Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-10-05
ThE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The meeting called at the 1Iote
Clifton last evening ostensibly for tn
purpose Of explaining plan for tn
reorganization of the Ottawa Ghambe
of Commerce was very well ATTENDED
and was highly satisfactory as "A meet
ing of business men, but as accom-
plishing the object for which it wa,
called il is hard TO understand how
it got anywhere. II the gentlemen in
charge had anything new to offer on
reorganization or organization il
wasn't in evidence
iOttawa's needs were again stated.
as they have been many, many times,
and suggestions Of how a stranger
thinks things ought to be done were
given, but the primary object Of the
meetlng-0t giving some definite plan
for reorganization-Was lost sight Of
The big thing the Chamber of Com
merce In Ottawa needs Is primarily
membership and money to do things
with, and then sufficient general in
formation to the people who comprise
that membership for them to know
what is being accomplished and where
the money they pay in membership
dues is being expended and what is
being accomplished,
A wide impression has gone ont
that the Ottawa Chamber of Com |
merce accomplished little during its
half dozen years of exis ence, while |
the exact opposite is true. It's war |
activities alone would have justified |
its existence. to make no mention Of |
its splendid work during the first and /
most virulent attack of the flu in |
Ottawa. There are people in Ottawa I
today who owe their very lives to OF |
tawa's Chamber of Commerce. yet |
how few recognize or acknowledge /
that fact. The idea prevails in many /
sections that the sole object of a
Chamber Of Commerce is to go out and /
grab new factories and industries and /
plant them in Ottawa. While that is |
part of the game land in this the old |.
Chamber OF Commerce came a long I
way from falling down-note the es-
Enlistment of the packing company |
and Il few other new industries it is |
not the sole purpose for which Il
Chamber OF Commerce is established /
and maintained. Whatever makes a
city Il better place in which TO live
and do business is legitimate work
for a Chamber of Commerce and en- /,
hances the value of every bit of prop
erty in just that proportion. 1t would
be calamity to Ottawa for the Cham.
her of Commerce to 20 out of exist
ence
OttaWa's Chamber Of Commerce.
needs reorganizing in that il needs
new and additional membership and a
method of doing business that keeps
the public informed as to what Is
being mplished-publicly. if You
wish to call it that. If the gentlemen {
In charge can formulate plan and .
explain it satisfactorily as 10 how the +
members will really get into the game :
and know just what is going on
what is being done and how the money ,
is being spent--there will be little I
trouble about reorganization or of ,
holding the common everyday mem :
beers. The people Of Ottawa are will. ,
ing 70 put up the necessary money. but
they want 10 know exactly what is =
being done with ii and to be shown |
that they are getting the benefit of II I
directly or Indirectly |
Ottawa needs her Chamber of Com.
mefce and with 1t a genius who can fl
Keep 1t close to its members and make q
Them feel a personal interest in IT, ,