Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-09-09
DON'T LET AMERICUs BE BLANK.
ETED.


The Times Recorder is not a pessi-
mistie paper. There is no room in a
live community for a newspaper that
is grouchy, that sees nothing but black
clouds on the horizon, and that keeps
q cyclone pit ready for its use at the
approach Of every zephyr.
But one need not be a pessimist to
see certain well defined conditions con-
fronting city. And one who seeks
to be faithful to the best interests of
a community cannot avoid directing at
tention to such conditions. That is
part Of the duty a newspaper owes 10
tie public it serves.
A recent visitor to Americas, who re-
manned long enough to become CONVEX
SAINT with conditions and to imbibe the
local atmosphere. declared that the
chief drawback here was the fact that
too many citizens were satisfied. .
They were tolerably well fixed, had
no especial ambition to push things,
enjoyed life in their way, and really
didn't seem to care whether Americl is
grew much larger or expanded its
trade greatly or not.
/ Now such statement as that is net
iattering commentary on the spirit
Iof a city. Contentment is a virtue 10
be cultivated, it is true, but content.
ment Is one virtue that can he over
done. and We very much fear that ta3
Indictment of this visitor was too near
true to be pleasant. Americas may be
as he pointed out. suffering from an
overdose of contentment.
/ Enjoying a fair share of prosperity
for many years, with the country round
about developing as few sections OF
Georgia have done, our people have
/ been inclined to regard the future %
the city as assured. But the future OF
no city is assured unless its people
are alive to their opportunities and
are ambitious TO not only hold what
they have, but to secure more trade
and a greater measure of progress and
prosperity.
In measure Americas is-hemmel
Fin by towns tt'at are growing more
and more enterprising. Cordele il
only thirty miles to the east and it is
pulsing with life Albany is abo It
the same distance to the south and ii
is displaying wonderful activity. The
little towns to the north. between herr
and Macon, are taking on new vigor.
So it IS to the west. This all means
greater competition for the trade OF
the territory that lies between Ameri.
Gus and them Albany is about -
open its magnificent cotton mill. prob
ably the precursor of other textile
plants there. Work is under wav on
a $4,000 hospital building there. VITA
ninety beds The glad hand is being
given 10 every visitor and the city 3
reaching out, eagerly reaching out. fo~
new blood. Albany will probably
slow a growth of approaching oae
anndrad per faas in he pass TN
years. 1t NAV 60 the same thine the
next ten years, and by 1920 be a CITY
iof over $4,000 people. 1t is not only
possible, it IS highly probable. Its
competition in the territory between
Albany and Americas will become
keener and keener as each year passes.
Don't let us deceive ourselves that
We can sit still with idle hau5s or
that We can expend the bulk OF ou-
energies in scrapping among our
selves over various things, while other
towns are working unitedly ana T.
terminedly, and that we can hold orr
own against their assaults on cur
trade. Our business men have tense
enough to know that we can't do Il.
that we must be up and doing. that We
must get together, pull together. push
Americas in every possible way, bring
i'm new blood. get in new capital
awaken those who have capital mere.
create a spirit of enthusiasm for Am.r-
lcus. II we don't, We will only have
ourselves to blame if other nearby
cities pass rs and reach out and So
cure some of our present trade.
Don't deceive yourself into believing
that city can stand still. that it can
stay just where it is, hold its trade
and not go ahead. 1t simply cant DO
1t these days. The town that doesn't
progress. gees backward. because The
very absence of united progressive
spirit is an open invitation to its
neighbors to take from it that which
it has.
No small city in Georgia has a
brighter future titan Americas, if we
work together to utilize its opporfun-
tiles to the limit. Shall we neglect