Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-03-24
NEW LIFE IN OLD SAVANNAH.

New life has been infused into old
Savannah. A spirit of local pride has
been awakened that is bearing rich
fruitage. Old lines are being broken
down and the business interests are
being drawn together in movements
calculated to build up the city and
promote its future welfare.
Savannah has always had a certain
pride. pride in its history, pride in it's
reputation for hospitality, pride in its
climate and pride in its beauty. But
back of the pride there was for many
years an apparent absence of union
among it's business and professional
interests, lack Of appreciation Of
the fact that the progress of a city de-
ponds upon concerted action among its
/ own people, that its main growth must
come from within and not from with
out. Opportunities were allowed to
pass unnoticed or neglected, there was
even a failure of united protest and
effort when large interests were pre-
pairing to remove from the city Rail
road shops and railroad offices left Sa-
vannah as much through failure of
its business interests to fight for them
as because of any advantages and in
ducements offered by other places for
them. Savannah really slept on it's
rights, failed to develop its own posi-
bilities as they should have been de-
VelOped, and as a result it failed to
make the showing in the census re-
ports that it should have done.
But a new spirit has been infused in
the past year or two, and one of the
results is seen in the recent popular
subscription to a hotel bond issue Of
$35O,0OO, every bond &C hich has
been placed in Savannah Many cit
liens subscribed for a single bond of
the par value of $1,000 The result Of
the canvass reminds one of the fight
made some years ago to make govern
ment bond issues a matter of popular
subscription and the overwhelming
success that resulted. Savannah put
the case before its own people and the
response was an unmistakable evil
dence that a proper sentiment of
public spirit has been awakened. The
hotel, sadly needed in a city whose
hotel Accommodations are no better than
they We're twenty years ago, will be
built with Savannah money,
The most gratifying feature of this
bond issue is the fact that so many be-
came participants in it. That is an ev-
idence that the old indifference has
passed away, that confidence fills the
atmosphere down there, and that bus
mess men of small and moderate
means as well as those with large cap
ital are drawing together to build up
Savannah and maintain it's prestige.
This is the spirit that should be de-
veloped in every city. 1t is the only
spirit that counts for anything, The
town that depends upon few rich
men carrying it along, that looks to
few interests to build it up contin-
uously, that expects a very small min
GRITTY to carry all the burdens while
the other fatten on the results-such
a town is not destined to enjoy any
great development. But when a senti-
ment of confidence in local invest
ments is established, when men i'll
various walks of life draw together
actuated by a comon love for their
city, the progressive movement that is
started becomes Irresistible. Savan-
nah is accordingly to be congratulate
ed, not only for what it has done for
itself but for the lesson it has given to
every other Georgia city, large or
small. Its new spirit is the very spirit
we need here in Americus Once We
have it we will have a greater city and
a more brilliant future.