The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

Business.
Through the columns Of the Eastern
State writer presents the people of this
town with brief statement of facts, and
offers a little friendly advice which are APP
plicable to other communities than the one
to which it refers. After speaking of
some of the tlourishing industries of a
neighbOring town, he says:
Pardon me, citizens of -, but |
could not help contrasting the two towns,
situated as they are, only about eight miles
apart. A few years ago there were no fac
tories in either town; our conditions were
about equal; if there was any difference it
was in our favor Our water power is equal
TO- and | may say better than, theirs. We
have several times had business men oman.
ufacturers) confer with lis without avail,
and as a result, while we have sat down on
every movement that would build US up as
a village, our neighbor has secured two
first,cl wollen mills that have called
around them other necessary industries,
making it live town. When We take
survey of our beautiful village, with Its
neat white cottage houses nestled under
wide spreading elms, and know as we'll as
we do the snug bank accounts and paying
say that they are better able to-day to help
themselves to business than our neighbOrs
were when first approached by a manufac-
turer seeking location. We do nothing
to help ourselves, and then complain be-
cause we have nothing to do. Our young
men 20 TO other places to find employment,
more often from necessity than desire to
do so; can we expect 1t to be different?
10 <h,t 10 ~
can continue to do as we have done for years
past,-pride ourselves on the beautiful To-
cation, our we'll laid out streets, homes sha-
ded by majestic elms and broad -leaved ma
piles, so that an approach from any direc
ton in summer reveals nothing to Indicate
that New England village lies beneath
their foliage. This is all good as far as 1t
goes but shade trees and homes can only
protect us from the inclemency OF the wea-
Their. Our young men and women want
employment, out of which can be earned
money to supply the demands of every day
life, and not tindingit here they seek other
fields of labor, where the spindle makes
music in the air telling of hives Of indus
try, in which the diligent hand finds EN-
ployment and 1.-THE laborer is worthy of his
hire" When we take a survey of our sur
rouudin s, and see spread out before us Il
sheet of water covering an area of seven
thousand acres, into which are flowing
three good sized streams, besides innumer-
able smaller brooks and out of which the
one river winds its way with sufficient pow
err, if properly applied, to give employment
to five hundred people, what can we say In
defence of the apathy of our people? Even
as write, young lady has passed down
to the station to go in search of employ
ment that should be found here. A con-
tinual stream of employment-seek Is
leaving us AS fast as young men and wO
men attain their majority they 60 not to
return except as visitors. Can we flourish
under such drain upon the muscle and
brain of our town? say ne, we cannot
thrive and compete successfully alongside
of our more energetic neighbors. While |
would not covet our neighbours mills, vet l
would that We could feel the necessity OF
duplicating them. Let US awake out of
the Rip Van Wrinkle sleep that is upon US
and show that we are verify to occupy and
improve the natural advantages that God
has given us, instead of allowing the wa |
ters of Great East Pond" to run unOb
structed to the sea, an open thoroughfare
for migratory fish.