The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-05-18
ANNUAL MEETING
And DINNER OF
COMMERCE BODY
Officers Elected and Reports Read
Coed Dinner Garnished With
Oratory and Good Cheer

Between eighty and ninety men and
women Of Lakeland attended the an
nual dinner of the Lakeland Chamber
of Commerce on Tuesday night at the
Elks' Hotel grill where Mr.. and Mrs
Armstrong had prepared substantial
course meal that was promptly and
we'll served '"
While the diners were enjoying the
good things on the menu the officers
of the organization presented their
annual reports, those of President c.
o. Pinch and Secretary A. ]. Ho-
worthy being printed in full else
where in this issue OF The Evening
Telegram. Both were received with
generous applause and approval.
Considerable interest and feeling
were manifested following the read
| ing of letter from State Senator Os.
car NJ. Eaton Of Polk county who gave
the information that Folks represen-
tatives, as well as himself, have been
requested by several citizens of Polk
county as we'll as by the entire board
of county commissioners, to repeal q
law that was passed in 1917 relative
to the leasing of county convicts to
contractors within the county. The
request was made that the Chamber
give the matter consideration and adj
wise the Polk county delegation now
at Tallahassee as to the wishes of the
organization and of the people of the
county.
j. G. Swindel recalled the part he
had taken in securing the passage Of
special act for Polk county abolish |
! ing the convict lease system, this be-
| ing followed later by Statewide |
! abolition of a most pernicious system. |
| He expressed the hope that never
again would Florida be shamed and
disgraced by the return of such a
| practice. His motion that the Cham
| Der of Commerce go on record as posi-
| itively opposed to the convict leaSeI
system was warmly seconded by M. FL
Hetherington who suggested that thel
secretary draw up and forward toI
Tallahassee the strongest kind Of a
resolution, basing opposition to the
restoration of the convict lease sys-
| tenn on humanitarian and business
grounds. The motion was unani-
mously approved.
An amendment to the constitution
presented by U. w. Iverson providing
| for certain changes in the constitu
ton covering the mode of election of
officers and directors, was submitted
TO vote and failed of approval.
! Willie the tellers were counting the
ballots for the election of five of the
fifteen members of the board of direc-
tors President Pinch called on Rev
Dr. Stacy, pastor of the First Presby
terrain church to make an address and
as usual DR.. Stacy rose to the occa-
/ ion in a speech that was inspirational,
| loyal and optimistic. He paid tribute
| to Lakeland, to Polk county, to Flor
ida and our great country, reminding
his hearers that when he first came
to Lakeland there were three things
which, in his estimation, the COM
nunity most needed. AS Preshy-
terrain minister he said that OF course
the first need was church building
that would do credit to his denOmina-
ton and to Lakeland. The second was
some plan whereby the waste pro-
ducts of Polk county could be used
4 for the sustenance and pleasure of
Imam. By means of the Collins Can
ming Company this is about to be ac~
complished. The third necessity is
ulTeCL Idll SOllHtSllOu IA Clh 'hN WIZ
coast of Florida to the North and
West.
For Lakeland the day of little
things had forever passed The ac-
QUESTION of Southern College had
demonstrated that when there is
unanimity there is result The time
of big things, he said has arrived. DIR.
Stacy aroused no end of enthusiasm
when he dared his audience to. be
strong in their faith and look for
enough ahead to see the sublime Wis
ion OF Lakeland as the capital OF the
State of Florida. This he felt sure
could be done of Lakeland people
would adopt Kiplings famous motto,
"The everlasting teamwork OF every
bIoomin SOUL
The announcement of the vote as
canvassed by the election committee
composed of A. c. Schaffer Ben Will
son and Cy Wolfson, showed M. F.
Hetherington to have received. the
highest vote, followed by c. o. Pinch,
Herbert Mendenhall, w. S. Myrick
and II. l.. Collins.
AS the oldest member Of the Cham
Der of Commerce in point of service
aud as the newest member of the
board of directors, NJ f., Hethering
ton and w. S. Myrick were called on
1 respectively for few remarks, each
4 responding U.s. b." fr -
II