Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-04-03
WILL MANUFACTURING ENTER
PRTSES PAYG H

The arguments that are here use
in favor of manufacturing enter
prises for Clarksville, will appl
with equal force TO Nashville an,
other Southern cities that may pos
sess equal advantages and I d
trust that all such will utilize tIges
advantages to the extent of thei
ability and become, as they shoulC
be, Independent of those people wht
seem determined to persist in show
ing their bitter hatred of the SoutE
and her people, though from these
same people, and their products, the
principal portion of their wealth
has been directly and indirectly de
rived.
| have for many years past felt
fully convinced that the city ol
Clarksville should not depend solely
upon tobacco and other agricultural
products for population, wealth and
general prosperity, but that hel
principal dependence for these very
desirable acquisitions should be
based, to some extent at least, upon
manufacturing enterprises.
AS regards locality, ClarksviIl has
but few superiors, all things properly
considered, for the purposes named.
With her boundless banks OF iron
ore almost in sight, her immense
forests of timber on every side, her
great depots of almost every grade
of tobacco, her surrounding lands
well adapted to wool-grOwing, and
vast cotton and coal fields within a
few hours journey by rail- can
conceive of but three things needed
to make her one of the most pros
porous manufacturing cities of the
South, and these three things / will
name in the order in which they
are most needed: 1st, enterprise; ID B.,
money; Sd, cheap transportation.
OF these three things will say
(and l mean what l do say that
the first is the only one necessary to
begin with. By a proper display
of enterprise unitedly put forth, and
rightly directed by the citizens of
Clarksville and others interested in
its prosperity, both money and
cheap transportation can, and will
be added and made to follow di-
rectly in its wake.
But one of the troubles that will
probably ever retard the workings
of a true spirit of enterprise at the
beginning is that the masses of the
people do not know, or if they do
know, do not seem to take into con-
sideration all of the many details in
regard to the advantages and disad-
vantages of manufacturing enter
prises, competing transportation,
and transportation monopoly.
1t can be very plainly proven, if
necessary, that every citizen, wheth-
er merchant, farmer, mechanic or
other trade or calling, is directly
interested, pecuniarily and other
wise, in these three questions, and
that it would be greatly to their in
terest to possess the two first to as
great an extent as possible, and
never permit the latter to exist.
But as manufacturing is my sub
ject at the present time, will defer
all further talk of transportation for
future occasion, and try to show
up a few of the advantages that
might accrue TO our section by
well regulated system of mapufac-
turing enterprises, owned and con-
trolled by our own people.
AS a general rule, about the first
thing that the average individual
wishes to know, when called upon
to take stock in some manufacturing
enterprise, is the amount of semi
annual dividends in the shape of
cash that it will pay, aDd. whether
or not his money thus invested
would be safe. If it is possible to
prove to his full satisfaction that
his money would double itself twice
per annum, and that it would be
more secure than in United States
bonds, he might, after due consid-
Grafton, be induced to leave off for
awhile his violation Of law in lend
ing money at a usuriOus rate of in
terest and try manufacturing. He
does not seem to take in9o consid-
Grafton the many advantages that
might be derived from it to the
community upon whom he is de-
pendent for the necessarieS of life,
hiSluxuries and wealth. and through
this community to himself, other
than his anticipated regular cash
dividends. If he is any part of a
philanthropist, he does not fully
consider the advantages that might
be derived by the poor laboring
classes, men, women and children,
through employment that would
furnish them with the necessaries
of life, of which many of them who
are willing to work, and would
work if an opportunity was given
them, are sadly in need. If he is a
merchant, he does not fully estimate
the additional amount Of business
that might be thrown under his
control through causes attributable
only to the manufacturing interest
of his city. If he is farmer, he
does not fully estimate the increased
market that would be furnished for
nearly every product Of the farm,
and the amount he might save by
buying his goods and wares of home
mandatory, with no high freight
tariff added to their price. If he is
mechanic, he does not fully con.
slider the increased demand thai
would be caused for his service in
erecting factory buildings, dwellings
etc., and thereby probable increase
I of his wages or profits.
I