Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-19
Secretary Folsom of
C. of C. Defines Term
ssCiyic Activities"

"There seems to be misunder-
standing among a large number OF
people as to the exact extent of civic
activities by a Chamber of Com
MERGE" said Secretary Folsom, or
the Chamber of Commerce to
Journal reporter on Friday. He went
on to say that TWENTY-FIVE or thirty
years ago very few Chambers of
Commerce were given any large part
of their energy to civic matters.
Nowadays it is a difficulty to find a
live. representative, progressive
Chamber which does not definitely
include civic work as a part of its
activities as it was then to find one
which did.
"The activities of Chambers of
Commerce in civic affairs furnishes
a striking example of the value of
the organization. The individual
business man can do little to protect
and advance his interest in affairs.
AS an individual his efforts would be
largely futile. In the same way a
business community that is leader
less and without means of unified
expression on the glib government is
sues of the nation, state or city is
ineffective. A well organized COM
mercial organization is an effective
leader and spokesman for business
men on civic issues. 1t represents
the united business community.
Success in civic activities to a
much greater extent than any other
branch of Chamber of Commerce
work depends upon public support.
If a Chamber is to have and retain
publis support it must acquire a
reputation for
First: Conducting its studies and
reaching it's conclusions without bias
or pre- conceived ideas.
Second: Refusing to be lead by in
terested parties.
Third: Obtaining the essential
facts and getting them straight be-
fore it expresses an opinion.
Fourth: Having at it's disposal the
resources and the plans to reach
an intelligent decision and being al
ways able to show that in the ques-
ton under consideration it has uti-
liked those resources.
Business men are very much in
terested in efficient and economical
Government. They are interested in
it, not only because as good citizens
they want to see an honest and an
intelligent administration of their
city, state and national government.
Not only because as business men
they believe in efficiency and econ
omy and want to see it applied to
their government, but because the
general reputation Of a city or a
state is good, and efficient honest
government is an asset to that COM
munity and helps business just as
much as it does everything else.
I'm Chamber of Commerce work
the word civic is altogether too often
employed to describe all activities
that are not commercial or indus
trial. Matters relating to the state
and federal government are termed
civic. AmericaniZation, charity en-
dorsement. safety campaigns, taxa
ton. education, public health, public
work. street traffic regulations, all
are included in the term activity. In
short. it is used to denote all those
activities of commerce which involve
business men to other classes in the
community, and to the town or CITY,
state and national governments. In
fact there are even some who believe
that|the word has become outworn.
and who would substitute the word
community. The better way, perhaps.
Is to adhere to the word by giving to
1t an inclusive definition and use it
as meaning, 1.-THE relation of a citi-
zen to his neighbor, his town, his
state and his nation"