The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-12-24
A SPLENDID RECORD.

There was a representative body Of
citzens and business men in attend
ance at the meeting Of the CONNER.
cial Club last Friday evening, and
considerable business was transacted
1t was the last meeting of the year
and 1t can be said that as construct.
i've factor in the affairs of the COM
munity the Commercial Club has
made a better record during the past
year than during any similar period
that an organization, of the kind has
existed, and laying the foundation for
still greater accomplishment in the
years to come. The cleaning up OF the
slate of the organizations Of similar
character that proceeded the present
Commercial Club was an expensive
undertaking, but the Club has made
good all obligations created by its
predecessors, contributed literally to-
ward improvements Of a civic nature
requiring financial aid and through
the Influence of united effort has ac-
complished much more for the well
fare OF the town than can be explained
in brief notice Of the clubs activi-
ties or which is apparent on the sur
face.
At the time of the Reorganization of
the club 1t was decided to adopt the
budget system for the purpose Of rails
ing necessary funds for meeting the
legitimate expenses that naturally
arises during the year. Under the
old method of raising money it
was customary when any i'm
provement of a public nature had to
be made, when celebrations were to
be financed, when it became neces-
sary to send delegates outside to rep
resent the town at conventions. or 10
present the claims VI, the town or the
valley before legislative bodies. com
mittees would go TO business men So
liciting the required funds. These
touches were frequent. and regrett-
able to say the tax usually fell upon
the shoulders of a few, when the OBJ
ject was to benefit the entire citi-
zenry. The object of the budget system
was to lift this burden from the few
and distribute it equally among all.
Each business man was assessed a
stated amount, with the understand
ing that he was exempt through the
year from all solicitors for funds of
whatever kind, outside Of church and
lodge dues. Insofar as doing away
with solicitations for money the budg-
ct system has worked like a charm,
but it Is an unpleasant fact to mention
that number of those who were thus
freed Of the repeated and customary
touch have so far failed to come
across, although We kalieve that most
OF them will meet that Obligation be-
fore the close Of the year. This failure
to pay up has left the club somewhat
crippled financially just at present,
but with the payment of the second
and third installments of the budget,
the organization will enter the new
year free of debt and with several
hundred dollars to the good AS stated
above the new organization assumed
and liquidated several hundred dol
lars of old debts contracted by former
Commercial Clubs and tided the hos
pital over some rough places during
the year, two drafts on the excheQuer
of the club that will not have to again
be met. Had 1t not been for these ex-
traOrdinary expenses the club would
have entered the new year with flying
colors and pretty full chest
From the trend of sentiment at the
Friday night meeting there is no dan
ger that the Commercial Club will dis
band. With the selection of officers at
it's January meeting the Club will en-
ter the new year stronger in numbers
and stronger in its purpose of accom-
plishment than at any time since the
town could boast Of such an organi
zation, and it is to be hoped that every
resident of the town will enroll him
self as a member and lend every aid
possible toward any and every activ-
ity the club may engage in.