St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-11-23
SOME WEAK POINTS
COMMERCIAL CLUBS SOMETIMES
MAKE RLUNDERS.
STARTING new ENTERPRISES
Bonuses Often Given and Little sens-
fits Gained by the ToV'ns That
Give-PEotecting Established
Industries.

Within the past few years a COM
mercial club organization fever has
taken hold Of many towns in the west
Grn country 1t is q kind of good fever
to have, but quite often, like other OF
the less harmless fevers that afflict
physically, passes away and doesn't
make much difference with the our
general health.
Town-building is much like erecting
a good bridge. 1t is essential that
good foundation be laid. Natural con-
Citions have much to do with it. Cities
and towns spring up where there is
good cause for their existence. Art1-
fetal means may be employed for
booming" purposes. but unless there
be something substantial and lasting,
al! the booming tha- can be done will
not result in the accomplishment Of
permanent good. The average rural
town receives its principal support
from the business given it by the con-
tiguous territory. The trade of linn
tied section of country will sustain a
comparative number Of business eS-
Establishments. If town possesses
natural advantages, location, etc, for
certain lines of manufacturing, so
much the better. 1t would be foolish,
as have been demonstrated in MUM
Der of western towns, to commence
the manufacture of cottOns, or silks,
or furniture. when the raw material
must be transported from great dis
lance, and also the fuel for power.
Still, if q town assume any great
proportions, there must be industries
to give the people occupation. The
judicious investment of capital IN
canning factories, in paper mills, in
glucose works and a few other enter
prises, if these enterprises are rightly
conducted, might prove a valuable
factor in some of the western towns.
When q commercial club is Orga
nized, generally efforts are made tC
secure some industry for the town
that will give it's people employment
and which will bring new residents tc
| the town. Quite often bonuses are Of
| fered concerns, which are located in
other places to relocate. It has beer
the general experience of towns which
| that a concern that asks very much
encouragement in the way of ready
cash, is hardly worth botherins witt
| and is likely to prove failure.
Another thing that the average com
mercial club does not take in cO2sid
GRAFTON is that it. is better to bulk
up institutions already located thar
to encourage new ones of doubtful
success. A manufacturing concern i:
only valuable to the town as mean:
In circulation. The greater the pa.
roll, the better for the town. But /
matters not how big the amount il
| that is distributed among workers Oh
Saturday night, it results in littl'
| good to the town If 1t is sent to SOM
other town for needed supplies.
Commercial club members shoult
keep in mind that 1t is far better t.
devise means of keeping none,
earned by farmers and 'laborers from
being sent to large cities for goods
than it is to have new concerns start
ed. If there be a few hundred dollar
day sent from the place to mail-ol
der houses, it would be far better t
prevent this by devising means TO
having it spent in the town, than t
encourage the location of a factor
with a pay roll Of like amount.
should be the first duty Of con
mercial organization to protect it
home industries, and when stranger
see that this is successful they will
more likely to seek the place as sui
able for the establishment of som
business enterprise.
D. NJ. CARR.