Title: Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce Records
Inclusive Dates: 1924-1976

Creator:

• Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce

Call Number: Mss 786

Quantity: 9.8 c.f. (25 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Records of the Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce, a private organization formed in 1929 to study and promote business and industry in Wisconsin. Included are minutes, correspondence, subject files, transcripts, financial records, and photographs on the political, educational, and social activities of the organization. The bulk of the collection consists of minutes of meetings, committee reports, and subject files which describe how businesses in Wisconsin adjusted to changes in the economy from 1940 to 1960. Also included are fragmentary minutes, correspondence, financial records, and promotional materials of the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives, a related organization.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00786

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The Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce (WSCC), an association of Wisconsin businesses, incorporated on July 10, 1929 and functioned until 1976, when it merged with the Wisconsin Manufacturer's Association to form the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce. The WSCC was founded by former members of the Greater Wisconsin Association, which ceased activity in 1927. WSCC's purpose, as stated in its organizational prospectus, was to study questions pertaining to Wisconsin business, to shape public sentiment, and to advocate legislation beneficial to business interests. The WSCC also distributed information concerning tax legislation, labor unions, and unemployment compensation to Wisconsin businesses.

The WSCC consisted of a board of directors and various committees which studied the needs and problems of businesses in Wisconsin. Seven committees were originally formed to research issues such as aeronautics, advertising, agriculture, highways, nature conservation, taxation, and waterways. The committees worked in cooperation with state governmental agencies, local chambers of commerce, and trade organizations such as the Wisconsin Manufacturers' Association, the Wisconsin Retail Merchants' Association, the Wisconsin Bankers' Bureau, and the Wisconsin State Merchants Association of Real Estate Brokers. In addition, the WSCC held annual meetings in November to provide businessmen with an opportunity to meet with experts from government, industry, and labor.

During the 1930s, the WSCC consistently opposed the New Deal programs that increased taxation and governmental regulation of the economy. The WSCC also lobbied the state legislature for the construction of new roads and participated in a national campaign by various chambers of commerce to end state barriers to interstate commerce. Furthermore, WSCC developed a national advertising campaign to promote industrial and agricultural development in Wisconsin. According to WSCC's records, organizational and financial problems restricted the WSCC's activities in the 1930s. After 1935, income from membership dues decreased on account of the Depression, and WSCC reduced the number of programs it sponsored. The growth of the war economy in the 1940s increased membership and income and enabled WSCC to create new committees and expand existing programs. New conferences were scheduled including an annual congressional dinner for all Wisconsin Congressmen, Senators and Wisconsinites working in Washington, D.C.

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, WSCC promoted Wisconsin's tourist industry as well as the small business industry, Also, between 19' and 1947, several new committees formed concerning Social Security, labor relations, and education; and compiled handbooks and pamphlets instructing small businesses on the unemployment compensation regulations, labor relations, and Social Security. In 1959, WSCC began holding biennial conferences prior to legislative sessions in order to inform Wisconsin state legislators and government officials of problems unique to business.

During the 1960s and 1970s, WSCC began to promote Wisconsin's businesses through tours to various Wisconsin industries. The tours visited farms and agricultural plants, forests and nature conservation reserves, and vacation resorts and were attended by members, news reporters, and business people.

In 1976, WSCC and the Wisconsin Manufacturers' Association merged to form the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce in order to end their duplicative efforts in promoting Wisconsin business and “to provide for a more effective and unified representative of business.”

The Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives (WCCE), an association of executives of chambers of commerce, was founded in 1916. Originally known as the Wisconsin Association of Commercial Organization Secretaries, the organization became the WCCE in 1949. The WCCE functioned as a forum that allowed managers of chambers of commerce throughout Wisconsin to exchange information and discuss their problems and interests through conferences and newsletters. There is little documentation of WCCE's activities prior to the 1960s. During the 1960s and 1970s, WCCE sponsored two general conferences annually for members as well as conferences for office secretaries and chamber staff. The WCCE hosted infrequent seminars concerning local government finances, and cooperated with the United States Chamber of Commerce in the promotion of international trade.

The collection consists of two series: WISCONSIN STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECORDS and WISCONSIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES RECORDS. The relationship between the two organizations is unclear, but was probably strengthened by the involvement of Alice Taylor, the organization service director of the WSCC and the secretary-treasurer of the WCCE. The organization service director coordinated the WSCC's projects involving local area chambers of commerce, while the secretary-treasurer maintained the WCCE's records. The bulk of the collection documents the Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce (WSCC), especially its activities during the period from 1940 to 1960. Documented activities of the WSCC include day-to-day operations of the organization, research and preparation of pamphlets and handbooks on issues concerning businesses in Wisconsin, and lobbying state and federal government to reduce taxation and enact legislation beneficial to small businesses. The records for the period from 1929 to 1939 provide excellent documentation of the issues which concerned the Wisconsin business community, especially the pavement of roads, reduction of barriers to interstate commerce, and federal taxation. The records for the period from 1940 to 1960 document the transition of Wisconsin businesses from the Depression to the post-World War II era. The Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives Records are fragmentary, documenting annual conferences and programs from 1960 to 1973.

The WISCONSIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECORDS are comprised of Administrative Records, Committee Records, Meetings, Subject Files, Publicity and Outreach, and Publications. The Administrative records include several historical folders summarizing WSCC's activities; an incomplete run of the Board of Directors records including minutes of meetings, general files, membership, and administrative handbooks; fragmentary general correspondence; and financial records including audits, statements, and correspondence relating to dues and bank loans. The administrative records document extensively the policies and procedures of the WSCC as well as the financial difficulties the chamber encountered during the Depression. Some of the materials are similar to those found elsewhere in the collection: the Board of Directors' minutes contain some records of WSCC's committees for the period from 1929 to 1947, as well as financial audits and statements for the period prior to 1937. The financial records for the fiscal year 1939-1940 are located in the records of the Administrative Committee.

The Committee Records, arranged chronologically, are an incomplete file of minutes and subject materials documenting the periods from 1928 to 1929 and from 1947 to 1954. The bulk of the material consists of the files of the Labor Relations, Social Security Legislation, and Travel and Vacation committees. The Labor Relations committee files contain descriptions and analysis of federal and state legislation and judicial decisions concerning collective bargaining, as well as reports on Wisconsin's unemployment compensation system and a copy of the Labor Relations Manual, compiled by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. The Labor Relations Committee records also contain copies of the Labor Relations Bulletin for 1953. The Social Security Legislation Committee files contain reports, clippings, and comments on Social Security compiled by WSCC and the United States Chamber of Commerce and information on unemployment benefits in Wisconsin and other midwestern states. Additional minutes and reports of committees for the period prior to 1947 are located within the Board of Directors minutes in the Administrative records.

Meeting Records consist of files on annual meetings, programs, and conferences sponsored by WSCC. The annual meetings files contain attendance lists, organizational documents, and copies and transcripts of speeches and discussions held during these meetings; the files are incomplete with the majority of the records for the period after 1953 missing. The programs and conferences documentation is arranged alphabetically by the name of the program and includes description of the content and of issues addressed.

The Subject files, maintained by the WSCC staff, are arranged alphabetically and chronologically thereunder. Materials include pamphlets, correspondence, and background information from the 1940s. The files document the WSCC's activities as well as provide information on issues affecting Wisconsin businesses prior to and during World War II.

The Publicity and Outreach consists of general correspondence, press releases, photographs, and membership development materials. The general correspondence and press releases contain announcements of programs and events circulated to members, local area chambers of commerce, and the press. Correspondence and press releases from 1937 to 1954 are missing. The photographs document a variety of the activities of the organization and its members. The membership development materials contain records of various campaigns to increase membership as well as a collection of short biographical outlines of WSCC members, government officials, influential businessmen, and lawyers.

The Publications consist of an incomplete collection of WSCC newsletters, brochures, conference proceedings, reports, and informational pamphlets. Additional publications, including the Barter Bulletin, are available in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin library.

WISCONSIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES RECORDS are arranged into Administrative Records, Programs and Conferences, Secretary-Treasurer Files, and Publications. The bulk of the collection documents the period from 1960 to 1973. Documented activities include annual conferences and various programs.

The Administrative Records contain a file of brief historical surveys of local chambers of Wisconsin, the minutes of the Board of Directors' meetings, and a collection of short biographical outlines on WCCE's members. Programs and Conferences documents the annual conferences of the WCCE and includes attendance lists, correspondence, and speeches. The Secretary-Treasurer's Files contain administrative correspondence, financial records, and reports from various committees. The Publications files contain copies of the WCCE newsletter from 1950 to 1969.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce, Madison, Wisconsin, 1959-1976, and the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce, Madison, Wisconsin, 1977, Accession Number: M59-109, M59-109-2, M76-216, M76-234, M77-468

Processing Information

Processed by Dov Cohen and Ann Hokanson, 1990.

	Series: Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce Records
	Subseries: Administrative Records
Box   1 Folder   1-4	History, 1929-1959
Box   1 Folder   5	Constitution and By-laws, 1929-1966
	Board of directors
Box   1 Folder   6	Annual reports, 1932-1933; 1943; 1952-1955
	Minutes
Box   1 Folder   7-10	1929-1932
Box   2 Folder   1-10	1933-1937; 1941-1951
Box   3 Folder   1-7	1951-1956; 1966-1972
Box   4 Folder   1-14	Subject Files, 1929-1941; 1952-1956; 1966
	Membership
	Officers and directors
Box   4 Folder   15-20	1952-1964
Box   5 Folder   1-4	1964-1968
Box   5 Folder   5	Directory, 1974
Box   5 Folder   6-7	Biographies, 1974-1975
	Subject files
Box   7 Folder   7-9	Director's handbooks, 1960-1975
Box   7 Folder   10	Job descriptions, 1964
Box   7 Folder   11	Selection of General Secretary, 1939-1940
Box   14 Folder   6-15	Correspondence, 1928-1968
	Financial materials
	Audits and statements
Box   5 Folder   8-10	1937-1945
Box   6 Folder   1-9	1945-1968
Box   7 Folder   1-2	1971-1973
	Correspondence
Box   7 Folder   3-5	Membership dues, 1929-1930
Box   7 Folder   6	Bank loans, 1930
	Subseries: Committee Records	⇧
Box   10 Folder   1	Handbook for committee members and chairmen
Box   10 Folder   2-9	Minutes, general, 1928-1929; 1947-1954
	Files
Box   11 Folder   1	Advisory Council, 1926-1936
Box   11 Folder   2	Administrative Committee, 1939-1940
Box   11 Folder   3	Area Advisory Council, 1974
Box   11 Folder   4	Agri-Business Committee, 1969-1972
	Labor Relations Committee
Box   11 Folder   5-11	General, 1953-1960
Box   12 Folder   1-2	“Labor Relations Manual,” 1959
	Social Security Legislation Committee
Box   13 Folder   3-6	1946-1957
Box   13 Folder   1	1957-1962
Box   13 Folder   2-3	Travel and Vacation Committee, 1962-1970
	Subseries: Meeting Records	⇧
	Annual meetings
Box   8 Folder   1-14	1929-1947
Box   9 Folder   1-10	1948-1975
	Programs and conferences
Box   13 Folder   4	General, 1929-1939; 1966
Box   13 Folder   5	Advertising, 1929-1930
Box   13 Folder   6	Agri-Business tour, 1959
Box   13 Folder   7	Businessmen's conference, 1950
Box   13 Folder   8	Forestry conference, undated
Box   13 Folder   9	Governor's New Product Award, 1970-1974
Box   13 Folder   10	IRS information series - phase II, 1972
Box   13 Folder   11	Legislative conference, 1955
Box   13 Folder   12	“Suggested Constitutions for Local Chambers of Commerce,” 1933-1935
Box   13 Folder   13-16	Pre-legislative conference, 1967-1975
Box   13 Folder   17	Redistricting, 1953
Box   13 Folder   18	Resource development tour, 1961
Box   14 Folder   1	Small Businessman of the Year Award, 1968-1974
Box   14 Folder   2	Snowmobile survey, 1967-1969
Box   14 Folder   3	Wisconsin Business Conference, 1940
Box   14 Folder   4	Wisconsin Congressional Dinner, 1967-1968
Box   14 Folder   5	Wonderful Wisconsin Week, 1966
	Subseries: Subject Files	⇧
Box   18 Folder   8	Chamber of Commerce of the United States, 1937
	Greater Wisconsin Association
Box   18 Folder   9	General, 1924-1925
Box   18 Folder   10	Wonderful Wisconsin Week, 1967
	Small Business
Box   18 Folder   11	General, 1944-1945
Box   18 Folder   12	Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Small Business, 1943
Box   18 Folder   13	Surplus war commodities, 1944-1945
Box   18 Folder   14-22	Taxes, 1934-1943
Box   19 Folder   1	Tennessee Taxpayers Association, 1943
Box   19 Folder   2	Toledo Small Business Association, 1944-1945
Box   19 Folder   3	Trade barriers, 1939-1940
Box   19 Folder   4	Transportation Association of America, 1942-1945
Box   19 Folder   5	Trees for Tomorrow, 1944-1945
Box   19 Folder   6	Typewriter survey, 1942
Box   19 Folder   7	Twentieth Century Fund, 1940-1943
Box   19 Folder   8	Unemployment Benefit Advisors, Inc., 1940-1945
Box   19 Folder   9-15	Unemployment Compensation, 1939-1945
Box   19 Folder   16	University of Texas, 1941
Box   19 Folder   17	Upper Great Lakes Area Council, 1943-1946
	United States
Box   19 Folder   18	Civilian Defense, Office of, 1942
	Commerce, Department of
Box   20 Folder   1	Bureau of Census, 1940-1944
Box   20 Folder   2	Miscellaneous material, 1941-1945
Box   20 Folder   3	Emergency Management, Office of, 1941-1943
Box   20 Folder   4	Employment Service, 1945
Box   20 Folder   5	Interior, Department of, 1939-1944
Box   20 Folder   6	Interstate Commerce Commission, 1944
Box   20 Folder   7	Labor, Department of, 1941-1945
Box   20 Folder   8	Navy, Department of, 1941
Box   20 Folder   9-10	Price Administration, Office of, 1942-1943
Box   20 Folder   11	War, Department of, 1941-1943
Box   20 Folder   12	United States Sugar Beet Association, 1942
	Subseries: Publicity and Outreach	⇧
Box   14 Folder   6-15	General correspondence, 1929-1937; 1954-1968
Box   16 Folder   12	Membership development, 1929-1970
	Member biographies
Box   17 Folder   1-17	A-Q
Box   18 Folder   1-7	R-Z
	Press Releases
Box   14 Folder   16-18	1930-1935
Box   15 Folder   1-13	1936; 1939-1940; 1955-1965
Box   16 Folder   1-10	1966-1976
Box   16 Folder   11	Speeches, 1942-1945
	Subseries: Publications	⇧
Box   24 Folder   1	Bulletin to Members, 1937-1939
Box   24 Folder   2-3	Conference proceedings, 1931; 1955; 1961; 1972
Box   24 Folder   4-5	Forward Wisconsin, 1946-1948
Box   24 Folder   6	Legislative Bulletin, 1953
Box   24 Folder   7	Government Affairs Bulletin, 1955
Box   24 Folder   8	Wisconsin Business, 1950
Box   24 Folder   9-10	Wisconsin Unemployment Compensation Law, 1956, 1966
Box   24 Folder   11-12	Pamphlets, Miscellaneous
Box   25 Folder   1	Pamphlets, Miscellaneous, continued
	Series: Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives Records	⇧
	Administrative Records
Box   20 Folder   13	History, 1965
Box   20 Folder   14-15	Board of Directors minutes, 1949-1970
Box   20 Folder   16-17	Membership files and biographies, 1961-1974
Box   25 Folder   2-3	Newsletter, 1950-1969
	Programs and Conferences
Box   25 Folder   18	Building cost survey, 1968
Box   21 Folder   1	Financing local government, 1973
	Conferences
	Annual conference
Box   21 Folder   18-19	1967-1968
Box   22 Folder   1-6	1969-1974
Box   21 Folder   2-7	Institute assistance awards, 1969-1974
Box   21 Folder   8	Mid America Chamber of Commerce Executives, 1974
Box   22 Folder   7-14	Mid Year Conference, 1967-1974
	Office secretaries conference
Box   21 Folder   9	1951-1956; 1964-1965
Box   21 Folder   10-13	1967-1970
Box   21 Folder   14-17	Staff conferences, 1971-1974
	Secretary-Treasurer's Files
Box   22 Folder   15	1936-1950
Box   23 Folder   1-9	1950-1973