Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-01-08
IN OUR
TOWN

uu hot recall Just now, few days
ago compared Brownsville with Tyer,
Texas
We weren't at all in, crested in Tyler
at the time. and thought nothing Of that
little Smith county city until yester-
day VIC CHANGED to read heading in
a story in The Dallas News. 1t said:
Tyler has $l2,0e0 budget for c. of C.;
ambitious program mapped out in pros
porous East Texas city.
Then we wondered what earthly good
chamber Of commerce could do for
Tyler in the first place, and, in the
second place, why would they want to
spend $4,000 year on it.
Tyler, in East Texas; Dallas close
by on the northwest, Shreveport not 50
Ear away on the east, Houston and
Beaumont on The south. Tyler. in the
center of an area not especially noted
for its productivity, but still giving up
fine blackberries, peaches, tomatoes and
cotton.
What ambitions could possibly be
harbored by small city 50 unadvan
taseously located?
Then our thoughts turned TO Browns
ville-Brownsville, from 325 to 375
miles distant from the nearest large
cities; a ga eway to Mexico; a city that
has ambitions to become the country's
only international seaport; city that
hopes, some day, TO be on the route
of coastal line to Mexico City; city
Of large and splendid business institu
tions, banks with imposing homes,
large Wholesale and other distributing
houses, and wealth of fine people-and
no chamber of commerce to further
their community interests.
But let's get back to that little news
story from Tyler. It's interesting to
us down here, just al this time. Here
is what The Dallas News says in the
item, which was under a Tyler date:
Subscriptions to the 1925 budget Of
the Tyler Chamber of Commerce have
reached the geal of $4,000, following
membership campaign. Dropping the
ordinary procedure of having a banquet
and public call for scrip: ions, the bus-
ness men of Tyler made a whirlwnd
house-to-housc canvass and raised the
budget without difficulty. This budget
included items for defraying the entec-
tsinment expenses for four conventions
during the coming year, chief of which
is the Texas Press Association Conven-
tion, The idea of collecting funis for
these conventions now rather han re-
pcatedly passing the hat later on the
eve of the conventions had a tremen-
tous appeal TO Tyler people. being
largely responsible for the facility with
which the budget was pledged. Success
of the plan was largely due to the skill
r.th which O. nj. Crenshaw, secretary
treasurer of the body, and Miss Ethel
B. Finks. assistant TO The secretary, ar
ranged its details"
We need the machinery of chamber
Of commerce when such an occasion
rises as that Brazos Island harbor stu
alton.
There's the tourist camp to be looked
after. It's an orphan now, no one
charged to look after it, no one to see
that it lives. The other day the tract
was city of tents. People there from
everywhere. 1t should be looked after.
Brownsville wants great tourist no
tel. wants little industries that bring
otIer thing-but who's going to look
af c. the organizing. the publicity, the
work that must be done to bring those
thngs here?
Possibly some Of the war horses"
like S. G. Tucker John Gregg. DR.. S. X.
Hallam, r. d. Creager, A. Wayne Wood,
". 3. Clint. II. NJ. SHELTON. W. L. Nc
Rentfro. and other men who in years
gone by have always pu their shoulders
to the wheels, feel now that they would
like to pass their experience along to
younger shoulders. This brings to mind,
then. young men like Arthur c. Hipp,
Richard G. Morris, Everett j. Tucker,
Morris Edelstein, J. bennett. Grover G.
Wagner. A. II. Fernandez, A. W. Reed,
Thomas J. Sweeney, j. X. Wells, j. q.
Starck, Tom Stevenson. r. l.. KowalskI.
Rufus Ransome, and host of others
all capable of the sort Of leadership that
is necessary to put over an energetic,
aggressive, successful chamber Of com
merce.
And there is no telling how much
really worthwhile work could be
complisbed for Brownsville if these two
forces, the war horses" and our young
e. business men combined their efforts.
And we won't have to pay any mem
bership campaign commissions.
Who'll call the meeting?