The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-09

cAShSy W its pohSo' uOhen' VI oS10Ct
department but It Is to be seen as
agencies whose purpose Is social
and helpful.
These volunteer agencies perform
distinct public service yet they
are not coordinated under public
administration as they are not part
OF our political structure nor are
they part OF our responsible bust
ness hfe, but work TO create q sense
Of obligation to one another and to
the community. .,
mo city has reached its true status,
however wise may be its expendi.
lures and however efficient its de-
partments, until It's people bestn to
think city and talk city. II may do
work well. II may have an honest
council and an efficient mayor. bat
unless its people have a civic spirit
which demands cooperation and
unity for the betterment Of all Il
win remain only an organization for
the getting Of ones moneys worth
out or city government.
III the community Is 70 be built
up or IL any desirable results are to
be attained Cor the retirement oftts
citizens there must be more than the
mere wish on the part OF q few IN
dividuals. There. must be whole
hearted cooperation, q willingness
to help to the best Of ones ability
and there must be teamwork.
"Just as o mans character Is the
aggregate Of his thinking 80 Is the
character policy and shirt or q
Chamber of Commerce the sum total
Of the team thinking Of its mem
bers. Team thinking is the only
means q community has at hand to
bring about a change for the better
When our desires for civic better
ment attain such a plane then we
many things for the good Of the en-
tire community that absolutely can
not be attained under any other
What Co. Operation Can DO.
each Of US should take hand
somewhere in the progress OF our
city. We cannot do much indty1d-
ually but by cooperation we can &C
complish anything within reason. a
Chamber Of Commerce multiplies
the strength or effectiveness OF the
individual member. There Is hardly
a civic problem that cannot be pro-
perly solved II the proper men are
secured to attack It. That Is why
we must have personal as wen as
financial help In our association
work. .
at Is natural that a Chamber OF
Commerce or Civic and Commerce
association should have far greater
power than the spasmodic efforts OF
an Individual; for It represents. or
ganized collective action and speaks
with the power and backing Of the
vital and responsible commercial
interest OF its city. It provides the
Capitalization OF well Thought out
community opinions on subjects OF
local, state and national scope.
ORGANIZATIONS, such as a CIVIC
and Commerce association cannot
stand still-they must go ahead OF
go backward. II is therefore up 70
every member to do his part toward
keeping his organization going ID
. right direction.
Organized business now recog-
nizes that 1t can prosper only as tne
Community prospers. A few years
ago most business men had very
SET IDEAS as TO what a Chamber Of
Commerce should and should not
do-principaliy the latter. To-day
more than ninety per cent Of the
members OF such an organization
know that It should do whatever
needs TO be done, and let the facts
speak for themselves. This kind OF
boosting Is the most substantial
boosting a town can get as 1t at
tracts outside people and outside
enterprises. The bigness and growth
of the city naturally follows.
"Of course, every citizen cannon
participate directly in every actiyt-
ty that touches his life as this Is 9
complicated civilization. But II if
foolish to expect our association tc
function properly. II all the work
and sacrifice is left to others. we we
must be willing to help do a on
ourselves. Any man whose service
70 the community Is smaller than
his income, is, in a sense, a CRATER
AS Theodore Roosevelt said: THE
test of a mans worth to his com
munity is the service he renders It.
Or quoting Herbert Hoover: Ser
vice TO the community should be the
earmark Of citizenship
"The man who says there are
few fellows running his association
but who never attempts to join this
group or to help the opposition
throw them out Is not worth much
to the association. Nor is the. man
who says the organization never &C,
composites anything for the good Of
the town yet never gets up and tells
the organization about ii or suggests
ANYTHING for the organization tc
start. What would any club, lodge
or organization be n there were moi
a few who fully sensed the idea Of
duty and fulfilled II?
| Hold Back Criticism.
Another thing that we must real.
ize Is that we should not critic Iol
condemn our association for fan.
ure to obtain adequate results un-
less we, ourselves, have given time
thought, and our best personal ef-
forts in helping to produce those
results.
institutions are offered this city
which appear desirable. II not Sc
cured, the Civic and Commerce as
ISOLATION Is naturally criticised by
persons not familiar with the con-
ditions involved. II is well to re-
member that all such propositions
are given careful consideration by
regular or special committees com
posed OF men representing different
interests, men who are especially
fitted to Judge them from various
points Of view and to ascertain just
what Is wanted or expected OF the
y community. .-.
Investigation OF numerous proposi.
tions shows comparatively few feast
BILE. Some require more money than
can be raised by subscription or sale
OF stock while others may be OF the
wild cat variety. Such as are
thought to be good Investments in