Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-01-22
TUESDAY EVENING. JAN. %. 1901

That the shoemaker should stick 10
his last was proverbial as far oaok sS
classical times, and is as true no" as
ever. 1t Is just as true that ous'oesS
no, sbould stick to their business.
When they segregate themselves from
tbsir fellow citizens and form leagues TO
control politics they rarely succeed,
and when they become "reformers'
their liz, and that of those silly enough
to follow them, is up, whether IN the
North or South, or whether they be
democrats. or republicans. Where
every man has the right to VOTE IL Is
only natural, especially in cities, that
some improper men are elected to prom
ipent and responsible positions, So Is
n,tieeable as we'll 10 Philadelphis,
where there is a republican, as in New
York. where there is democratic ma
iority. and such an evil, in the nature
of things, cannot be remedied by re-
formers" whose only hope OF success is
in the help of the minority party, and
whose object, most always, proves to
he to nut the ms out and the outs 10.
Then too, 10 the case OF ALEXANDRIA,
sewers and asphalt streets will not in
crease business. When the city was 10
its most prosperous days It's streets
were not as good as they are now, and
those people who don't like soap suds,
c,ffse grounds and egg shells 10 their
cutters should keep such things 10
their back yards. King street would
be all right, bat for the waste paper and
the ash barrels that disfgure Its pave
ments and sidewalks, and the hat
crowns and pillows that supply the place
OF broken panes of glass.in some OF its
windows. The way to increase the
business of city is for its business, and
all other men, to make their families
patropizs their own merchants; to buy
every thing they have to purchase, at
home. and have all their work done by
home labor; to stand by, and not to de-
CRY each other or their city;
not to join trusts and suspend
business, throwing their laborers
out of employment, nor by Or
ganizng stock companies which fall
in consequence of the incompetent
strangers to whom they entrust their
management, and then buying the ma
chiDery for q song and selling 1t at
a profit in other cities. But by loaDipg
money to industrious and reliable men
to start manufactures, and assist others
who want to enlarge theirs. The bust
ness men made their money here and
should be willing to help others make
some too, especially as every cent made
aud kept here tends to increase the
value Of their own property; and they
should not throw away money in hav-
lug the city doomed in Washington
newspapers and in ''sesquies," that cost
more than ferry line to the opposite
side of the river, to bring back the old
MARYLAND market trade, would have
done, hut which do the city harm
instead OF good, for stranger seeking
a suitable place for factory. shuns
places that resort to such tricks; they
look for cheap sites and low taxes. Al
exandriaus have been looking for out
side help long enough; they should stop
that now, aud resolve to depend upon
themselves. They should decrease the
city's expenditures and reduce the rate
of taxation. But, especially, should they
cease their cry about rings. until they
can prove their charges and have the
riugsters brought to justice; and they
should also halt in their attempt to de.
prive the democratic majority OF the
city Of the right to rule, by combin-
ing with republicans, and should
stop expressing themselves, as some
of them do, as in favor of the
impossible task of the remuneration
of this city to the District of Columbia.
Some OF them would gladly have Alex
andrla reannexed to Washington, but
it is needless to say they have little oil
Alexandris, and less of Virginia, senti.
ment in theirs. There are plenty OF
honest, intelligent and efficient demo-
Gratis, with material interests 10 Alexan-
dria, from whom to select the twenty
four members of the City Council, and
il the Business Mems League would
take as much interest in nominating
and electing them IS it does in trying
to defeat those who will be elected by
the democrats, instead of complaining
about the manner in which the city's
business is conducted, they would, al
least, do all they could toward improv-
ing the condition.
--------------
1T APPEARS from Washington
newspaper that the members OF the
board of development OF Alexandris