TIIE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY 35, 1914.
SUCCESS CROWNS ACTIVE YEAR OF PORTLAND COMMERCIAL CLUB
Id Annual Report President Piper Reviews Various Achievements, Calls Attention to New Undertakings and Points Out Vital Work Ahead.
NOT only maintaining on the usual
broad basis the varied activities
for the upbuilding of Oregon, in
which it has been the leader for years,
but also making provision for the funds
for three years' continuation of its
work on a still greater scale, initiating
a revival of community development
through the commercial organizations
of the state, and opening up many new
features for improvement of the com
mercial conditions of the state and city,
the Portland Commercial Club has com
pleted a year the successes of which, as
summed up in the annual report of the
president, Edgar B. P.Iper, are far
greater than many would conceive pos
sible. The president's report was sub
mitted at the annual meeting of the
club last night.
Aside from Its conduct of its regu
lar work in connection with the pro
motion department and the Oregon De
velopment League, its wide social ac
tivities among the business men of the
state and Nation, and the almost Innu
merable delegations, conventions and
excursions, the special activities of the
club have been powerfully directed In
behalf of practically every important
state and Northwest development work
that has been inaugurated in the last
year.
The raising of the $120,000 fund for
continuation of this work, the active
part played In securing passage of the
agricultural "Senate bill 72" in the Leg
islature, the work in behalf of the
Umatilla project, the interstate bridge,
the Panama-Pacific appropriation, and
lta present active part in the campaign
for a, regional bank in Portland, are but
a few of the many new activities touched
upon in the annual report of the pres
ident. Important Work Reviewed.
The report in full, covering every
detail of the year's activities, is as fol
lows
Memfectra of the Portland Commercial
Club: The Portland Commercial Club has
a. unique and important position in the
nuhlln Ufa of city, state and Nation. Any
faithful record of Us activities must be
largely Impressed with its achievements for
the sen era I benefit, it nas taKen anu u
continues to take the leadership in all in
riiKtT-tai. rommerdal. promotional and so
eial enterprises. The scope and energy of
Its efforts have not been diminished aunng
the past year through any recession of the
speculative spirit among; large ana small in.
vestors. or the alarms of faint-hearted pes
aim 1st 3. or through persistent political agi
tation and restricted financial movements.
It would be idle to say that Portland and
Oregon have not felt the stress of quieter
times In the business and manufacturing
world, due to caunes o f Natton-wide" import.
Portland has' experienced in common with
all other American cities the effects of the
slower general trend, but it has nevertheless
gone forward with undismayed spirit ana
with profound conviction as to tn
Olization of its ultimate destiny as a great
metropolis and as a great seaport. We are
building here a magnificent city, the cen
ter of a splendid state. We have resources
of incalculable value and we are- ourselves
striving to develop them. We are succeeding
and we shall continue to succeed. I see
every reason to be encouraged by the out
look, and I will give a hopeful word to those
who here and there stop, look and wonder,
ard who are inclined to drop by the way
side, saying to them that the only way to
do anything In this world Is to do it. Lt
us hew to the line, no matter where fall
the chips, for each of us in his own way has
his allotted task and nothing worth while
is to be gained in this world without per
sistent and determined endeavor. We are
all right.
Publicity Fund.
Owing to the public spirit and foresight
of Portland's leading banking and mercantile
Institutions, property-owners and profes
sional men, the publicity fund of the Port
laud Commercial Club was. In April, 1913,
subscribed on a three-year basis. The sub
scriptions aggregated $40,000 a year for
three years, or $120,000 in all. A complete
list of the subscribers and the expenditures
is attached to this report. The activities
sustained by this fund are under the con
trol of an executive committee of 16, ap
pointed by the president of the club. AH
special expenditures are authorized by
finance Bub-committee of five membera of
this executive committee. The expenditures
have been hem down by this finance sub
committee so as to accumulate a surplus
available next year during the 1915 expo
Itton. so that Oregon and Portland may get
tne run benefit or the great travel that year.
While this fund was originally known as
a publicity fund, the activities under it have
assumed a much broader character. The
actual expense for publicity advertising,
press bureau work, photographing, illus
trated lectures, literature and other direct
Immigration or publicity work Is less than at
any time during the previous Bix years.
The-principal expense under this fund is
the salary of the publicity manager, his
stenographic staff, stationery and postage.
The time of the publicity manager Is mainly
expended In tHe general public service of the
Commercial Club, organizing receptions and
entertainment work, directing excursions,
special campaigns and many other of the
public activities mentioned In detail In the
body of this report.
In addition, the publicity manager, under
the direction of the Oregon State Immigration
commission, nils the office of State Immi
gration Agent, in the preparation of Oregon
Stat Information literature, the assembling
and management of the state exhibits ai
land shows, the gathering of state and
county statistics, and the conduct of foreign
Immigration work to induce German and
Scandinavian agricultural immigration.
The State Legislature appropriated $50,000
for this immigration work, the Commercial
Club furnishing office room, the publicity
manager's services and his traveling ex
penses without cost to the appropriation.
State-Wide Development.
The officers and committees, and. to a
large extent, the entire membership of the
Portland Commercial Club are actively co
operating with the state-wide activities of
the Oregon Development Lieague. being prac
tically on call at all times and responding
vigorously whenever opportunity offers to
assist In any development movement of ben.
eftt to the state. Details of their service
will appear from time to time throughout
this report. 1
The Oregon Irrigation Congress In Jan-
uary, which was mainly responsible for the
$450,000 appropriation for the Columbia
Southern or La id law project and for other
Important Irrigation legilsatlon, was fos
tered, entertained by and, to a large extent,
held under the auspice of the Portland
Commercial Club.
The meetings and activities of the Trl
County Development League. embracing
Sherman, Morrow and Gilliam Counties,
wero in conjunction with the Portland Com
mercial Club.
While the principal responsibility for the
campaign to save the University of Oregon
appropriations was not thrust upon the
Portland Commercial Club, this organisa
tion and its members volunteered and ren
dered assistance in countless ways that
were of val ue In the triumphant cam
paign conducted In the interest of our
State University, with the satisfactory re
velopment League, which embraces oven
100 active commercial organisations ' that i
are really doing things in almost every
county of the state.
The Portland Commercial Club has con
sistently followed Its policy of advertising
Oregon opportunities in the agricultural and
horticultural journals of highest reputation
In the United States and Canada. The ad
vertisements are modest In size, but big
in results, oftentimes from 1H) to 13d in
quiries being received in a single mall.
ine immigration Commission publications
have been placed In libraries all over the
country. Recently, through the co-opera
tion of the State Librarian at Salem, they
went into all the rural district libraries of
our own state, 30O in number.
Two books used by the Portland Commer
cial Club have been especially honored by
oeing adopted as textbooks on the state
by teachers In many distant parts of the
country. Reference Is made te the "Oregon
Almanac" and the "Oregon Farmer." They
have been furnished to advanced classes in
Oregon schools as well, upon pledge that
after serving their purpose as texts the
would be forwarded to Eastern friends or
relatives, and a letter written at the same
time. "Know your own state" Is a slogan
practiced as well as preached by the edu
cators of Oregon.
On of the greatest influences toward suc
cess in the Commercial Club work is Ore
goniaa loyalty and there Is no more con
crete evidenoe of It than liberal lists ot
one-time neighbors sent by the farmers
transplanted from Eastern and Southern
States. These seera to come spontaneously,
often from the most unexpected and re
mote points, - and are a wonderfully grat
ifying recognition of the club's work along
development lines.
One of the more important movements
Initiated by the club during the last year
is the Investigation of lands suitable for
colonization, their extent, price and char
acter, and, particularly as to how they can
Conference of the North Pacific Fair As- i
sociation.
Movement for preservation of battleship i
Oregon. - i
Publication of Oregon Almanac. Oregon
Album and Oregon Farmer by Oregon State
Immigration Commission.
Spring "Apple days" In Oregon.
Distribution of high-grade livestock by
Bend bank.
Senate bill 72.
Special livestock train service on O.-W.
R. & X.
Salmon day In Oregon.
Oregon Agricultural College short
course at Burns, Or.
Colonist rates on the railroads.
NeWberg Strawberry Festival.
Florence Rhododendron Festival.
Annual regatta at Astoria. '
Meeting Mount Angel Co-operative Cream
ery Association. ,
: Great Northern exhibit car tour.
Columbia and Snake River Waterways As
clatioa at Pendleton.
Collection of funds for flood victims in
Middle West..
Short course for boys at Oregon Agricul
tural College.
Meetings of State Grange.
Horse Fair at Stay ton.
Pendleton Round-Up.
Strawberry Festival at Lebanon.
Roseburg Strawberry Festival.
Agricultural Club organized at Burns. -
Jackson County School Fair.
Oregon Eugenics Show at Salem. .
Oregon and California good roads meet
ing at Medford.
Cherry Fair at Salem.
Bend booster excursion to Portland. .
Railroad opening celebration at Eugene
and Monroe.
German Immigration meeting at Port
land. . O.-W. R & N. Co. prize corn contest.
Royal Oaks excursion, to Portland Rose
Festival.
Announcement by J. J. H1U of steamers
building for Portland trade.
National apple day, November 18.
Record-breaking hen at Oregon Agricul
tural College.
Willamette Valley Exposition Association
meetings.
Oregon Agricultural College co-operation
with Government in state agricultural work.
Meeting Junction City Creamery Associ
ation. International Livestock Show at Portland.
Issue of Oregon Farmer. '
Convention of hop growers at Salem.
Oregon's building at Panama-Pacific Ex
position. Oregon's exhibit at Chicago Land Show. '
Fifth annual convention of Waterways
Association.
Development of Umatilla irrigation proj
ect. -
Corn Show at Pendleton.
Selection of new game refuges in state.
Poultry show in Portland. -
Development convention at Roseburg.
Exhibit cars. Northern Pacific Railway.
Movement for displaying United States
flag on schoolhouses..
Swedish immigration hearing.
San Diego Exposition.
Norwegian immigration hearing.
Danish Immigration bearing.
Finnish immigration hearing.
Swedish settlements in Molalla and Powell
valleys.
Pioneer meetings at McMlnnville and Port
land.
Secretary Daniel's visit.
- Secretary Lane's visit.
Portland lettercarrlers delegation to San
Francisco.
Portland Firemen's Band visiting Eastern
cities.
; Oregon State Fair.
Southwest Washington Fair.
Clarke County Fair;
Klickitat County Fair.
- Railroad opening Molalla,
land Commercial Club's publicity endeavor
for the last 10 years will be during 1915,
when hundreds of thousands of -people will
visit he Pacific Northwest en route to or
from the Exposition. The slogan "Buy
Your Ticket via Oregon, 1915" was orig
inated by the Portland Commercial Club
and now appears In newspapers, publica
tions, and on letterheads of commercial or
ganizations all through the state. It Is
also appearing- on literature sent to Eastern
cities, and the railroads are taking it up
as a. great piece of practical advertising.
In Its correspondence, the Commercial Club
continues to emphasise the importance to
the homeseeker and investor of buying a
ticket via Oregon.
It is Important for the year 1915 that a
conspicuous and adequate ground-floor head
quarters be maintained in the interest ot
the State of Oregon, if possible, by the
ortiana commercial Club -for the recep
tion of visitors, so they may be properly-
directed to see our state, given informa
tion concerning any portion of It. having
the opportunity of examining exhibits from
all of our counties, and view illustrated
stereoptlcon and moving picture displays of
our agricultural, timber and scenic 1
sources. It is hoped that these quarters
may be located on the ground floor of
the Portland Commercial Club building in
conjunction with tne chamber or com
merce, the headquarters of the State 1m
migration Commission and. the Oregon De
velopment' League, so it will . be just one
general headquarters to which all visitor
to, our city will be directed and whence
they will start on their various sight
seeing trips.
Visits of Cabinet Officials,
Realizing the importance of impressing.
upon the Secretary of the Navy and his
staff - the fact that tbe Columbia River
Is navigable for the Navy of the United
States, the Commercial Club secured
to be questioned whether the electors of ary,
community in the United State have as
much confidence In a community organiza
tion as the people ot Portland have be
stowed upon the Portland Commercial CUib.
Auditorium.
The Portland Commercial Club appointed
a committee to wait upon the City Com
mission with reference to the prospects ior
building the auditorium for which bonds
were voted after the Commercial Club cam
paign a few years ago. The Commission
was readv to co-operate, and appointed a.
committee which is now Investigating the
question, and whose report is being awaited
with keen interest by this organization.
Buyers' Week.
At the request of one of Portland's lead
ing jobbing houses, the board of governors
of the Commercial Club Indorsed a project
for establishing a Buyers week in Portland,
fostered the organization ot a committee of
the jobbers and manufacturers and placed
at the disposal of that committee the entire
quarters and publicity office ot the Com
mercial Club. The reception and entertain
ment committees of the club and the pub
licity manager and his staff in co-operation
with the jobbers and manufacturers, han
dled the event In such manner that i!40
visiting buyers from Montana, Idaho, Wash
ington and Oregon were given such an im
pression of Portland hospitality that indi-1
vldually and collectively they expressed their
deligbt and pleasure at being given this op
portunity to meet the Portland merchants,
and purchases of over $100,000 were made
here at their establishments. From the job
bers and manufacturers' point of view
Buyers week was such a success that it has
been adopted as a permanent annual feature
of Portland's mercantile life.
Federal Reserve Bank.
As soon as the passage of the currency bill
became an accepted certainty, the Portland
Commercial Club took the initiative in agl-
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MEN WHO HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN CARRYING ON THE PROMOTION WORK OF THE PORTLAND COMMERCIAL CLUB
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Edgar B. Piper. President Portland
Commercial Club
Theodore B. Wilcox President Ore
sjon Development League.
William Hanley, Vice - President
Oregon Development Leagne.
P. Johnson Chairman Executive
Committee.
C. C.
Chapman, Manager Commer--.
clal Club.
be made available to the colonists in such
manner as to eliminate speculative profits.
An extended list of thee lands has been
compiled a list which emphatically refutes
the belief of the uninformed that "there i"
no cheap land in Oregon." The range of
prices runs from $10 an acre for large
Eastern Oregon holdings to $50 for desir
ably located, partlcally Improved Willam
ette Valley ranches.
Actual locating of horaeseekers on these
lands is accomplished by 1 the " Commercial
Club in conjunction with the various local
commercial clubs throughout the state and
in Southwest Washington, but never in di
rect co-operation with any private interests.
A very fruitful source of inquiry was the
United States Land - Show at Chicago. It
was easy to distinguish the people who had
visited Oregon's splendid display, thee.
They were almost always people with mod
erate means, with ultimate ambition i
cate on the farm.
Specialized books on different 'tranches
of agriculture were employed liberally by
the club in its inquiry answering. One
was devoted to hog raising and another to
poultry production. in tnis i at ter con-,
ncctlon much pride was taken In mention
ing the famous hen of the Oregon Agricul
tural College, which holds the world's recora
with 803 eggs laid in a single year.
Earnest work was devoted to obtaining
wide observance of "Apple Day" all over
the United States, In this effort the hotel
men of Oregon- were- able allies, for the
Invariably had wide acquaintance, and
through their co-operation and personal let
ters "Apple Day" was featured on the
menus of the most exclusive hotels of the
big cities, and countless smaller ones
Oregon's own hotels planned soma of the
most . unique and delicious dishes with ap
ples as the piece de resistance. The rail
' road dining-car service of every transcon
tinental line serving Oregon featured the
apple.
Press Publicity Work.
Little or no publicity matter has been
furnished by the Portland Commercial
Club to the Portland daily papers, as each
paper has a reporter whose special iunc
lion it is to unearth and write construc
tive Portland, Oregon and Pacific North
west publicity. These reporters visited
the Commercial Club daily and gleaned in
formation concerning the varied activities
of this organisation; " '
For the out-of-town papers of Oregon
and the Northwest, including farm papers
as well as country weeklies, also for larger
dailies in the Northwest and for an im
portant list of financial, trade, agricultural
and newspaper publications in the Central
States and on the Atlantic seaboard, the
Portland Commercial Club maintains a reg
ular nresi service. Photographs and writ
ten. articles concerning Pacific Northwest
development events are regularly furnished
to publications of this character and fre-i
auently to our great national magazines.
A weekly news letter Is issued to 150
Oregon country papers printed under the
head of Portland correspondence. it OC'
cupies from two-thirds to an entire column
and is usually given the most prominent
first page position in each paper. Few
papera fall to use a liberal portion of each
letter each week and many papers publish
tha entire letter In f Uil.
To country weeklies of Washington and
Idaho similar service s furnished and u
frequently used in Soufhwest Washington,
Southeast Washington, In the Lewiston
country and in some other portions of that
territory.
Twice-a-week development hews service is
furnished to 35 large and small daily pa
pers of the Pacific Northwest and articles
so furnished are frequently used all through
Orecon and the entire Columbia Valley;
even the metropolitan papers of Spokans
giving liberal space thereto.
On Wednesday of each weeek is isssued a
financial letter sent to papers In all parts
of the United States, making a specialty of
that class of news. This letter, containing
from 1000 to 2000 words each week. Is al
most invariably used In full in the entire
list of publications to which it Is sent.
To certain Important Eastern Sunday pa
suit that Oreeon has sustained her treat Prs which conduct a "Forward to the
reputation as upbuilding the cause of edu- Land," "Back to the Land" or "Farm Life"
cation whenever it Is an issue before her bureau, there ia sent each week a special
citizenship. ! article dealing with some agricultural sub-
Our state-wide activities and the methods Ject. In nearly every publication on this
followed are widely celebrated. When the l1 these articles are used. Sometimes it is
State of Washington was readv to inaug- I only a Paragraph, but occasionally as much
urate an immigration campaign, the officers I s haU PaS nd even a full page where
in charare visited the Portland Commercial ' n article has led to a request for lllustra-
Fasadena Knights excursion to Portland
Rose Festival.
School garden contest in Portland.
Cow and hog day at Stan Held.
Agricultural lecture course by Hill lines'
expert.
Conservation of human life conference at
Reed College.
Tri-County Fair at Condon.
Home-coming day at Oregon Agricultural
College; -
Convention American Association of
Nurserymen at Portland.
School garden public market.
Oregon State Bankers Association meeting
at Corvallis.
Organisation North Pacific Fruit Dis
tributors Association.
Union County Fair at Baker.
Automobile tour through Central Oregon.
" Opening of Siuslaw reservation to home
steaders. Storage and refrigeration convention at
Medford. '
Improvement of mouth of Columbia River.
Northwest Fruit Exchange of Portland.
Opening of Broadway bridge, Portland.
Central Oregon Development League meet
ing at Klamath Falls.
Visit of Secretary Lane to Oregon.
Juvenile Fair at Wllsonville.
County organization for San Francisco
exposition.
Immigration and th Panama canal.
Largest cargo of lumber ever loaded in
any port.
State Fair at Salem. -
Interstate bridge acroxs Columbia River.
Oregon State Dairy Association meeting at
Tillamook;
All-Oregon Exhibit meeting at Ashland.
Shipments of Oregon apples v to Africa.
Meeting of Clatsop County Dairy Associ
ation.
National Apple Show at Spokane.
Course of instruction for waterusers by
O.-W. R. & N. Company.
Bqyers week in Portland.
Development convention at Grants Pass.
Organization for flax manufacturing at
Salem.-
Oregon's exhibit at National Dairy Show
at Chicago. -
Oregon's exhibit a,t Dry Farming Con
gress In Oklahoma.
Made in Oregon movement.
Various Oregon county fairs.
Electric line opening.
Pb ot ogra-p h s.
The photographic department of the club
has been very busy throughout the year,
a large territory having been covered and
Illustrations furnished for publications of
every class. More than T50 photographs
have been sent out.
Special Publicity.
Delegations to conventions, such as our
Firemen's Band," our Ietter Carriers' Band
and delegations to various fraternal organ
izations, have been equipped with literature,
badges, buttons, sleeve ribbons, roses and
other material, which enabled them to se
cure prominence as coming from the Rose
City.
In conjunction with its auditing depart
ment, the Commercial Club maintains a
statistical information bureau, which at
stated intervals supplies Portland, Oregon
and the Pacific Northwest with statistics
as . requested to directories, gazetteers,
structural publications, financial journals, ,
etc
Good Roads.
The Commercial Club, officers and mem
bership, have responded to every call for a
good roads meeting or excursion, have as
sisted in raising funds for campaigns for
highway bond issues, and have given loyal
and vigorous support to the various organ
izations, both statewide and local, .who
have conducted good roads movements.
Panama-Pacific Exposition.
From the Inception of the San Fran
cisco Exposition, the Portland Commercial
Club has been on the qui viye to further
the interests of that great event and to
assist in securing adequate exhibit of Ore
gon's resources.
Two hundred of our members, " headed
by the president of the club, visited Salem
and conferred with the Legislature In
joint session. Committee meetings were
held almost dally in the Commercial Club
to reeclve reports from the club's represen
tatives at Salem, and. as occasion required,
committees visited Salem to confer with the
Legislators.
It is felt that the cllmax of the Port-
prolongation of the time of his intended
visit to this port.
So favorable was the impression made
upon Secretary Daniels that he announced
that the battleship Oregon would head the
fleet which comes through the Panama
Canal upon Its opening, and that an offi
cial visit would be paid by the Navy to
the Columbia River, Astoria andvPortland
during- Its great Pacific cruise.
In the interest of securing recognition
for Oregon in the apportionment of Federal
rf la m ntinn tnnAm. th Vrtrt 1 r rl lnmm f r-
clal Club prevailed' upon Secretary Lane to'
spend an enure week in this state during
his Western tour. .
The Commercial Club made all the ar
rangements for public hearings given by
Secretary Lane in the state and chartered
a special train which conveyed the Secre
tary and his staff to Central - Oregon,
where the proposed Deschutes project was
nspected and then on up tne Columbia
tating to secure a branch Federal Reserve
Bank In this city, the . financial and geo
graphical center of th Pacific Northwest.
After the final enactment of the law, and as
soon as the Portland Clearing-House Associa
tion and the leading Portland banks felt that
they desired to affiliate with the Federal
Reserve Bank, this movement was taken in
charge by the president of the Clearing
House Association, the president of the
Chamber of Commerce, and the president or
the Commercial Club, acting jointly as a
committee. This committee has invited the
Federal Reserve Board and secured the ac
ceptance of the invitation to hold a hearing
In Portland January 00 of this year. Aside
from special work being done by the Cham
ber of Commerce and the Clearing-House as
part of the showing to be made In Portland's
interest, the commercial Club, at the request
of this committee, is preparing u. graphic
array of facts in the form of maps and dia
grams which will be in evidence at th
River to the Umatilla propect. " In both : hearing. Under the auspices of this joint
places the secretary was enabled to observe committee there will be held, January 30.
SUMMARY OF PORTLAND COMMERCIAL CLUB ACTIVITIES
FOR YEAR 1913.
Club and spent two days here, studying our
methods, many ot which they have adopted
with success, in request lor detailed spe
tions.
Tha Portland Commercial Club has the
special good will of everal ot our most
clal reports.' Indicating our methods, were Important National publications, including
responded to trom Denver, Milwaukee, vicka
burg. Lynchburg, Richmond, Oakland, Sac
ramento. Dallas. San Antonio Birmingham.
Columbus. Detroit anQ other important cen.
ters In the United States. British Colum
bia and other Canadian organizations have
sent commissioners to investigate and re
port upon .our methods.
Inquiry for Farm Lands.
The. year 1913 brought more persona in
quirers to the Portland Commercial Club
than coy 12 months preceding. They were
of a very substantial class. Calloused hands
were extended In greeting, and the question
asked about Oregon's agricultural resources
ware decidedly to the point.
The club was well equipped to answer
this character of inquiry. When printed
matter was requested, the publications of
the Oregon State Immigration Commission
were furnished as the basis of state in?
formation, then the community books of
various commercial clubs brought out the
additional facts ou the special region de
aired. Much in contrast to the conditions of
several years ago. inquirers who reach Ore
gon now usually have a fairly definite idea
of where they want to go. This is the re
sult of effective work by the Oregon Ba
the Saturday Evening Post, Country L.ife in
America, Suburban Life. Leslie's Weekly,
the Country Gentleman. Sunset Magazine
and several of our leading agricultural pa
pers. Photographs are forwarded fre
quently to those papers with special infor
matlon. with the result that frontispiece and
other illustrations have been used during
the year, giving Portland publicity which
otherwise would not have been obtained.
Many of theee publications have requested
the Portland Commercial Club for special
articles with photographs.
In addition to the Portland Rose Fcsti.
val, the following events have been fea
tured in this press service and consequently
have secured publicity which they would
not have received were U not for Use Port
land Commercial Club:
Oregon County School Superintendents'
convention at Salem.
Hosarian excursion to California.
Organization of Roguo P.iver Valley Fruit
Growers Association.
Oregon Irrigation Congrees.
Country life movement in Oregon.
Forest rangers' convention at Medford.
.Oregon's participation in livestock con
vention at Phoenix. Aria.
Organization of Pactflo Fruit Association
at Portland,
(From Annual Report of President Edgar B. Piper.)
Fund of $120,000 subscribed for three years' publicity and develop
ment work.
Furnished office and services of manager and manager's traveling
expense to State for Oregon State Immigration Commission.
Sustained state-wide activities of Oregon Development League.
Called Oregon Irrigation Congress and entertained delegates.
Called Central Oregon Development Convention.
Assisted in University of Oregon Campaign.
Upon request, furnished information as to successful methods to
State of Washington Immigration officials, to British Columbia, and
to large commercial organizations of United States.
Advertised Oregon's farm resources and opportunities In farm land
columns of agricultural papers in Middle States, on Atlantic seaboard
ami in Canada; also in German-American and Swedish publications.
Replied to 24,000 inquiries from advertising,-and furnished lnforma--tlon
daily at office to homeseekers.
Investigated price of land in every section of Oregon,, with result
that low-priced lands are available for homeseekers in every county.
Maintained representative at Oregon State Exhibit, Chicago Land
Show.
Promoted "Apple Day" all over United States.
-Furnished weekly and semi-weekly development news service to Pa
cific Northwest newspapers.
Furnished news service, written articles and photographs to maga
zines, farm Journals, trade papers and newspapers of United States,
Canada and Europe, securing vast amount of priceless publicity.
Furnished Oregon slides and Information to many well-known lec
turers. Furnished building and financial statistics by telegraph each
month to construction of financial publications.
Exploited 117 Oregon and Pacific Northwest conventions, fairs, fes
tivals, meetings and other development events.
Maintained official photographer to photograph farms, farm homes,
school gardens and development events possessing pictorial Interest.
Conducted press publicity for Rose Festival.
Distributed roses to visiting delegations.
Co-operated with good roads organizations. '
Campaigned for Fanama-Pacific appropriation.
Originated slogan "Buy your ticket via Oregon 1015" and initiated
Nation-wide campaign to bring 1915 travel through Oregon.
Entertained Secretary Daniels at Portland, Astoria and mouth of
Columbia River, securing announcement of battleship Oregon heading
naval fleet through Panama Canal and into Columbia River.
Entertained Secretary Lane at Portland. In Central Oregon and on
Umatilla project, securing announcement of "West extension and Gov
ernment co-operation in Deschutes Valley with reclamation fund.
Exploited and fostered state and county fairs.
-Conducted campaign for agricultural education appropriation, "Sen
ate Bill 72."
Handled interstate bridge campaign before Legislature and before
voters of Multnomah County.
' Every appropriation or other bill campaigned for before Legisla
ture by Portland Commercial Club was enacted into law.
Pressed construction of Auditorium.
Handled "Buyers' Week" for jobbers and manufacturers and enter
tained visiting buyers.
Initiated campaign for regional bank for Portland.
Represented by delegations, officers or members at 101 Pacific
Northwest meetings, excursions or development events.
Organised and officiated at entertainment of 48 visiting delega
tions, organizations or distinguished officials.
Conducted campaign to raise funds in Pacific Northwest communi
ties for their local commercial organizations.
Conducted dollar dinners and goodfellowship events for membership.
Co-operated with Portland Chamber of Commerce for mutual as
sistance and to avoid duplication of work.
Encouraged railroad investment betterment and extension.
25.
at first hand, tha possibilities for Govern
ment reclamation in those vast regions, as
well as the needs of settlers on the groftnd.
Bom Festival.
For many years the Commercial Club has
felt the principal responsibility for the Pub
licity of press work of the Portland Rose ,
Festival. The Commercial Club has bad an
official photographer take pictures of the
parades and floats tr the festival ana or
the. beautiful rose gardens of Portland.
Newspaper and magazine articles and photo
graphs have been forwarded all over the
United States . and abroad with the result
that hundreds of pages of our leading peri
odicals and thousands of columns of news
paper publicity have been secured for Port
land's great Festival event, solely and en
tirely through the publicity work of the
foruana commercial Clup.
fctate and County Fairs.
Active co-operation has been given by the
Commercial Club for the upbuilding of our
State Fairs and for county fairs in all the
counties of the state. Our membership,
several hundred strong, visited the State
Kair and also supported the legislative ap
propriations for new pavilion. Our pub
licity department advertised the State Fair
throughout the press of Oregon and - the
Northwest. Our membership also was partly
responsible for and supported what was
known as the County Fair bill, which placed
all the counties of the state upon an equality
on a millage tax basis for county fair pur
poses, with the result that within the year
nearly every county or Oregon, has estao
Ushed a fair that is of great value in show
ing to visitors the great variety of products
sustained in every part ot Oregon.
Agricultural Education.
Jointly with the Orocon State 'Bankers
Association, the Portland Commercial Club
fostered a movement for county agricultural
educational work, nuder the auspices of the
Oregon Agricultural College. Conferences
were held in the Commercial Club with rep
resentatives of the bankers, the Develop
ment League, the farmers organizations and
the different Commercial Clubs of the state,
with the result that a Legislative bill was
formulated, afterwards known as Senate I
bill 72. The active work of pushing this .
bill devolved Upon the Portland Commercial
Club, which maintained a representative at
Salem throughout the entire legislative ses
sion. While the Chamber of Commerce, the
Bankers Association and all other organi
zations of the state co-operated with the
Commercial Club, . a large portion - of tbe
credit for the actual passage of Senate bill
i'Z belongs to the members of this organisa
tion, who were on call at all times and who
visited Salem In small or large numbers, as
occasion required. The enactment of Sen
ate bill 72 released nearly $250,000 annually
of Government county and state money to
be spent co-operatively throughout the
counties of Oregon wherever most needed
for agricultural education.
State Legislation.
In connection with legislation, the mem
bership can take pride in the circumstance
that, without a single exception, every ap
propriation or other bill campaigned for by
the Portland Commercial Club before the
ltill and 1013 Legislatures was enacted inte
law. Can any such record be cited in be
half of any active commercial organisation
in any other state in the Union?
Interstate Bridcre.
The project for an interstate bridge was
broached to the Portland Commercial Club
by the Vancouver Commercial Club in 191i.
The President of tha Portland Commercial
Club appointed a committee to represent
this organization in raising tunas xor a pre
liminary survey. The Vancouver Commer
cial Club had a similar committee. These
committees did their work so well that a
fund of suOOO. toward wmcn eacn city on
trlbuted one-half, was raised, and a survey
made. The Portland Commercial Club com
mittee was continued into 1913, and suc
cessfully handled the legislative campaign
for an enaDUng act permitting muimoman
County to vote bonds, the interest of which
was guaranteed by the State of Oregon.
The Multnomah County Commissioners sub
mitted the proposition to the people as pre
scribed in this act. ana tne t'ortiana ;om
mercial Club through this same committee
Infiiirurated a vigorous -campaign, with the
result that the bond issue carried by a vote
of nearly three to one. Ths committee had
done ita work so well that it was discharged
from duty and the responsibility of con
structing the bridge now rests with tne
Commission created by the laws of Wash
in s ton and Oregon.
In connection with this bond issue, tbe
president may be pardoned for pride In
calling attention to the fact that, without
exception, .the bond issues indorsed and cim
Daizned for by the Portland Commercial
Club during the last three years have car
ried: while every proposed oona issue iscx
tng this Indorsement failed to carry. it 'Is
at the Commercial Club, a banquet in honor
of these distinguished guests,
Delegations.
Throughout the entire year the Portland
Commercial' Club was. represented by delega
tions or committees, consisting of officers
and members, at nearly every convention,
meeting, county fair, or other development
occasion held in any part of the state and
in many parts of the Pacific Northwest. It
has come to be that at meetings of this
character, the Portland Commercial Club ia
called on to be represented. It is felt that.
Portland Is Interested in anything that
attempted i any part of the state along
development lines and an expression of port
land's Interest, through the presence of a
representative or a delegation, is expected
and appreciated. Among the occasions at
tended by officers or members as delegates
are the following:
Retail Merchants Association, etate con
venilon, Albany.
Oregon Woolgrowers Association, Vale.
Country Life Commission, annual session,
Salem.
Kouthwest Washington Development Asso
ciation, Olympia.
Southwest Washington Development
League. Walla Walla.
Western Retail Lumbermen's Association,
Spokane.
Northwestern Mining Congress, Seattle.
Woodburn Commercial Club.
Laidlaw Farmers' meeting.
The Dalles Fruitgrowers.
, Hubbard Commercial Club.
St. Paul Commercial Club.
Newberg Commercial Club.
McMinnviUe Commercial Club.
Walla Walla Commercial Club.
Blossom Festival, North Yakima. .
Hillsboro Commercial Club.
Farmers Meeting, Turner.
Agricultural Educational Meeting, Aber
deen. Seattle Ad Club.
Goldendale Fruit and Produce Association.
Oregon State Grange, Albany.
Heppner Commercial Club.
Commonwealth Conference, University of
Oregon, Eugene.
Strawberry Festival, Roseburg.
Washington
Development
McMlnnville.
Southwest
League. Kelso.
Cow and Hog Day, Stanfield.
Molalla Commercial Club.
Yamhill Pioneer Association,
Livestock Show, Union.
Oregon State . Bankers Association. Cor
vallis.
Maupin Development League.
St. Paul Farmers Meeting.
Cherry Fair, Salem.
Fourth of July celebrations. Bay City,
Woodland. Rldgefield and Redmond.
Echo Commercial Club.
Hermiston Commercial Club.
Stanfield Commercial Club.
The Dalles Business Men's Association.
Central Oregon Development League,
Klamath Fa! 1 s.
Seattle Potlatch.
Hoq uSam Commercial Club.
Southwest Washington Development Meet
ing. Goldendale.
Portland day, Clarke County Fair, Van
couver.
Dallas Commercial Club.
Portland day, Multnomah County Fair,
G res ham.
Railroad opening, Molalla.
Lincoln County Fair, Toledo. -Polk
County Fair, Dallas.
Yamhill County Fair, Heppner.
Oregon State Fair, Salem.
Grant County Fair, John Day. t
Wasco County Fair, The Dalles.
Corn Show, St. Paul.
National Conservation Congress, Washing
ton. United States Land Show, Chidago.
Development Meeting, Roseburg.
Livestock Show, Lewlston.
Com Show, Colfax.
Corn Snow, Pendleton..
Made-lu-Orcgon banquet, Moro.
Commercial Club, Independence.
Centralla Commercial Club.
Portland Commercial Club's special train
first electric train over electrified portion
West" Side Southern Pacific system; 130
members in attendance.
Implement- and hardware dealer' con
vention, Portland.
Oregon State Press Association and excur
sion. Portland.
Willamette Valley Press Association, Eu
gene. Salem Commercial Club.
. Albany Commercial Club.
Decoration day celebraUon, Albany.
Cottage Grove Commercial club.
Junction City Commercial Club.
Medford Commercial Club.
Ashland. Commercial Club.
Klamath Falls Chamber of Commerce.
Arlington Commercial Club.
Psndleton Round-Up.
Pendleton Commercial Association.
La Grande Commercial Club,
Salem Ad Club
Baker Commercial Club.
Ontario Commercial Club.
Nyssa Commercial Club.
Vale Commercial Club.
Irrigation Congress excursion to Salexn,
Corvaliis and Eugene.
Agricultural Congress at Pullman, Wash.
Bridge day celebration, Woodland, Wash.
Strawberry Fair, Lebanon.
Good roads meeting, St. Helens i
Oood roads meeting. Seaside. - j
Good roads meeting. Hood River. ,
Good roads meeting, Astoria.
Hood River Commercial Club. i
Idaho-Washington Development .League,
Lewlston. i
Entertainment. ,
The responsibility as well as the privi
lege of entertaining visiting organizations
or delegations from Oregon, Southwest
Washington and the Columbia Valley has
appertained exclusively to the Portland
Commercial Club. Almost daily djuring a
considerable part of the year its t various
dining-rooms have been the scenes- of for
mal entertainment by the Commercial Club
to representatives of various business or ag
ricultural organizations. Among those en
tertained were:
The Oregon Retail Merchants Association.
La Grande Commercial Club.
Legislative committees from Washington
and Oregon for interstate bridge.
Oregon State Immigration Commission-
Panama-Pacific Exposition delegates and
Commissioners from other states.
Committees from Oregon State Legisla
ture. Oregon Irrigation Congress.
World's Christian Conference.
Officers and committees.
Luncheon to C. M. Clark, chairman of
the board of directors of the Portland.
Railway, Light & Power Company.
Farewell dinner to B. S. Josselyn, retir
ing president of the Portland Railway,
Light & Power Company.
Oregon Agricultural College Glee Club
and commercial students luncheon and in
spection tour of business district.
Visiting Oregon newspapermen.
Luncheon to Franklin T. Griffith, re
president of the Portland Railway. Light
& Power Company.
Special train of tourists from Toronto.
Luncheon to H. F. Graves, Chief of For
estry Bureau.
Banquet to Secretary of the Navy Dan
ie9.
Farmers meeting. Camas, Wash.
Good roads meeting. La Pine. -Banquet
to Secretary of the Interior
Lane.
Luncheon to C. W". Thatcher, good roads
booster.
Willamette University Glee Club.
University of Oregou quartet.
Oregon Agricultural College band.
Reception, smoker and luncheon to vis
iting buyers visiting Portland during buy
ers week.
Luncheon to Robert P. Porter, special
Pacific Coast editor of the London Times.
Luncheon to Royal Oherrians.
League of Pacific Northwest Municipal
ities.
Officers of Royal Neighbors, fraternal or
ganization.
Colonization committee, Dunkards.
Banquet to James J. Hill, Jule M. Hanna-
ford, Louis W. Hill and other officers of
the Great Northern and Northern Pacif io
railways.
British Columbia excursion.
Western Canada excursion.
Spokane and Inland Empire excursion.
Luncheon to W. R .Llghton, distin
guished special writer of Saturday Evening
Post.
Banquet Events.
In addition to dollar dinners, where the
membership of the Commercial Club gath
ered for the discussion of current prob
lem", there have been hld numerous ban
quets in the Commercial Club din ins-hall,
in which the Commercial Club has partici
pated jointly with other organizations.
Some of these are:
Made-ln-Oregon banquet.
' Salmon day dinner.
Booker T. Washington dinner.
Luncheon to George E. Nicholson.
Oregon Threshermen's Association ban
quet. Good Fellowship Events.
Under the auspices of the entertainment
and reception committees of the board
of governors there were conducted several
picturesque and exceedingly popular good
fellowship events, including a Commercial
Club picnic at Vancouver Barracks, a smok
er during buyers' week and an old-fashioned
county fair in the clubrooms. Fun,
clever burlesque and keen originality were
the principal characteristics of these occa
sions. Each of these events was attended by a
considerable proportion of the Commercial
Club membership, who entered into the
spirit of the occasion and. by their pres
ence. Indicated their satisfaction In any
event that tends to promote acquaintance
among our members.
Co-Operation of Clukxnber of Commerce.
The Portland Commercial Club has been
at the call of the Chamber of Commerce
in til matters in which the Chamber fet
the Comercial Club could ba of service.
On the other hand, the ChamWi of Com
merce has invariably accorded valuable as
sistance to the Commercial Club. Complete
harmony prevails between these- two or
ganizations, a circumstance in gratifying
contrast to conditions existing in nearly
every other large, city in the United States.
Activities That Have Been Avoided.
The Commercial Club has continued its
traditional and firm policy of taking up no
private enterprises or private tinancial proj
ects. . It has duvoted great energy along
Hues that will increase the number of users
and buyers of Oregon-made products, feeling
that Us duty is towards the manufacturing
establishments now here. Likewise, the
Commercial Club has continued its polity
of refusing to Indorse advertising propo
sitions. . .
The Commercial - Club has also continued
Its policy of declining to indorse or con
tribute towards subscription projects, irre
spective of merits.
Financial Campulgn in State.
The only needed expense assumed by the
executive committee from the publicity fund
during the ear was the engagement on a
salary bais of Tom Richardson, whose (iuty
is to visit the communities of Oregon aid
Southern Washington so as to assist in -arranging
their fl nances locally so that each
Commercial Club throughout ail tnis terri
tory will be in a strong financial position to
sustain the great work necessary -n every
part of Oregon during 1915. The Commer
cial Clubs of Oregon and Washington are
universally grateful for this important as
sistance by the Portland Commercial Club.
This work is done without any expense to
each community visited, and each com
munity expends its own funds n '-ts own
way, making no payment into any general
fund.
All the state-wide development publicity
and advertising activities of the Oregon De
velopment League are and have been sas-
talned from the Portland Commercial Cluo
publicity fund.
Co-operation With. Railroads.
Complaint and controversy have been.
avoided by the Portland Comme.-clal Club
as a general policy. Ks activities have been
altogether constructive and Its attltuoe to
ward the transportation Interests has been
one of encouragement and co-optirtlun.
The great need of Oregon is extension of
railroads, and the Commercial Club has felt
that the field should be kept inviting, so
that Instead of fearing embarrassment in
visiting our state or harassment in build
ing new lines or improving service, the car
riers, both steam and electric, should be ac
corded recognition for what they have done,
and co-operation in their endeavors to secure
funds for construction work. It Is only in
proportion that the railroads find profit or
at least encouragement here that they will
be tempted to improve or extend their fa
cilities. The Commercial Club delights In ac
knowledging the active assistance and co
operation given by the traffic officials j(
all lines entering Portland in all of its state
wide activities.
Conclusion.
There has been furnished to the members
of the club a statement of our financial
operations during the year. It speaks for
Itself. I am obliged to report that there
has been a falling off in the total revenue
of the club, especially in the building, and
there has been a very considerable' deficit
In the restaurant. Notwithstanding these
adverse factors, the club emerges from the
year with a smalt net Income end an In
creased membership list. It will be ob
served that the various departments of the
club, except in - rooms and restaurant, have
held their own. If an explanation ia to be
sought as to the poor showing made by the
restaurant I think it can be found in the
difficulty of maintaining a complete or
ganization for restaurant purposes when
practically the entire revenue for thia de
partment comes from luncheons alone. Tha
breakfasts and dinners are poorly patronized
and are served at a loss, and the Income
from the luncheons is not sufficient to meet
the entire expense. It Is more than ever
true that the various hotels and restaurants
of Portland are making a particular effort
isrve first-class luncheons at a small
and In the competition among them
1t Be
(Concluded, on Pass 9.)