The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-17

committee of the City Council show that
the monetary affairs of the municipality
are in a better shape than they have been
for five years, while the number OF new
buildings already up or in course of erec-
tion and the SLOW but sure revivals of
nearly every line of business Is ample
proof that the people see the light ahead
and. are rousing themselves to renewed
efforts in their respective departments of
work and trade.
EWhile this is true in regard to the city
and it's live and energetic citizens, we
what we have and increase our facilities
for business we must work increasingly.
The world of which we are q part is still
progressing, and in the United States
every city that lays any claim to enter
prise 10 making its advantages known to-
the rest of the country. New York, Phil
adelphia, Baltimore, Richmond and other
places along the Atlantic section are
awake to the demands of the times. and
are advertising themselves at every op-
portunity.
Only last week the Philadelphia En-
quirer advertised through the columns of
The Roanoke Times the advantages of
the Quaker City as a manufacturing and
wholesale centre, and New York is using
all sorts of inducements to ATTRACT visit
ors to that city. Seeing that the South
err ports were drawing away much of
it's grain trade, the live men of New York
are making extra exertioEs in behalf of
increased business. A movement has been
inaugurated there to attract more mer-
chants to the city by offering cheap rail-
road fares as an inducement. and New
York is now offering, especially to South
ern merchants, a round trip ticket at one
and one-third Of the regular fare. AS
consequence large number of merchants
from this section are at this time n New
York, where they are meeting with a
most cordial reception.
Richmond some months aSo,as means
of increasing business of the merchants
of that city. organized a series of eXcur-
sions from various portions CT the State,
and now that New York is making such
strenuous eXertions to increase it's South
ern trade, the people of our capital city
are being urged to adopt similar plan
to that pursued by the metropolis of the
nation.
Roanoke as trade and manufacturing
centre has many advantages peculiarly
its own and, while the people of this city
are always ready to adopt any feasaible
plan to increase the business Of the com
munity,it is essentially important, il they
would keep step with the march of mod
ern progress, that they too should wake
up to the demands of the times and By
adopting course similar to the one fol-
lowed by the merchants of New York
bring the business men of the Southwest
and adjoining sections to this city to make
their purchases. The Richmond plan Of
excursions might also he used with adj
vantage here, and the Norfolk and West
ern Railway Company, with it's charac-
teristic liberality, would no doubt second
our efforts in either or both directions.
These hints are thrown out for what
they are worth, as after all it is the peo-
pie alone who must make the effort They
have never faltered in their duties here
tofore when the public interests were at
stake; and we are satisfied they will not
hesitate in doing all they can for them
selves and the community.
1t would be we'll then for the City Coun-
Gil and board of trade to take the matter
in hand and see what can be. done by
concerted action. Roanoke already has a
reputation for progressiveness and enter
prise second to no city of it's size in the
country, and that it's people will seize
with both hands every available aud
praiseworthy means of promoting the
general prosperity is a selfevident prop
ION that needs no elaboration.
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