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Show H COMMERCIAL CLUBS PH Is there a war on commercial clubs? Recent PH events would point to the fact that In some locallt- PH ia tlicro is considerable smoke, and In n few In- PPJ stances sonic fire has broken out. In our own I.o- PPJ gan n rumor has been afloat to the effect that it PPJ movement Is soon to bo launched for the orgnnlza- PPJ tlon of a Chamber of Commerce, representative of H the purely business Interests of the community, PPJ and running contemporaneous with this statement PH Is tlio recent development that men of prominence PH In tlio community, somo In official life, are opposed PH to the commercial club idea and that a certain of- PPJ flclnl has mado the statement that ho would "break PH tip the commercial club." PPJ In the city of Ogden the air seems to be chnrg- PPJ cd mors or less with discontent. Hero a commor- PPJ clnl club and a chamber of commerce operated for PH mn.iy years. The present stir Is caused by some PH remarks mado by the president of the Weber club PH - at lbs recent annual meeting. President Rowe said: PH "I might even go so far as to say that this PPJ club Is really the city of Ogden. What the men PPJ want who have money invested in this city they PH should have. Thero are tlio men who pay the PPJ taxes. We should strlvo to make Ogden a labor PPJ center egaln, for tlio worklngman's patronago is PPJ as csFentlnl to our prosperity as the patronago PPJ from any other source." H To this statement tho Kov. Mr. Hasswellcr PPJ makes" vigorous protest, and takes strong exception. IIII.i line of argument puts President Itowo In tho crtegory of catering to what Is termed the "money- pjjjjj ed class," limits business to the moneyed class H only, nnd apparently leaves tho laborer with his PPJ own home outside the pale of the "men who pay PPJ tho taxes" as voiced by President Rowe. Mr. Rass- PH wcllo- sayz: PPJ Now, ns I havo only recently mado my resl- PPJ ilcnrc In this city I am naturally curious whether PPJ this Is the policy of the city of Ogden. PJH "Is it true that only monejed men should bo PPJ consulted as to our city government, nnd that PJH thoy tiliouhl havo whatever they want? Is it true PJH that tho masses hnve nothing to say? If, for In- PPJ stance, business should flutl It profitable to con- PPJ duct late nt night institutions that make trnvel- PPJ ing on the streets unsafe, Is It true that the com- PPJ mon pedestrian has no r'ght t bo heard? If PPJ busnier: wants to do that which will ruin the PPJ youth of tho city, is it true that tho parents PPJ among tho common people have nothing to say? PPJ "Is It even truo that the pcoplo who nomi- PJH ' nnlly pay tho taxes really bear tho tax burden? PJH I Does not the landlord add it to tho rent nnd the merchant ndd It to his prlco, so that tho consuni- PPJ , cr and the renter having no wny to unload, bear PJH ; -; (t tlicmsclvcB? Shouldn't they, then, bo the ones PH to Imvo what thoy -want also? PH "Are wo really going to succeed In drawing PH to Ogden a good class of workmen by declaring PJH that only their employers are to have nnytblng PJH tr say ns to the running of the city? H "I do not, of course, know, what these busl- H iics men might nnt. Hut, ns a gencrnl proposl- H tlon. I nm wondering whether It Is to be the pol- H Icy !' the city of Ogden to Ignoro the great mnBs PBb r the rest of us." H It will be conceded that opposition in a gen- H crnl way Is wholesome, in that it puts Individuals, H parties, and organizations on their mettle nnd tends H to bring out the best thore Is In such Individuals H nnd organizations, but opposition should bo for the H purpose of bettering conditions, for building up nnd H .'Kit tearing down. Tnke our own club for Instnnre. H We him- watched it since Its organization and say H wlthcut fear of contradiction that It has been a H power for good in this community It Is represen- H tntive of the best manhood of the community, the M business nnd the social life or tho city. It is truo H that It may not bo whnt some of its membership H would like, but If this membership Is doing its du- K tj It is approaching that goal, elso that member- B ship is not doing Us duty, or Its Ideals havo lost H out by the votes of an overwhelming majority. H A club Is a powerful factor for good In n com- M miuiltr, nnd It Is to bo regretted that men of In- M fluencc) should refuse to nfTlllato with It, and after P refusing to do so it Is to be regretted thnt such H men i-hould nttempt to block its progress. It would H ( nppcar to bo far moro charitable for such to Join B tho club and use their advanced wisdom, their fore- M sight, their light In correcting what thoy might H thln'c vrong, nnd In turning on the light where B , they think darkness prevails. At least it is not in E nccordanco with modorn thought, nnd it certainly Hl Is not In accordance with tho spirit which hns been H fostered in Utah from tho beginning to condemn B ' ta liellttle, and attempt to tear down that which H v,o Vnow not of, nnd that of which wo do not form P a P This is not Intended ns an objection on the part H of bualncssmen to organ.zo a chamber of commorco If they desire. It business men desire to organize P and co-opcrato In various capacities that is their porcern, and it Is tlmo to express opinions for nnd H ngnlnst nft'sr tho motives nnd purposes are made m . , known Generally speaking, however, It Is better 1 anrt tht part of wisdom to build one Jarge, strong, pP C BbbVBBBK HBBBBBBBBBBBai structure, than a number of small and apparently wcaV'er oncB. As to the Ogden case we think tho HeverCiid RenUolnnn limited some what tho construction Intended In-tended by tho president of tho Weber club. It will bo noted that he said: "What tho mon want who havo monoy invested In this city they should hove. These aro tho men who pay tho taxes." Under this Blutc.nent would come every citizen who owns a home, a business block, a business, or a share of stock In a corporation within tho city, and certainly certain-ly should not these men havo what they want. These are the men that make up communities, that ., hao the interests of communities at heart, and it is not to be presumed that thoy would want those things that would bo oppressive or wrong. In repy to the Hevorend gentleman, Preslent Rowo said?,, , . "I want the worklngman to come to this cty nnd get work to kcop him hero. At present things aro very quiet in this city, and what wo want to sco Is the worklngmen flock Into this city and stay hero with enough work and proper wages lo make them residents of this city." |