The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-24
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NOTES
ti'ic Beauty q Factor I'm Attracting
Capital and Building Factories.

Every citizen of Sumter will agree
on one thing and that is that Sumter
needs more factories. But are these
citizens willing to make the effort
TO secure these same factories. There
is great deal more involved in bring
factories to Sumter or to any
town than most citizens seem to think.
Capital. raw material. a good market
ana transportation facilities are not
the only inducements as many towns
have learned to their cost. One Of
the main factors that prevents fac
tories from locating is the question OF
skilled labor. The manager of any
factory in Sumter will tell you that
this is his greatest difficulty. I'm
port them" you say. But can you
keep them in Sumter if you do i'm
port them? If they will not stay in
Sumter where is the trouble? The
answer is simple. The living condi-
tions are such that these laborers are
not attracted and if imported will
rarely remain for any length Of time.
1t Is here that every citizen can
help. Each citizen can make his in
dividual home so attractive that not
only will these men wish TO live in
Sumter but the general effect will
be such that capital and investments
will be attracted to Sumter. Some Of
Sumter's citizens seem to think that
they can live amidst filth, yard
full Of weeds. back yard so unsani-
tary and Sc dirty that it is the breed
ing place for all kinds of fevers and
disease. an unpainted home and
broken down fences; and yet believe
that they are good citizens. 1t is this
class of citizens that are a detri
ment to every community and the
sooner they VII move away the bet
ter 1t will be. Before Sumter can
build and grow as she should, be-
fore she can hope to attract capital
and keep the better class of skilled
labor that she nee.s and to build the
better class of factories, she must be-
gin at home. Make Sumter attrac-
tive by improving the living condi-
tions. and making her homes clean
and neat. When a man tells you that
we need moe factories, ask him if he
Is helping to establish factories by
doing his part in making Sumter a
better place in which to live and by
starting at home. Richard r. Wat
son, secretary of the American Civic
Federation and the greatest Ameri
can expert on this question. hits the
nail on the head when he says in this
connection:
TOO often the making Of parks.
the planting Of trees. the beautifying
OF railroad and factory properties.
the preservation and enhancing of
natural sceni, beauty is regarded as
purely asthetic. as good subjects for
women's clubs and for men of the
"N''s suit InOSe nOiUlnS Sucn
views are woefully in error. In their
zeal for commercial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
they are inviting the investment of
capital and labor with them, but
too often without first having made
suitable provision to receive them.
When an Individual invites a guest
to his house ne sees to it, or his
good wife does il for him. that his
home is imma culately clean and that
IeVery provision is made for the
guests comfort, convenience and
pleasure; but in the face of what he
would do as in individual the official
OF business organization invites, not
as guests for II few days, but as per-
manent reside ats. thousands of men.
women and children To city too
often lacking in practically all the
essentials that contribute to good
living.
Consider the investor of capital
All kinds of alluring offers are sub
mltted To him. lie is promised low
tax rates and some instances as
suranccs are gwen that taxes will be
RENTED on his manufacturing plant
Tor Il tiine. 'ut when a capitalist
goes To Il city he is thinking about
some other things than ample switch
| ing facilities, plenty of territory for
IueNeiOpment, cheap water rates and
fuel supplies. If he alights at y
Idlhgy railway station, with dingier
surroundings, he makes a mental
note of it. If he becomes mud-be-
Ispattcrcd or dust-littcred he is likely
| to make more than Il mental account