The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-03-25
THE DEMOCRATIC PREis.

The vicious practice of discouraging indus
tries and of chilling to death every endeavor to
build up the waste places of towns blighted with
the inertia of century's standing does not OBJ
tain in Ravenna, whatever may be true of other
places. The business stagnation of a place has
its origin in the lethargy of that period in the
earlier stages of its existence, not inappropri-
ately termed its golden age. The causes are
very similar to that self satisfying pseudo-logic
that ~bnhded the eyes of the South against its
true interests for SO many years and led to
long and ssnguinary struggle in the insane at
tempt to perpetuate the very evil that was
steadily sapping its moral, social, commercial
and industrial prosperity How many honest
bosoms were barred in the defense of mistaken
principle. and how great the sacrifice in the de-
termination to continue those blighting agencies
of imagined good that made each year record
of retrogresson for the fair Southland The era
Of true progress commences when rigid self
examination, SO to speak, begins; when the
hypnotic spell of a parsimonious present that
lnlls men to a semi-sleep of contentment with a
bare suficiency of lfes necessities, is dispelled
attendant upon the highest development. Who
ever contributes to the material welfare of the
community in which he lives, is inevitably ad.
vancing his own financial interests to say moth
ing of the other increased benefits sure to fol.
low. Wherever is found the greatest energy
and liberal handed policy, there will be dis
covered the people most worthy of the age ir
which they live.
A review of Ravenna's past will reveal many
regretful facts connected with its wasted oppor
tunities in the direction of industrial growth anc
instance after instance would appear where
mistaken economy defeated the location of vas
enterprises that long ago would have literal,
lined with gold the pockets of those whose il
liberal policy drove away the valuable plants
But this is true of the average Westere Reserv
town and applies to many to a much create
degree than to our pretty little city. Whateve
may have been our fault in the past in this re
spect, we have buried them and their remem
brance under an avalanche of awakened er
deavor that will forever remove the possibilit
of their resurrection. We have manifested a
enterprise in the matter of city improvement
that is now bearing good fruit and abundan
How many towns the size of this one can sho
its electric light. gas, water and telephone priv
ileges? All these conveniences, which may
truthfully called perpetual blessings, have CO
vast sums of money in the aggregate, but WI
would surrender them because of the paltry il
crease of taxes or expenses paid for their mali
tainance1 Take the matter of water alon
What one of our citizens who does not appr
ciate the worth of a continual " "wellspring
pure, soft water in his house. and is not gls
the city is thus suppliedP Who would give
up? Now it is the presence of manufacture
concerns that enables US to afford these CO
veniencies, and if we are wise and vote at Il
coming election to encourage the location
others here, there are many additional conve
fences that will be made possible, in the line
better streets. &c., &c. The people of Ravenl
will vote to make it city every time.
THE SHOE FACTORY NEARLY