The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-28

all of its activities are to be measured
is the yardstick of community good.
"The second essential is a short,
definite, practical program of activi-
ties. The people are not only entitled
to know what the chamber of COM
| merce it, but also what it proposed
| doing for the community.
HThe third essential is the selection
of committeeman with view to their
qualifications for carrying on the work
entrusted to them.
"The fourth essential is a budget
based upon the work to be done, the
| revenue for which is obtained from
dues paying members.
Where the public has right con-
Iceptionsof the functions of chamber
of commerce, is in agreement with its
program of activities and has conf
dence in the official personnel there is
little difficulty in obtaining the money
necessary for carrying on the work.
Every man who can afford to pay
the dues should belong to his local
community organization. No matter
| how much character a man may have,
no matter how clean he may be in his
/ business and private relations, no mat
| ter how good a@man he may be, he is
not good citizen, in the local sense
at least unless he does something for
the good of the community in which
he lives. There is difference be-
tween being good man and good
citizen, and one of the functions of
every chamber of commerce is to fur
nish the people with an opportunity
to express thei rcitizenship in con-
structive counsel and action for the
good of the community.
"Your community does not end with
your municipal boundary lines. It ex-
tends onward and outward to cover
your entire retail trade territory. 1t
is the betterment of business, living
and marketing conditions in that ter
ritory that you should have in mind.
How anything that can be done to bet
/ ter such conditions in your retail
trade territory increases purchasing
power and adds to the wealth of both
merchants and producers. This is a
national as well as a local activity. 1t
is doubtful if there is a community
anywhere in our country that equals
it's business and social possibilities.
The right sort of committees compos-
ed of men familiar with the territory,
: ough to be able to make definite, prac-
tical, convincing statements of what
, can be attempted, and these state
ments can be made the opening gun in
campaign to secure public support
: of the plans that will secure their ac-
complishment.
? Another subject demanding atten-
! ton is transportation. By this is moi
{ meant merely the checking of way
/. bills, advising as to routes of ship.
, ment and informing members OF
changes in the rulings of the Inter.
E state Commerce Commission. 1t is
, much bigger than that. 1t is not
{ enough to better production, unless we
, have markets and quick and easy
: routes and transport to such market.
our increased production will be large
: ly without avail. 1t is the task of the
: transportation committee to study tht
{ transportation situation in the retail
!. trade territory, ascertain what arr
/ the Instructions to the free flow o,
traffic and formulate plans for tn,
{ removal of the obstructions. Some
: times these will be found to be lack O
: deep water in harbor, sandbar il
d a navigable river, inadequate dockag,
/ facilities, ferry where a bridg,
fought to be, or insufficient railway
( electric or motor truck service; bu
e most of the distractions to the fre,
It flow of traffic are found to be tn
i character and conditions of the high
: ways leading into the town. We hav
o come to understand that the great ma
tional highway is not the road from
e New York to San Francisco, but tha
l. it is the road from the farm to towr
It The transportation committee shoul
be able to report plans for the remov
ID al of traffic distractions and the pre-
m vision of improved facilities, whic
e. plans will be so compelling in thei
ID presentation as to be assured of pub
Is lie support. Prepare not an every
of thing -at-once program, but one
ID thing-at=a-time, and as rapidly as th
an public can be made to see the pee
IL and apply the remedy.
it Industry, commence and civic
of should have place on the program
T. Careful consideration should be give
of to the subjects of industrial relation
in improved merchandising methods, be
ter living conditions, and to park
e. Fairgrounds and schools. We want
of strive for contented working elias
.e. stores SO excellent that they W
r serve the trade needs of our tributal
in territory, and ample school facilitie
p And we want city plan. Every eli
wv no matter how small it is, should ha'
ed a city plan, no matter how simple