Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-05-25
NEEDS OF MUNICIPAL PUBLICITY

dria $ opportunities as manu'ac'"'-
ing and iobbing center when was
started many years ago has not Kept
apace with the work Of other localities
which have reaped great benefits from
.c,;,,a and nersistent work In publish
inc to the world the opportunities,
which they bare Our principal trade
organization, the Chamber OF Com
MERGE has not had the funds nor the
support OF the people Mt large to en-
courage them to attempt any work on
. large scale, get they have teen doing
excellent work, have accomplished
most satisfactory results and have paved
the wav for more extended efforts.
Other cities are starting pronotlon
work on a large scale. Baltimore IS
awake to the necessities OF greater md-
nicipal publicity, and has raised a fund
of $50 900 through popular subsUrp-
ton. for the purpose OF municipal ad-
yertisin-, The suggestions recently
nromui- aied by the Greater Baltimore
Commt.es which has charge Of tins
campai.u Hll give our people iood FOR
thought. Charles ii. Dickey, char
man al this committee in discussing the
subject 10 the June issue OF the oid
BAY Line Magazine says
There is a reason for the fierce com
net,1iou between cities fox the acquiSl-
ZION OF new industries snd expansion OF
trade territory. There Is growing
consciousness that i means struggle
for survival: that those communities
only will survive and remain prosper
Gus which furnish employment to en-
able their iphabitantS To live comfort
ably.
The south and west are developing
,hair heretofore neglected lands, and a
steady tide OF immigration pours into
both city ard country.
Notwithstanding the rapid increase
II population the growth OF induSt'Al
development has more than kept pace.
There is limit 70 the purchasing
power Of the people, and this limit
functiopf in limiting the number OF IN
dus,rial establishments. The compe-
,i,,on between cities, therefore, IS 10
secure for themselves rs many OF the
productive establishments as they pos
siblv can. and cultivate the trade terri
,orv for business TO keep them going.
and TO constitute themselves the mar
ket ceuters for their products. To fail
in the Accomplishment OF this means Z
ci,v's retrogreSsion; and retrogTcsSIon
means DOT only lack Of prosperity, but
also of civic development.
So keenly are these facts reallz q
that today even the small towns haT"
organized their commercial clubs,
chambers OF commerce, boards OF trade
and similar organizations intended to
secure and promote industries. FIFTY
ar more cities have enlisted the assist
auce OF community builders, promotion
secretaries who have made profound
study Of ecouomic conditions and mu-
nicipal needs. And they are dyna-
mic lot. The community promotion
expert must be dozen kinds Of genius
-oiIed into one. He must have an IN
inmate knowledge of men and affairs.
aud OF Industrial and commercial con
ditious over country as vast as score
of European kingdoms. and most OF ali
he must know his Own city and lis
trade territory, existent and potential
Ii addition. he must be doctor OF
publicity. He must not only know
news when he sees il, but must he able
to create news that papets everywhere
will print; and he must know how 70
handle the news :" that The papers VIII
want L. PRINT it. In addition to all
this and more, he must be an organ
izer, and. IN short, he must know the
game" and love 1t for the game 5 sake.
Keen a. the competition between
cities is The era II rivalry for industrial
expansion is vet IN IL infancy. The
people are more and more coming to
understand that 4 city can not Stand
still, it must either 60 forward or back
ward. Inc siren SDtS vi SShi-SuihtiNhNs
nc longer lures, or II it does. It Listens
10 the song OF q Lorelc.
The fight OF the western cities Is, not
to Increase their population. but to
build up the country constituting their
trade territory with people who will de-
yelop the land AMI be producerg OF
what tie people in the city consume.
while the latter become consumers OF
the products Of the citv's industries.
Applying the principles alluded 10
locally. many Of the people Of Balti.
more are waking 70 the facts. They
are studying the conditions. ard have
started a movement 10 discount the
future. Baltimore has many factories,
and is great trade center; but Il needs
more industries to keep employed ITS
growing population. II must take care
OF i, market, and extend 1t. 10 ac-
c i, ..ob this requires Wise legislation,
>,..c co-opcratioh OF Its ciiizeps III an