The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-27
HOW TO HELP BALTIMORE.

news came tnat the uosI 'inPoi 'oh'
business section of Baltimore had been
consumed by fire, there was readiness
Ieyerywhere to come to the relief of the
fire-stricken people. They felt at once
the wave of sympathy that touched
hearts in every portion of the Republic.
They are a self-reliant people and a
Isensible people, and have seen to it that
there has been no suffering in any quar-
ter. The problem of help and work for
all was early taken hold of and settled
There is now no appeal to the generosity
of other cities and states.
With a promptness that challenges ma
tlonal admiration, the business men
of Baltimore rallied from the fire, Sc
cured new stores and warehouses, and
were soon ready to resume business. Not
| for a day did any of them sit down in
the ashes to mourn over their losses.
AS soon as the embers were cool, they
began to make preparations for rebuild
| ing upon a larger scale, and they are
business section than was burned on
that fatal Sabbath. But they are not
waiting to erect new and commodious
structures before preparing to serve all
tlSir customers and enlarge their bust
ness in their temporary quarters Every
business house burned out has already
put itself in position to fill orders and
| is depending upon former customers to
clip them maintain themselves.
How to help Baltimore" has been the
the me of not few editorials. The
answer is easy! Stick to Baltimore in
this hour of it's trouble This is advice
that we wish ito enforce upon North
Carolina business men. For generations
merchants of North Carolina have been
accustomed to buy the bulk OF their
goods from Baltimore houses. There has
Gene down from father to son kindly
re relationship between the business men
| of this State and Of Baltimore. These
relationships went beyond the mere for
ma tiles of business. The mutual trading
relations were helped by social, political
friendly relations so that Baltimore has
seemed more like home city than like
city in another state. the North
Carolina people have sung Maryland,
My Maryland" with the same spirit and
| understanding as have the natives of the
state of Maryland, they have rejoiced
If their industrial growth, and taken
the keenest interest in their political
conflicts Therefore they sympathized
deeply in the losses occasioned by the
notable fire.
1t is to be regretted that any business
house in any city in America should seek
to profit at the expense of Baltimore
in this day of its calamity, but there
are few concerns in o;Aer cities that
have made themselves busy in the effort
to divert trade from Baltimore business
houses. A few have gone to the extent
OF telling merchants that their old Balti-
more jobbers could attend to no business
and thus try to steal away their natural
trade by Misrepresentation 1t is difficult to
believe that any man with the lowest con-
ception of business principles, could be
all good men had their sympathies
aroused in behalf of the men who had
seen the savings of life time go up in
smoke, through no fault or negligence 1t
is a time that should call for business al
truism, for the help of men in like bust
ness in other cities, for refusal to try
tors. In most instances the spirit of
heipfulness has been uppermost, but one
of the first business men in Baltimore,
whose house does large business in
North Carolina, in private letter says
he has evidence that competitor from
another city has informed portion of his
trade that they must go elsewhere,
whereas, the burned out firm is prepared
to fill orders. Such conduct should
not be honored by being called bust
mss. The correct name for it is rather
'gEoulism," unworthy of honorable bust
MISS men. Such instances are rare but
they are numerous enough to make it
proper to expose them The firm allu-
ded to was ready within three days
after the fire to fill orders and the at
tempt to divert its business by a false
statement naturally aroused the resent i,
rent of the honorable men at the head
lof the firm.
Baltimore owes much to North Caro-
liza and North Carolina owes much to
Baltimore. Just now the duty which
North Carolina owes to that city is to
continue its business relations with
Baltimore's business men, to increase
their orders to Baltimore houses, and to
show in such pratical way that it has
practical sympathy with those who have
suffered by the fire. They can do as
we'll in Baltimore as anywhere, and in
some lines can do better. They can do
| a we'll now hafopa tho fro Tho Pol