Evening journal., 1911-08-31
THURSDAY. AUG. 81, 1911
MHAT ARE Won DOING7

VATHAT percentage of our business men and
Wv manufacturers and those who should be
considered men OF affairs is really concerned in
the practical and material welfare Of Wilmington
sufficiently concerned to lend substantial aid TO
movements for the progress of Wilmington? The
percentage, we fear is rather small
We do not say that there is crisis in the affairs
OF the city, industriay speaking, but we do say
that the material growth of the city during the last
decade was not so great il should have been.
We we're forced to yield in population 10 Reading
and 10 Trenton, nearby cities that we previously
led in the race. Neither do we mean to declare
that the actual growth of the population of a city
is the only or the supreme thing desirabe-far
from it. But the growth of the population of a
city in these days is quite desirable for it is an
indication of the basic prosperity of the city of
good business and hummng industry
People go to place that has these things. They
shun town or city that stands still or creeps
along The Journal doesn't want Wilmington to
creep during the next ten years There is no rea-
son why it should do so unless we become entirely
Indifferent There is every kind Of reason why
we should move in c9nter, and we shall do so IL
the men sP0ken-of above make up their minds to
p, y little driving.
Let them support the organizations of Whining
ton that are working for the betterment of the
city. Let them make the Board Of Trade about
ten times as efficient il is. II is not 10 be ex-
pectcd that all the men who should be there will be
at the meetings of the Board, for if So we should
soon have fine Board of Trade building a sort
of civic building a civic center for Wilmington
The erecting of such building would be child's
play if all the men upon whom the community has
claims would come forward and do as they should
do The Journal hopes that the percentage Of
those who will wake up during the coming autumn
and winter will be large, but if the number Of
those who attend the meetings OF the Board of
Trade is not materially increased the least that
ought to be expected is that the financial contrbu
tions will be much better.
Some men never sec the necessity for such or
ganization until they struck in the head. Re-
Gently we mentioned that there should be a busi-
ness survey and that this was desirable, among
other reasons because Of the Delaware City trolley
trouble and the fuss about the manufacturers tax,
new law which is dispeasing to our manufac-
turers. 1t may be said that the Board Of Trade
and the newspapers should have shed the light Of
discussion on the bill when il was before the Leg
isature. The newspapers did not seem to realize
the Importance of the measure, and we have no
excuse for them, but for the Board Of Trade TO
watch such matters this il is necessary for the
Board 10 have ample funds, and that it hasn't and
will not have unless it is supported far better than
Il has been in the past The Board was however.
watchful in other matters the woman law" for
instance. when most OF the manufacturers seemed
10 be sleeping
Our object is not 10 condemn others more than
ourselves, for We merely making a plea thai
each man interested in the welfare Of the city
should look himself straight in the mirror and ther
ask himself the question Of whether he is doing
his part to help Wilmington along