Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-06-14
The CORVALLIS GAZETTE,
FRIDAY, JUNE IA. 1901.
PUBLIC SPIRIT.

the growth and prosperity OF any
community are in large meas
ure the product Of that communal
purpose which we dominate pub
lie spirit. Were this lacking, or
at most manifested only by few,
development and steady, health
ful prosperity come tardily and
often painfully.
The man who is not actively
and earnestly public, spirited can
hardly be called. a good citizen.
The climatic conditions in
Oregon and the marvellous fer
tility of our soil make subsistence
and ultimate competence so easy
and certain that it would appear
as if many of our people were
content to look to these alone for
prosperity, to the neglect of a
wisely directed, active and ener-
getic manifestation of public
spirit. This has produced al
marked absence OF such a spirit
and made it possible for few
selfish avaricious men to do1ni-
nate, until i'll many communities
public spirit has ceased to be a
factor in promoting prosperity
and the term "moss back" is no
missioner for no small number of
our people. Through the in
Auence of such men many have
been induced to expect prosper
ity to come mainly through "the
unearned increment produced
by immigration and the invest
ment of capital by others. These
men are content to parcel out
their real estate holdings, which
have often been originally a
donation, and to lend their money
at rates onerous and frequently
ruinous to the borrower. Ore
gon's metropolis presents MUM
bers of such. men and nearly
every community furnishes ex-
amples of them. :.
The selfish man cannot be
public spirited, for his selfshness
determines him to do nothing
which might directly Or in
directly presently or remotely
benefit his fellows. AS long as
he can avoid it he will not i'm.
prove his own lest he might en-
hance the value of his neighbors'
property. He always opposes
any measure of improvement
which embraces him. His utte1
selfshness prec1udes his seeing
that the objects of righteous
selfshness are more certain
ly attained through an aler
and active public spirit thar
otherwise.
Public spirit, like charity
should begin at home. Our citi
zens must determine to make
Corvallis what its situation, it
environment and its established
reputation render easily possible
Corvallis may readily become
the c1eanest, tidiest, most health,
full, most prosperous and alto
gether most desirable place fo
residence and for many busines
pursuits. 1t is to the interest @
every one who has a stake in th'
city to evince an earnest public
spirit. Let each one determine
that his shall be the best con
ditioned premises in the vicinity
Let him then take an interest IL
public improvements, as o
Streets, sewers, lighting, waite:
supply, fire protection, schools
and the establishment of indus
trial enterprises. Each one mus
determine that he will, to tht
extent of his ability, give al
material and moral aid necessary
to promote any project Of lasting
benefit to the city. There vii
then be no serious difficulty il
retaining carriage factory here
nor of establishing any possible
and desirable undertaking.
That was wise and reasonable
advice which Jupiter gave to the
carman who besought his as
sistance; ''put thine own shoul-
der to the cart. y A community
having this spirit will readily
find the ways and means which
bring success.
Where right public spiri
prevails mere speculation, ex
travagant expenditures and oner-
Gus Obligations are avoided ane
no step taken will be regretted