The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-10-08
PLAN IS BEST
DAKOTA HAS
HAD IN YEARS
Campaign Director Explains
Markings of Greater North
Dakota Body
TO BOOST POPULATION
Two Other Organizations TO
Amalgamate With Newly
Formed Bureau

1--WE are forming an organization
to help the people Of North Dakota
ard the basis Of the Greater North
E..N"ta Associations efforts will be
to bring more people into the state,'
II. L. Wickham Of Valley City. CAM
paign manager for the newly organiz-
ed body. told Il small but enthusiasts
tic audience at the Burlcigh county
court house last evening in explain
ing the purposes and methods Of
operation of the association. 1.-TWO
methods will be used in bringing
this about" he continued. They
will be newspaper advertising and
editnlial work. and the bringing of
factories and industries into the
st"'r Of North Dakota
Mr.. Wickham compared the Situa-
ti"n IN the state as to population at
the present time and 10 years ago.
Ten years ago the population of
Nur,h Dakota was 6if.956,' he said.
give years ago the states popula-
tiun was listed at 646,S72, an in
crease Of almost 10000. On July
81. 1929. the states population total
ed only G3T.2l5--a decrease of 9,6h7
from the figure of five years ago
and al increase Of only -! in the
past 10 years.
at is Il shame tina: in y state like
this something has occurred to drive
people out,' he continued, citing in
stances where people who had been
failures here had gone to other states
and given the entire state 4 ''failurc'
reputation.
The Organizations Plan
The plan OF the new organization,
as Mr.. Wickham explained it, is to
raise $lJ0,0OO Il year for Il period Of
five years for the purpose Of adver
tising the state throughout the ma
tioE and even in European countries.
forming as it were a statewide chanl-
ber OF commerce.. The state auto
mobile association and the Roosevelt
National Memorial Park association
have voted to amalgamate with the
Greater North Dakota association
and will become Il part Of it, so that
memberships in those two bodies will
be included in memberships to the
state association.
Regarding the loss Of population
Mr.. Wickham stated that of the
states 50 counties, SO had lost pop
ulation during the past five years,
while IS had gained in the number
each has q community club, an or
gt,yzed commerc club or some
sort Of civic body which is fight
jng 90 bring people INTO its commune
ties" Mr.. Wic!iham said.
Family Worth $500 Yearly
It has been estimated that each
family is worth $1,000 Il year to
community and consequently the loss
nc !. b..
years has deprived the state of
an individual loss t. each of the
II ,OCO business concerns in the state
Of $50 per year The profit on this
amount of business, figured conser-
vaLively at 10 per cent. would be $51
per year and consequently, Mr.. Wick
ham contends each business house
should be willing to pay ut least
s57 to help bring 10000 people into
the state. The officers of the asso-
citation are not specifying that each
concern should subscribe that
amount, however. but are leaving it
to each individual to subscribe what
ever he thinks he can contribute to
this work. The memberships will be
from s. up, with business concerns
and corporations expected to be the
largest contributors.
Citing the booms Of recent years in
California, Florida, and other states,
Mr.. Wickham explained that many Of
the other states had organizations
urging immigrants to go to their
respective sections of the country,
while North Dakota has had no such
association. "There are 296 develop
ment associations functioning in the
state of Florida at the present time,"
he said.
Now Is Opportune Time
"Now is the time to advertise
North Dakota's wealth and its agri-
cultural opportunities" said the
speaker, "and one Of the objects Of
the organization will be TO make
boosters Of every resident of the
state. 1t will be successful if every
one will boost it and finance it,
The plan is to operate several
bureaus for period of five years.
These will be an advertising and pub
licity bureau. immigration and de-
velopment bureau, auto tourist and
good roads bureau. state tax and re-
search bureau, and an industrial
bureau.
North Dakota has been split into
.dFlOuS lacLiOHS, .hT w lShHaHl
said. but now is the time to bury
the hatchct and together under one
organization to work for the good
of the state. The organization will
take no active hand in politics what
ever, working in closest harmony
with the leaders Of both political
parties"
Counties Organized
Fifty of the states So counties
have been thoroughly organized and
will work to put the campaign over
100 per cent. Burleigh county's quo
ia of the yearly budget Of $l5O,0OO
is $4,000 and the campaign for men,
berships will be conducted during
the week of October II to II, in
elusive. Mr.. Wickham urged every
one to back up the local committee
in its solicitation work. Three sill
yer cups have been put up as prizes
to the counties which raise the larg-
est percentage above their quota.
Others Speak
S. G. Severtson of the Capital City
bank spoke in favor of the organiza-
| tion and gave several suggestions for
it's guidance. H. P. Goddard of the
Continued on page three)