Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-06-05
Stick by Your Own Town

ana cltlZ5nS OF town mpke IL Wnat IL IL.
They give to it the reputation which 1t
enj ,ys, whether good or bad. Upon them
IL the toll and to them comes the largest
share OF the resuts. The very life life blood
OF the town is its cit,zsns. II they be slug.
gish, then the current upon which the town
| rests runs slowly and painfully. but II they
bs active, and pushing, with an increased
pace 1t flows rapidly onward.
selt-preservstion being the fret law Of
nature, law recognized In both legal and
moral courts, 1t is the duty Of every oitizsn
to hold his own town ftss and stick oose by
il. No man has right to claim citizenship
unless he does this. The day Of lukewarm-
ness is past, and activity reigns every.
where I: is therefore douoly necessary
that every nnn's first love and assistance
bs devoted to bls own town. No man can
be expected to take his time, attention, and
money to place where he will not receive
aa much benefit ss he will at nuother. There
is not at any other place the real pro6ts to
bs obtsined that are end always will be In
ore's own town. We ere governed by the
lews OF our own towE, We receive the bene-
f. from them. we get our share Of the busi-
nsss, We epjoy s!l the benefits which are So
cured for ner, and ell her attractions Is
money in our pocket, as we'll ss rendering
to life additional pleasure.
No town car grow with q divided oit!zsn
ship. No business can prosper J. 1t ls
ir >wned down by those who give u support
As death eusues through the result Of q
broken law IF nature, SO town will ever
coutinue on the verge of the grave unless
the proper remedies sre applied. The rene.
dy is the united work of its own cit!zsns
and the moment this cordial Ia taken, the
rdddy complexion, ss 1t were will show the
return of the life-blood to the exercising Of
its functions.
What should ci5izsns do for their town
They should never let chance slip to put
in word for her. Just here we ere tempt
edIto cay that there is nothing more dsmor-
al'zing than for cl.izsps to talk among them
selves unfavorsbly of their owo town. The
result will show Itself In many ways. Un-
expectedly and without intention 1t will do
lie work, for ie will sap the energies surely
of those who ere stesdiaet 10 their belief 10
the towns future. Every word bears with
it az influence. The firm belief of citizens
Ia their own town, expressed ut all times, is
one of the greatest levers toward convincing
the foreign element of her soldity. Surely
1t will give to the belief 10 the minds OF out
siders that the place is progressive. One of
the greatest beverages in the pushing for
ward Of town are the words OF Its citizens.
Then again spend your money in the town.
d.. not eeDd 1t away, but help others
while you help yourself by keeping
your money In your own town. Pat
ropize your stores, your schools, your news-
paper, your mechanics, your laborers.
Every cent of money sent out OF town which
could have been spent with citizens to any
thing like an equal advantage. Ia an injury
to yourself and your town. Build up busi-
ness within your own town instead of carry.
ing 1t off to another. The more mercantile
branches supported. the heavier the local
business doDe, the better the town appears
ia the sight of outsiders. The citizsns of
town In many branches ere dependent upon
each oiher for support. 1t Ia suicidal to
carry tast support away. Every old citizen
bound by his business, every citizsn obtain
ee and held by the same is lever to pueh
the town forward and to help you on. You
ean easily form the impression outsiders will
come TO II you will simply think for an In
stant what is your own opinion when you
see citizens allowing bUsineas men In their
town to suffer, while they 60 off and give
their support to some other town. You can
tell on the other hand exactly the opinion
held by outsiders. II ycu consider your own
opinion Of town where the citizens sustain
every honest effort or industry. Be guided
by this and give your own town the support.
Take care thet no business suffers that you
can help forward. Do everything In your
you can. Speak for 1t, work for 1t and act
IL