MAY, 1923
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
9
Factors in Building the Better American Community
Sound American Democracy is Making Progress Where the Constructive Citizens Are Bending Their Efforts
Toward the Elimination of Corruption, Suspicion, Intolerance and Strife and Pooling Their
Common Interests in Developing a Spirit of Community Reciprocity
COMMUNITY PROGRESS, is something every citi- he is not fulfilling his obligation in citizenship unless
v zen, having an interest in the stability, growth he becomes a constructive cooperative member in his
and development of the municipality of which he constituency, giving some of his time and energy to
is a part, is vitally interested. It is not limited to the common interests of the community and the state
the businessman and property owner alone. It is some­ of which he has become a part. He should not permit
thing of equal importance to the man of toil, seeking the organizations of his nationality to levy upon his
remunerative labor in every field, from the skilled spare time to the extent that he has no time for the
artisan to the street worker, even though he holds no civic organizations where the active citizens of his
property title and is not a taxpayer.
community come together to discuss ways nad means
Community progress is possible only where a large to improve civic conditions. He should cease com­
number of the people within a community are looking plaining that they (meaning the Americans) are run­
ahead and constructively plan and work for the bet­ ning things to the detriment of this and that interest
terment and the upbuilding of the community in the of the community and rather seek membership in
same diligent and tireless manner in which they plan some civic organization, particularly the Chamber of
and labor for the development of their respective busi­ Commerce of his community, where the civic prob­
ness interests, the betterment of their living condi­ lems are discussed, where needed improvements are
tions, and the maintenance and proper upkeep of a advanced and given indorsement, if feasible, and
home, no matter whether it be a large and expensive where his opinion along constructive lines would re­
dwelling or a modest little two or three-room cottage ceive proper consideration.
The Chamber of Commerce of the city is as essen­
in an outlying suburb.
The achievements that constitute a community’s tial to the welfare of the city as the Grange is to the
progress testify, in all instances, to the extent to which farming district. The Grange is in effect the coun­
the forward looking citizens within, native and foreign try district’s Chamber of Commerce. Every actively
born, have pooled their community interests: estab­ interested owner or lessee of farmland in the farming
lished and sustained, directly or indirectly, organiza­ community finds it profitable for his community’s
tions of their own making, designed to represent a good to be a member of the Grange and be at the
common front, to speak for the community and its Grange meetings regularly so that he may be person­
varied activities, its opportunities and resources, its ally conversant with the needs of the district, in order
integrity and coordination of interests. These are in­ to be an intelligent member of his community.
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valuable assets to advertise abroad in our land
In some cases the Chamber of Commerce, like the
and the best guaranty to the investor who puts
his money, his skill or his brawn to work in the com­ Grange, may have been used for selfish ends by
munity: in business, in homebuilding and in the per­ cliques neither representing the broader interests of
formance of skilled or manual labor for the purpose the people sustaining the organization nor the best
of finding maximum compensation, the fullest possible interests of the community.
Such instances, however, are few, and such misuse
measure of happiness.
The foremost organization to advance a community of the purposes for which particularly a Chamber of
interest and to speak reliably in behalf of the com­ Commerce is organized is usually of short duration. A
munity has a universal name. Without such an or­ Chamber of Commerce is necessarily a democratic in­
ganization the business booster seeking to interest an stitution where the ballot of the membership is the
outsider, may refer to his community’s healthy condi­ final factor of control.
If a Chamber ceases to represent the broadest pos­
tion on the strength of its banks, business houses,
newspapers, churches and schools—valuable assets— sible spirit of the hustling, forward-looking commun­
but none of these institutions will speak of civic soli­ ity, the reason is invariably to be found in the lack
darity and coordination of interests such as will the of active interest on the part of the best citizens of
fact that the community has established and is sus­ the community who have become, perhaps, too busy
taining an active Chamber of Commerce, furnishing to take an active interest in the affairs of the Cham­
reliable information and always ready to serve every­ ber. The result of such a condition in a Chamber of
one interested, whether for the purpose of establish­ Commerce is no different than the situation too fre­
quently developed in politics, when the better citizens
ing a business enterprise or a home.
are too busy to give any thought to the political af­
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The progressive foreign born who has established fairs of their city and state.
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himself in an American community, pursuing a busi­
The pioneer Portland of a recent yesterday suf­
ness avocation or a trade, a homebuilder and taxpayer,
should take an active interst in civic organizations fered its measure of that particular brand of civic
among the native Americans, with an equal zeal and apathy, which unfortunately has marked the transi­
enthusiasm. If he has obtained citizenship and sworn tion of many a small town emerging into a metropoli­
allegiance without reservation, aiming to make Amer­ tan city. Such conditions are generally the sequences
ica the permanent home for himself and his children, of marked indifference to personal responsibility on