Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-12-23
WHAT cLARxsnLLF NEEDS.

The Courier-Journal's active and
intelligent correspondent, at this
place, J. w. F., writes as follows to
that journal of GAINESVILLE and Our
greatneed of manufacturing enter
prises. What he says is worthy oil
perusal and careful thought by
every capitalist and business man
in the city:
GAINESVILLE, as a business point,
has reputation covering a large
scope of country. Its wholesale
trade is gradually increasing and
extending in all directions. With
its large tobacco market, which is
losing none of its prestige; its
manufacturing interests, which
need a little more public spirit to
increase them its fine schools and
a reputation for morality and intel
Iigence. il is destined to grow to be
a city of importance in the not dis
tant future. With banking capt.
tai and deposit of at least $3.50, 200,
and a commercial capital of $780,
600, il has the necessary wherewith-
al to open up avenues of trade, and
to compete with other points for
custom. The wealth of GAINESVILLE
will compare favOrably with that of
any place of its size in the South
west. Many of its capitalists, how
ever, have their funds invested in
securities, which pay them interest,
but add nothing towards building
up the place. 1t has been said that
a public debt is a national blessing,
but as a means of locking up wealth
it is undoubtedly a national curse.
If one-half the money now boarded
here by capitalists was put into
manufactures the population of
GAINESVILLE would increase in few
years at least 100 per cent. Unpro-
ductive capital is bane to civili-
zation. Wherever and in whatever
branches of industry circulating
capital is actively and prOfitably
employed we see an increase of
fixed capital, and the change of Cir
culating into fixed capital is one OF
the surest indications of a prosperous
community. tits the duty of every
citizen to encourage and promoter IN
dustry The unequal distribution OF
wealth in any community is caused
by the locking up OF capital. Wealth
is created by the union OF capital
and labor. Manufactures bring into
service men who are otherwise con-
sumers and not producers. They
encourage and promote industry
and distribute wealth. What
GAINESVILLE greatly needs is the
withdrawal of a larger portion of its
wealth from investments in United
States and other bonds, that the
wealth thus tied up may be put into
manufactures. With fine iron beds
in almost a stones throw of this
city, coal fields adjacent and mex
haustible forests of all the most val
liable timber known to the age in
close proximity, it seems strange
that there is not enough energy and
foresight among the many mOneyed
men OF GAINESVILLE to bring together
these products and reap the benefits
of their circulating capital by add
ing to their individual wealth and
the wealth of their city. But this
does not argue that there are not
live men in GAINESVILLE. AS gen.
eral thing the commercial men are
a live body of men, as is evidenced
by their liberal subscriptions recent
ly to a new railroad project, which,
if success, will open up a Compel
ing line to reduce the cost OF trans
portation and allow GAINESVILLE
actsess to a wealthy section of cOun-
try which now has but poor facili-
ties for sending its produce to mar
ket. 1t is only question of time
when this place will have an outlet
to the Ohio river in the direction of
Shawneetown or Evansville by
another line of railroad. God speed
the day.