The Huttig news., 1907-11-09
SOME WEAK POINTS
COMMERCIAL CLUES SOMETIMES
 MAKE BLUNDERS.
STARTING NEW ENTERPRISES
Bonuses Often Given and Little Benc- fits Gained by the Towns That Give--Protecting Established
 industries.

Within the past few years a com lnercial club organization fever has taken hold of many towns in the west -ern country. It is kind of good fever 60 have, but quite often, like other of the less harmless levers 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. It is essential that good foundation be laid. Natural con- sditions have much to do with it. Cities and towns spring up where there is good cause for their existence. Arti- fcial means may be employed for booming" purposes, but unless there be something substantial and lasting, all the booming that can be done will not result in the accomplishment of permanent good The average rural town receives it's principal support asom the business given it by the con- Giguous territory. The trade of a linn ited section of country will sustain comparative number of business es- establishments. If a town possesses natural advantages, location, etc., for certain lines of manufacturing, so much the better. It would be foolish, as have been demonstrated in a num- 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 a town assume any great proportions, there must be industries Go give the people occupation. The judicious investment of capital in canning factories, in paper mills, in glucose works and few other enter prises, if these enterprises are rightly conducted, might prove a valuable 2aetor in some of the western towns.
 When a commercial club is orga- Aized, generally efforts are made to secure some industry for the town that will give its people employment and which will bring new residents to the town. Quite often bonuses are of fered concerns, which are located in other places to relocate. It has been the general experience of towns which have made efforts along these lines that concern that asks very much encouragement in the way of ready cash, is hardly worth bothering with and is likely to prove failure
 Another thing that the average com meTcia7 club does not take m consfd- seration is that it is better to build up institutions already located than to encourage new ones of doubtful ssuct ss. A manufacturing concern is only valuable to the town as a means of placing a greater amount of money in circulation. The greater the pay roll, the better for the town. But it matters not how big the amount is that is distributed among workers on Saturday night, it results in little good to the town if it is sent to some other town for needed supplies.
 Commercial club members should keep in mind that it is far better to devise means of keeping money s 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 dollars day sent from the place to mail-or- der houses, it would be far better to prevent this by devising means for having it spent in the town, than to encourage the location of factory with a pay roll of like amount It should be the first duty of a com mercial organization to protect it's home industries, and when strangers see that this is successful they will be more likely to seek the place as suit able for the establishment of some business enterprise.
 D. M. CARR.