The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-10-09

Editor Daily Item:
Upon reading I'm the Item tonight
about the license ordinance the fol-
lowing thought came to me. how out
of line the action OF council seems to
be win the desires OF the people as
expressed by the Chamber or Com
merce In ~ meetings and efforts to do
something to build the prosperity Of
the city upon a more substantial basis
than exists at present. 30 that the
town would continue to grow and
grow dhtii Sumter wpuld become
what all her loyal citizens would like
20 .see---the leading city In the State.
sumter has always and Is now. with
the exception Of the few manufactur-
Ing Industries. entirely dependent for
other markets win grow in ability and
sine. and unless the population Of the
farming section increases far more
rapidly In the future than II has in
the past. the proportion Of the peo-
. Ne g TIE city to that of the country
WfI % idfSer than Il Is now. and that
means that there VIII be more people
TO live upon the profits In supplying
the farmers wants.
Sumter has made a good showing
In the Increase Of population. and
this liner ease has been properly cred
ifed to her nne public schools. but
this increase has been made Ca large
part OF M at the expense of the
country. I'm that IL takes from the
farms the intelligence and muscle
that is needed upon them: which
means that even II they still own
their farms their enterprise and
thrift are lost as producers and they
become consumers-.-not consumers
for the merchant to supply, but those
with whom he will have to divide the
business OF the farmer. as they either
the merchant.
Its life upon the profits Yielded from
supplying the wants OF the farmers
OF the surrounding country. as the
main benest from the marketing Of
the farmerg products here. Is der!v-
ed from his purchasing the goods to
supply his wants here. Now. the ter
ritory which Sumter Is supplying has
not been Increased In any way. but.
In fact. has been diminished by the
opening up OF new markets 20 divide
the trade with her. The cutting off
OF part OF the county has taken a
considerable trade away from her and
the growing towns and villages along
the railroads are taking still more
and that this loss has not been felt
very heavily. I think. Is due to the
!. increased prosperity OF the farmers.
whose wants and desires for better
things have kept pace with their sue
cess. and also 10 the enterprise and
watchfulnes OF our merchants In
making their stores not only the
equal but the superior OF those In
neighboring towns I'm variety. quality
and price. so that they have been
able to get some OF the trade from
adjoining counties. Hut these mer-
chants and the Chamber Of Com
merce have the foresight to see that
this will not always be so. as the
The wealth OF our county Is not
what II consumes. but In what 1t
produces. Consumption Is a loss and
production u profit. so that every one
that ceases To be a producer and be-
comes a consumer. instead OF being a
profit II loss to- the country. The
business men both I'm and out OF the
Chamber OF Commerce, recognizing
these facts and no. wishing To- be sat-
isf,ed With the present and let the fu-
ture take care OF itself. have turned
their attention to the next best thing
and have discussed how 20 obtain H..
Every one recognizes that this Is
manufacturing and also the benefits
90 be derived from II by every indi-
yiduai In the county, the farmers In
the the country as we'll as the man In
the city. Tho only difference Of opip-
,on has been how to get 1t. Some