The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-01
TO GET ON IN THE WORLD.

IheSe remarks are not local remarks
because this paper is published in
Raleigh, but if in them can be found
anything of advantage to Raleigh,
why so much the better. 1t is to be
great many places, and to each OF
these they are addressed.
They have to do with the develop
ment of town and the proper spirit
of the townspeople in regard to it.
Home folks sometimes feel that it is
their privilege to belittle their own
city, to cry down what it may have
DONE or what it is doing, or what it
is trying to do. They get so used
to this that they carry their chat from
damage they can, express surprise
that their own city-which they have
belittled abroad-is not getting on in
the world.
But some people get out of the
croaker class and go at things in a
different way. OF such a class are
the people of Tacoma, in the State
of Washington, which incidentally is
one of the most prosperous towns on
the Pacific coast. The New York Her.
aid says that all the business men of
Tacoma "have united in an effort to
boom it throughout the country with
a patriotism and energy that in time
should make it the metropolis of the
Pacific coast, and which might we'll
be emulated by the smaller cities of
the East Every citizen who travels
makes himself a press agent for the
whole town, not merely by talking
boastfully about it, as every loyal ma
tive of any place does, but by means
of an elaborate and we'll organized
system including the distribution of
printed matter containing eulogistic
data, and the taking of circuitous
routes to make the fame of the city
more widespread"
Now, to the man who is surfelted
with the pessimistic citizen an item
like the above comes as an ice cold
shower bath on a hot August day. 1t
is refreshing, and besides this, it is
true statement. No wonder that Ia
coma is a success. If it wasn't then
there would be room to wonder what
is the matter.
Just let the folks of Raleigh, or the
folks of any town in North Carolina,
snuggle up to the Tacoma Idea, and
it's odds to nothing that the town for
which they become press agents will
get move on. Just talk your town.
and write your town. and hurrah for
| your town. Don't hunt up sorry
things to say about it. Find some
thing that it's people are doing, and
then hump yourself to tell about it.
| The other way Of doing things is play
! ed out. Molasses gets more flies than
vinegar any day.
| Don't cry down your own town.
| Get out of the habit of underestimate
| ing what it does and find out where it
is going ahead. Sometimes it is do
| ing things you know nothing about.
Just inform yourself thoroughly about
| it, and then get out in the world and
tickle it with the good things you
know are being done. If you want
to help the place that is the gait we
would advise you to take, and if it
does not make your town a winner
We'll take it all back.
In fine, the argument we present is
that every man should be for his town
against all corners. If you sheer at
your own others will do likewise. If
you tell of it's beauty, it's dash, it's
success. its bright prospects, why the
world will rejoice with you and come
in to help make things even brighter
and better