The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-01-05
Editorial Correspondence.)

editorial Correspondence
Greenville, y. c.. Dec. 31.-If q per
son well acquainted with G~reenville
should have gone West fifteen years
! ago and could return today he would
not know he was in the same town,
except for a few landmarks. and they
! are so rapidly disappearing that in a
few wears the Greenville of the
eighties would not be recognized at
| all. 1t has gone forward steadily and
its progress is ten fold more marked
than YOU would suppose unless you
We're here for yourself to see the i'm
provements and come in touch with
| the progressive and united spirit that
are essential for the right sort Of de-
velopmcnt. The people have earned
to pull together here. By that | DO
not mean that they think alike or that
there are not sharp riyalries and keen
competition and some times the sort
Of friction necessary to make things
move, but they have learned to agree
to disagree upon many things, but to
pull together for the town.
The era of change from the village
of 1,2O0 in the country town to the
large and hustling and growing town
with a population of 5000 has not
been attended by any booming, Wild
cat speculation. or frenzied ~financier-
ing by individuals or the public.
These people have made haste slowly
and been certain of the solid ground
before they have stepped forward.
Usually Il town hat gets out of the
slow village life is in a hurry for
showing city Improvements and is
tempted to rush headlong into debt.
The fact that Greenville's debt up to
last year was only 500, 600, and that
it owns its water, lights, sewerage and
has its main business streets paved
with vitrified brick speaks volumes for
local government and the conserVa-
tive habits of it's people. There were
plenty of applications from private
companies, to furnish water and
lights, but the. business men argued
that if a private company could make
money furnishing water and lights, the
whole people ought to enjoy these
modern necessities at the lowest pos
sibie cost without any profit to mid
dlemen. That correct principle pre-
walls in every community where its
town officials We're too wise to give
away franchises for d song. Here
the management of these public utili-
ties is admirable. A board composed
Of solid business men has control of
water ADD lights. 1t is owned by the
city, but the city pays the Water and
Light Board for water and lights just
as private consumers pay and the
management knows to a cent the cost
Of operation and the receipts.
The problem of city government is
troubling every city in America and
most of the larger towns in North
Carolina Here ii is solved. The
best men in town accept position on
the town. board and give the same
careful and prudent management to
city affairs they give to their private
affairs. Therefore they have Il low
tax rate and good home government.
AiOF ~ 80 l - Us tCOtAoiis
putting only successful and public
spirited men in charge Of affairs. not
multiplying offices and like methods
that eat up the money of taxpayers.
9, for 4 Greonville spirit of proper
economy in government in all our
towns and cities,
Greenville has been getting large
.- F. /
sary, which closes today. 1t solo out
all the Observation-Disclosures, stock and
barrel by noon today and hadn't a
!cft-if anybody had wanted
quantity. But Greenville will
be troubled by this loss. 1t did
some of US tried unsuccessfully
to get Raleigh to dot did not put
the none in the regular city receipts.
but used it as d separate fund for
street improvements. Therefore
is no dislocation Of city finances,
no necessity to increase the tax rate,
md no danger that it viii starve the
minds OF its children BY shortening The
school term. for Grecnville people
come to lcarn-though it tool {
ime for some of them to grasp it +
1t pays II dollars and cents to |
1Vcst in immortal min 1t may not
o some other things it would Ike {
. do, but Greenville people will not \
ernlt its children to lack educational {
because of the loss Of rev c
nu" derived by selling that which de t
noralized and injured the town and $
ounty.
There IS not now standing but two ;,
.uslness houses on the chief business ).
trect in Greenville that were there !.
ttech years ago. Scores of modern !,
ND elegant houses and hundreds of !
.edt and modern c~ottagce show that !,
n" population has grown rapidly and
nat they nave been well housed. It's |
opacco section has the largest ware /
iouses, prize houses and the like. 2iy- t
evidence of the big tobacco bust S
less that has accelerated Greenvllle's !
growth. The manufacturing plants.
ct few in number, arc prosDerous /
ne completion Of a large venccrjna t
liant gives it the best concern of that I
llnd III Eastern North Caroline !
every line of business there has