Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-02-22
A Fair Proposition.

!. IL L 1AA 4AoPoOAoAoAs
The following is copy Of circular
sent out by the WatertoWn Advancement
association and its subject matter is wor
thy of the serious and business-like con
sideration of every citizen of WatertowI
who has at heart the future best interests
Of Watertown and its people, especially
| its laboring people:
| Watertown, Wis.,, February Is, 1902
Dear Sir:
This Association has been
asked to present to the citizens Of Wa
tert0wn, a proposition looking to the es-
tablishment of large manufacturing
plant in this city. The proposition con-
templates the raising Of from $4,000 tO
$4,000 by the citizens of WatertOwn
which sum is to be used in the erection
OF suitable buildings and equipment
for the same, on terms to be agreed upon.
| The business is an established one and
will guarantee the payment of One Mil
lion Dollars in wages in ten years, and
| will employ from 200 to 800 people,
twelve months in the year.
| 1t is desired to ascertain in any direct
way, the sentiment of the people of the
/ city, regarding this matter, and for that
purpose a committee will wait upon you
to present the matter more in detail and
solicit your aid in this enterprise.
Trusting that you will give the matter
your hearty cooperation we remain,
| Yours truly,
WatertOwn Advancement Association.
Taking the above proposition as text,
| brief comment may not be out of place,
especially in forecasting the possible and
probable benefits likely to accrue to the
city through the establishment and Oper-
alton in our midst of such plant as is
proposed in above circular. As basic
proposition, as true as an axiom, no
country is prosperous unless its farmers
are prosperous, so city cannot be pros
porous unless its laboring people are
constantly employed at good wages.
and are consequently contented and
prosperous. Another proposition equally
true is that large bank surpluses are not
true indices OF general prosperity. They
show rather the aggregate accumulatiOns
| of a community or Of individuals of it,
and are really amounts withdrawn from
productive industries. Our banks show
in their frequent reports surplus of
half million of dollars. This shows
that our business community is solvent,
and beyond any suspicion Of a doubt it
really Is so, but it does not indicate
the more important desideratum that our
lab0ring men are employed. Quite the
contrary. For if this large surplus was
invested in productive industries. fur
nishing employment to laboring men,
women and children, these permanent
bank deposits would be transferred to
business investments. 1t is known and
the proper records show that the resi-
dent population of WatertOwn is decreas-
ing. This comes, no doubt, from various
.a,lses. and not the least of them is the
fact that many are going elsewhere to
secure the employment they cannot find
here. With reduction of population
comes reduction of consumption, and
also OF trade. The merchant, the busi-
ness man and the artisan, ell suffer.
Does not this or similar propositions offer
feasible remedies for this condition of
things? If we would even maintain
our present financial and business stand
ing among cities OF our state-few so
favOrably located as ours,-it is absolute
| W hot cfr off hn
made to induce by such means as are at
our command the establishment of fac
tories in our city that shall furnish en-
plOyment to those desiring it and which
shall attract others to come and locate
permanently among us.
| 1t is the part Of real wisdom to care
fully inspect any proposition of this kind
before investing in it. This is ordinary
business prudence. 1t is none the less
true that the same prudence should
govern where, as in this instance, a
bonus or gift is asked, where it is expected
that the general public instead Of in
dividuals are to be benefited. It is easy
to argue that some one else could easily
donate their money, but not 80 easy to be
convinced thai one donate his own. We
sincerely hope something may come out
of this proposition that the Advancement
Association has secured, and that the
contributors to the establishment of an
other manufactory here may live to see
the fruits of their public spirit and gener,
osity in the increased prosperity of their
city, and in the increased we'll being and
prosperity of its working people; when
bank surpluses shall be made up of the
savings of laboring people proftabiy EN-.
ployed rather that dead capital awaiting
profitable and safe investment.