will True opened the
meeting with few remarks about
what the Chamber of Commerce has
done in the past and what it plans
to do in the future and then introduc-
ed the speakers in order.
Mayor James I. Gardner was the
first speaker on the program.
He said in part:
"a good, hustling, trappy Newport
Chamber of Commerce is Just as es-
sential for the growth and upbuild-
ing OF almost SO as your City Coun
Gil because it can do a lot of things
that city council can't do. And
there is no end to what might be
accomplished in Newport by such a
Chamber of Commerce.
"We are fortunate here in Newport
to be blessed with the absence Of
different factions. We have no poll
tical factions, no religious factions.
Everybody believes that | have a
right to my own political beliefs and
my own religious beliefs, providing l
stand for the best, the very best there
is in society and good American citi-
zenship. And SO when any movement
starts that is for the betterment and
well being of US all everybody forgets
all their little petty jealousies and
differences Of opinion and take right
hold like one big family to make
that movement success.
"Now, my friends, when you find
u community like this you find
community that can have almost any
thing under the canopy of Heaven
that it needs. Now want to use as
an illustration of what kind of COM
munity this is, our Causeway PROPOSE
ton and J beg of you not to think
that l claim any credit, because do
not. I am speaking purely of the
community.
In the early spring this year
heard that the old houses on the
Causcway were going to be purchas-
cd and toggled up as cheap class OF
rents that would always remain
nuisance. said to one of my closest
friends "That ought not to be allow
cd. Those houses ought to be pur-
chased, sold and moved away that
I he land might be turned over to the
city for park purposes. And he said
to me right off the bat you're right
and I'll be one Of five to buy those
houses In an hour | had the five.
The houses were bought, sold and
have all been moved away but one.
And that is on the rolls and on its
way. Then / saw there were three
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