The Portland daily press., 1863-04-17
Effects of Manufacturing upon the Growth
and Public Prosperity OF City.

At the present time, when numerous new
enterprises are about 10 be started in our
midst, brief article in relation TO the effect OF
such movements upon the future growth and
prosperity of the city, may not be out of place.
We suppose that we need not attempt to prove
that an industrious population is the great ell
ement of public wealth. Unimproved acres
empty houses and stores labeled "To Let"
will soon suffer decay, while surplus idle
population will soon reveal superior activity
only among police officers, and in the tribunals
of justice. Two things are indispensably
needful TO the steady, vigorous, prosperous
growth OF any place, and those are, first, de-
mand for properly requited labor; and second,
a supply of labor whose increase shall keep
pace with the increasing demand
A man may have the wealth of Cresus at
his command, but if he locks up his Golfers
and refuses to open up channels for industry,
he becomes dead weight upon city's pros
perity. Money, to be Of public benefit, must
contribute to the employment Of the industri-
al classes of community. How can this be
done soswell than by encouraging enterprises
which create new demands upon labor. and
through which such labor may find an ade-
quate reward? He who makes two spears of
grass grow where but one grew before, con-
tributes to the general stock Of public wealth;
and this Is equally true Of him who gives an
hours employment TO a man who would 9TH
erwise remain idle. But it is not all kinds of
employment that contribute to the stable
growth of a place. Genuine growth comes
of persistent activity, not of a spasmodic eff
fort. 1t may require $4,000 worth of labor
to construct a ship, expended in the yard
where she is built, but If the carpenters, me-
chanics, etc., are 10 be thrown out of employ
the moment the ship touches the water, no
real prosperity can be impaired to the place
by their remaining in it. Steady employment
to the laboring classes, at remuneratiye wages,
can alone build up town or city in material
growth and prosperity.
We are glad to see the Portland capitalists
turning their attention to this matter. The
Shovel Factory, which will turn out a hundred
dozen shovels or more daily, besides other
farming implements, will give employment to
labor that, without this enterprise, would be
performed elsewhere. The Glass Works. the
site for which we understand has been deter
mined upon, viii afford constant employment
to quite a number of operatives. The effect Of
the Portland Sugar House and the Portland
Company's Works upon the prosperity of Port
land, is too well known and too highly appre-
ciated TO require a word said upon the matter
in this connection. In another article we wish
to make comparison between this city and
one in another New England State, which was
once Of about the same size of ours but is now
nearly double, and to show what has made
this disparity, when all the natural advantages
have been and still are in our favor. We wish,
also, TO speak of the effect of such industrial
enterprises as we have referred to, upon the
value of real estate and upon the increase OF
taxable property in the city, and by such con-
sderations TO show the claims which they
have upon the liberality of men Of wealth.
All great public benefits are liable to affect un-
favoraby some personal interests. The food
of prosperity, like natural flood, is liable to
overflow and submerge cherished private priv
ileges, but the true idea OF progress requires
that the laws of business should be regarded
as carefully as the laws of nature and those
who place themselves in harmony with these
will never suffer other than temporary incon-
venience from their operation.