The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-06-03
THE CROAKER.
How He Tries not to Build up a Town.
II hos baan said that fhara Ia only

Ohc Sho way " w q h5s anu
that is just as easy as it is to do it
in wrong manner; but whether
this be true or not there are GER
tainly several ways of chow not to
do it," and any of them will be
equally destructive of progress and
success: In all movements, social,
political or Industrial, there will be
found croakers and obstructionists,
long winded and loud voiced, whose
dismal utterance will be ever heard
prophesying failure and disaster,
fault-fnding and Directing to each
move made, criticising and con-
demning each step. 1t is not often
that the members of this class, which,
like the poor, we have always with
us need advice or, rather, it is not
often that they will accept and heed
suggestions; nevertheless, we pro-
pose to give, without extra charge,
a few hints to those who infest the
growing towns upon how best to
retard development and pull down
as fast as others build. If closely
followed Gas no doubt they will beg
and it does not result in the decline
and decay of each industrial center,
it will be because the ability of the
users is not equal to their inclina-
ton.
One of the prime essentials is:
Doubt everything. Doubt the ex-
istance of the material resources and
advantages of your town; when they
are demonstrated, still Doubt
Doubt the investment of every dol
lar; doubt the desirability and value
of each industrial move, of every
manufacturing plant. ubtevery-
body's statements and everybody's
good faith; be in a continued state
of incredulity and unbelief. And
express your doubts. o, yes; don't
forget this. In season and out of
season, at all times and in all places;
never fail; as far as possible, to let
the whole creation know that you
"can't be fooled" Talk to overy-
body, the more strangers the better;
express your doubt and suspicious;
tell all you think you know disad-
vantageous to your place, and tell it
loudly and often.
Criticise everything. 1.-THE town
is managed by company, find fault
with every move made by the man.
agement. If it expends money in
improvements; in making streets, in
erecting buildings, declaim loudly
about its extravaganza; if it does
not, come out equally strong about
its niggardly, do nothing policy.
If industries are secured, sneer at
and deprecate each one, declare
that they are "broken down." that
they never were successful and
never will be. Take especial care
that the management does not do
anything at the right time nor in
the right place, and make your be-
lief known persistently and loudly.
Make no allowances. IF your
town is an old one, and some of the
enterprising, far-seeing citizens are
striving to pull it out of the ruts in
to which years of inactivity and the
existence OF just such people as you
have plunged it, do not for a mo-
ment allow that such attempts at
regeneration required time and
united effort, that long formed
habits are hard to break, and that
there is public suspicion to be met
and overcome. No; your town
must bound forward from the mo-
ment of starting in spite of you and
your fellows, or if there comes a
hitch, all is a failure-'just as told
you"
If the town is new one, it must
spring into being fully equipped
and developed. There must be no
period of apparent inactivity and
stagnation-no winter season, when,
as Nature, the forces of life and
growth are dormant and quiet,
gathering strength and vigor for
the coming of the Springtime; there
must be no period ofreally substan-
tial growth when outwardly there
seems to be no movement. You
must "see things move" and you
are not willing to wait for the evil
dence.
Be very careful never to say a
good word for your town nor for
any of those connected with its
management. Watch closely for
faults and mistakes, and make the
most of them when they occur.
Under no circumstances must you
lend hand to any work ofimprove-