Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-06-23
ASHLAND'S OPPORTUNITY AND
NEIGHBORHOOD HARMONY.
(Second of Series.)

Ashland, on his homeward journey
after the Portland carnival. This
was his first visit to Ashland and he
said that thousands of people from
interior valleys of California would
come to Ashland for the summer if
they knew what we had here. Oak
land spends $4,000 per year in ad-
vertising. Fifty thousand is raised
by the Commercial Club and tax
levy for advertising purposes raises
sixty thousand per year more. If
the city of Ashland should appropri
ate, say, twenty-five hundred dollars
for advertising during the present
year, and it was wisely spent through
a systematic advertising campaign in
southern California, the population
of Ashland could be greatly increased.
1t is eminently proper that the tax
payers should bear such expense be-
cause increase in population adds to
the value of every piece of property
in the city and each piece of property
should bear it's just proportion of
the burden. If Mayor Johnson should
appoint an advertising committee of
from one to three men who are famil-
lar with result-getting advertising
systems, and the council should make
a twenty-five hundred dollar appro-
priation for the purpose, it would be
one of the wisest investments Ash
land could make at this time. Such
an appropriation should be made and
used, not to boom land values, but
to exploit the attractive scenic beauty
healthfulness, educational and home
life, in truth the special attractive
ness of Ashland as home and
health resort. The appeal should be
made especially to those who have
their living already made. There are
enough people ready to retire, who
visit southern California with a view
of locating there, and who do not fit
there, but would fit exactly here, to
make Ashland city of fifty thou
sand in ten years, just the kind OF
people upon whom Ashland must
build in future if she builds at all
No more money should be spend ad-
vertising Ashland as a commercial
town. No more money should be
spent booming land values, but
money can be we'll employed in put
ting up the natural attractiveness oi
the place, and if it is faithfully and
honestly done it will certainly and
profitably attract people here.
One of the most noticeable fea.
lures about Ashland is this: About
fifty per cent of her inhabitants are
practically retired people Those
who have money enough to afford to
live here are perfectly contented.
Only those who have their living to
make become dissatisfied and go
away, and that only because they are
unable to find profitable employment
here to make livelihood. There
fore, it is mistake to send out ad-
vertising appealing to people who are
not able to live comfortably here.
The city cannot afford to spend one
cent in an appeal to those who have
to make their living, nor is such nee
essary. There are thousands of peo-
pie in California who already have
their living made, who have outside
investments the income from which
affords them a comfortable support.
They have been modified there from
the four corners of the earth. They
are the kind who have been identi-
fled with the social life of the COM
munities from whence they came
They are looking for a serene and
quiet life, surrounded with friends,
scenic beauty and healthful condi-
tions. Just such place as Ashland
affords. Experience in southern Cal
ifornia soon convinces them that life
is too artificial there to please them.
They are dissatisfied. Many of them
every day are returning to the places
from whence they came, for this
reason alone. In fact, thousands of
them every year return to the east
because they do not agree with the
artificial life there. Did you ever
think how perfectly the conditions in
Ashland would fit them? There is
no question but that if Ashland's at.
tractive features were properly pre-.
sented large number of such could
be induced to settle here. The writer
believes the wise expenditure o.
twenty-five hundred dollars employed
in properly advertising Ashland il
southern California would result il
such direct benefits in increased pop
ulation here that everybody woulC
be willing to pay a tax to sustain
such an advertising fund from yea
to year.