The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-03-10
Important Projects Initiated
and Fostered BY Members
- Reviewed in Report
HEARTY COOPERATION
URGED FOR NEW YEAR
DR.. Zentz Repeat. Address OF
Responsibility of Citizen
! ship" to Club

The carefully prepared report Of
the activities Of the Bemidji Civic
and Commerce association given at
the annual meeting of that organiza-
ton Wednesday gave evidence of the
large amount Of work being handled
by the association. The secretary
did not attempt to cover all the work
done but referred merely to the I'M
portant projects fostered and initial
ed by the association. -
TO the weekly luncheons of the d.
rectors and members was attributed
much Of the success, these meetings
arousing interest in many Of the pro-
jects considered and in fostering a
spirit of good fellowship.
The frequent use Of the association
rooms by the many. kindred public
organizations evidenced the large
amount OF other community activities
in the city. -.
The fostering Of better acqua1n-
lance and friendship with the people
Of the surrounding country and espe-
cially with the northern end of the
county has resulted in better un-
Outstanding Of each others problems.
- Local problems affecting the citi-
zens of Bemidji, such as the school
bond issue, the delinquent tax CAM
paign and the rating of present taxes,
have all received attention from the
association.
Publicity For CITY.
The support given to the conven-
lions last summer-the Northern
Minnesota Development association,
the League of Municipalities, the
Northwest Insurance Underwriters,
and the State Commercial Secretar-
ies-made it possible have these
conventiops....h here and resulted in
much favorable publicity being Sc
cured for the city.
The fire prevention and city clean
up campaign, initiated and put over
by a committee of the association, Sc
cured for Bemidji not only nation
wide attention but, what was more
important, impressed upon the citi-
zens Of the city their duty to keep
their premises in clean condition
and thus remove to large degree
the causes Of fires. :
The work done by the Birchmont
hotel committee was given special at
tention. Perhaps this was one of the
greatest single pieces Of valuable
work accomplished by the association
during the past year. The value OF
the hotel as q tourist attraction was
pointed out clearly.
A reception given the Bemidji
school faculty, an election night par
ty, New Years day open-house, and
the Christmas party for the children
were among the social activities dur
ing the year. ,..:.
Many inquiries from tourists and
campers were received during the
year and the information desired is
always given them by the secretary.
This has been the means of bringing
many summer tourists to this city.
In closing, the secretary appealed
to the individual members to make
even greater efforts than heretofore.
She said, IAN association such as
ours is wonderful means of arous-
ing. faith in a city, for we are nom
political, non-sectarian, city-wide and
progressive, with one, goal toward
which we press-a finer, cleaner and
more self-respecting and more pros
porous Bemidji. Let the spirit Of
civic loyalty vitalize and inspire the
work of our association for the year
1921" ::
Dr.. Zsntz Repeats Address
After the reading of the annual
report, DR.. G. H. Zentz, pastor of the
Methodist church, repeated the adj
dress on "The Responsibility of Citi=
zenship" given by him the previous
evening at the annual election Of d.
rectors.- He pointed out tina. re-
sponsibility will be felt as we know
the worth Of citizenship and we will
appreciate its worth when we know
what has been paid for it.
"Freedom of thought has been one
of the great principles for which
much has been paid. Socrates was
made to drink the cup Of poison be-
cause he did not think with the So
phists Of his day. Spain put to death
more than thousand persons a year
because they dared to express their
thoughts. Martin Luther was perse-
cuted for his defiance of the religious
thought Of his day, and Wycliffe was
burned to death because he refused
to subscribe to the doctrine of his
day:
Freedom Of religious liberty was
another principle for which a high
price was paid. Our Puritan fathers
left the old land for America because
of religious persecution. Much per-
secution has been endured through
out the centuries to obtain this free
dom.
Freedom Of civil liberty has been
CONTINUED On Page 81