The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-09-19
WILL
run" CHAMBER
INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS
WILL NEVER BE ABLE
TO CONTROL IT.
PLAN OF ELECTIONS
Democracy of New Organization
Safeguarded by Adoption of
an Easily Understood
Governing System.

Foremost of the details of the plan
of organization and operation of the
new Columbus and Lowndes County
Chamber of Commerce, in the minds
of those who have examined those
plans, is the certainty of its demo-
cratic character. The outstanding
fact is that at all times the control
of the organization will be in the
hands of all the members; never can
it fall into the hands of a group.
An explanation of the system under
which the directors and officers will
be chosen will illustrate the whole
method Of organization and control,
for the same ideal of democracy
stands out in all of the operations.
Suppose we approach the subject
by asking ourselves this question:
Who is going to run the Columbus
and Lowndes County Chamber of
Commerce p" said William c. Ewing,
the campaign director. Then he went
on:
"The members are going to run it.
In the modern Chamber of Commerce,
which is what this community is going
to have at the end of the campaign
in the coming week, every member is
on an equal footing Each pays the
same dues, each has one vote only,
each has the right to nominate for
office, each ha sas loud voice as any
other in the making of the program
of work and each will be called upon
to exercise all these rights.
"Under the old plan of organization,
nominations were made by commit
tees, committees were named by the
president alone or in consultation
with the secretary, and quite often the
program of work, if there was one,
was built by one or two individuals.
Naturally this system led to one man
control or control by small group.
The member who felt that he was one
of the obscure majority was too indif-
lferent to come out of the background
and presently after joining the cham
Der he substantially withdrew, and in
year or two stopped paying dues.
He was mot interested
"The new Columbus and Lowndes
County Chamber of Commerce will be
conducted along the new plan-again
the boiled down result of dozens of
experiments-of insisting that the
members, all the members, shall say
who shall hold office and be directors
and what planks shall compose the
platform or program of work.
ut is fundamental principle of the
organization campaign that the full
membership shall direct the life and
thought of the Chamber. For the
election machinery is of the simplest
character. Each member will be pro-
yided with bollot bearing the name
of every member so arranged that he
NAV vote for whom he chooses. A COM
plete printed list Of the membership
will be part of the ballot. The men
elected to the board of directors will
be the ones receiving the largest num-
Der of votes, cast secretly and un-
Influenced by any other consideration
than merit.
"This is democracy reduced to its
simplest form. Fitness, in the opin-
ion of his fellow citizens, will alone
determine whether member shall
hold office. Ability and a willingness
to serve his community will alone keer
man in office once he has beer
elected to it, for it is apparent that
any director who fails to measure W
to the expectations of his fellow mem
bers will not be reelected.
"Under the modern plan the mem
bers' forum will be an important feat
ure of the Chamber of Commerce.
"This will be the medium of com
munication between the officers anC
directors and the membership. 1t vii
frequently hold luncheons and meet
ings, bringing together the member
ship to invite the presentation ant
discussion of new projects. 1t will
check up the progress of the work o.
the committees. 1t will bring speakers
: on important subjects to the chamber
/ to assist the community in the solu
{ ton Of its problems. 1t will be tn,
dynamo which will give motion ant
action to the chamber as an organ
ization.
"The members forum organization
is so planned that it reaches by dis
tinct groups the individual members
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