Seattle Rejects the 'Evergreen State' Souvenir

The notorious Evergreen State Souvenir came up for discussion by the trustees of the Chamber of Commerce at their meeting yesterday, when President E. O. Graves presented a copy of a letter he had written to President J. J. Hill of the Great Northern railroad. The souvenir was gotten up by private parties who managed to secure permission to distribute it at the Washington state building at the World's Fair. The publication was purely an advertising scheme in which space was given only to towns and enterprises that paid for it. The Chamber of Commerce of Seattle, deeming the scheme unworthy of public support, refused to subscribe to it and protested from the start against it. Our citizens feel justly indignant at the treatment they have received and at the failure of their efforts to thwart this unworthy scheme. We feel, however, that the magnificent record made by the city during the recent depression is worth more to us than any advertisement that money could buy. The very fact that the city has at its back no land company or other powerful organization ready to pay for advertising of this kind is its chief element of strength, as the citizens are compelled to rely on their own efforts for success.