Smyrna times., 1885-11-04
Water-WOrks a Progressive Motor.

~ N@NS@ " O4ho q 4 AOS 4OooAfO 4nObO4s
In the midst of a chronic cry of
hard times that has existed not
only in Delaware but throughout the
country for the past two or more wears:
with no effort at planting in our com
munity extensive industrial establish
ments; with no sudden possession of
means by inheritance or gift; in Il
word, with Smyrna in the same cOndi-
ton and circumstances as at any time
during the past decade, all at once it
puts on a new life and vigor that
starts the question, what is the mat
ter with the old town? why this sud
den impulse in the direction of i'm
prOvements? The commencement of
eight or nine new dwellings in single
month might very we'll start such an
inquiry at any time, but why now
more than last Spring, or last year?
There is a cause for every existing fact,
and what solution Of the above ques-
ton is more natural than that indiVid-
ual enterprise has been quickened in
and by the fact that the corporation
led of. The moment that the town
decided by vote that it should lend its
credit for the establishment of water
works, that moment there was loOs-
ening of the individual shackles. and
new impulse of more vigorous life set
in. Let it flow. Anything but stag
nation. When the town showed its
confidence in itself and its future. it
very naturally inspired hope and cOur-
age in the minds of those whose pur-
poses were set in the right direction
but were waiting for something stron-
ger than themselves to take the initia-
tive. 1t is ever thus. The history of
town development throughout the
land shows that in most every case the
municipality had to take the lead. Do
improvements raise the taxes? Yes.
but they provide the means to liuui-
date those taxes. When the town
takes on its shoulders the burden of n
judiciOus debt it usually imparts two
other things that act as an equilibrium
an increase of property to help bear
the burden, and stimulus to business
endeavOr. When the spirit Of yeo-
manry-tO be freehOlder-gets pos
session OF the men of a town, theV are
well nigh invincible. Some, the most
OF the Western towns have it and why
not Smyrna? We have all that many
of them have and in situation, naviga-
bic water on one side and railroads on
the other are far better situated than
the most of them. There is no reason
why almost every man in the posses
sion of health, character and good
hObits should not also be the pOssessOr
of his own home. Our Building
and Loan Association puts it absolutely
in the reach of such, sooner or later
The reason why many men are without
homes is because they are without faith
in the town, its enterprises, or worse
still, faith in themselves. The move
ment of one enterprise impinges on the
cog wheel of another and that on the
third and thus the whole round of in
dustries and thrift are put in motion.
No man builds house but what the
architect, the carpenter, the bIicklayer,
the hod-carrier, the lumber merchant,
the hardware merchant are benefited.
and from these it finds it's way into the
general current of trade. Ifit has not
already begun let there be an advance
all along the line, and Smyrna will
feel the thrOb and impulse of more
ttioOrOuS lifa