The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-14
WHAT ARE WE uTlLlzlNe7

q II.
the current magazines, says of bust
ness expansion: when the capacity
seems to have been reached, first look
over what you have, and see if you
are utilizing every bit Of space. ener-
gy, or machinery that you possess.
You can probably get more out OF
what you have"
That Is a simple statement which
has an astounding amount of logic
packed in it's few sentences. Utilizing
what we possess. How many of US
do that? Individuals. corporations,
municipalities, need to expand. The
nah or the business that does not go
forward is bound to go backward. Elk
pansfpn is the very life of trade. The
arteries of commerce will clog unless
they are used. But it is not always
| necessary to go out after some new
prescription to put life into the ma
chin@ry of living. Frequently if we
WOULD use the old formulas. we should
get the better result.
I Mr. Basset confines his talk strictly
| to business. but his logic may just as
| well be applied to the community
| life, or the expansion of a nation
| Fundamental truths are the same
| however and wherever they may be
applied.
| Most of us are always seeking some
new thing. Looking for some miracle
of rejuvenance, to place US on the
highway of prosperity.
Here in Pensacola, for instance, for
a number of years. we talked about
our schools. We were always telling
enc another that those schools We're a
disgrace. That, comparing our school
buildings and our teaching faculties
to those of other communities. we were
in a bad way, and that something
ought to be done about it. But moth
ing was done about 1t, until suddenly
we awakened to the fact that if we
were going to continue to wait until
some state or federal miracle was per-
formed in our benefit, we should wait
until the crack of doom. And when
that realization came to us, we went
out and voted, a sub-tax district and
school bonds, and started real school
progress. We did not go seeking for
something chimerical outside our own
capacities, but we utilized what we
had, we went down in our pockets and
paid the price.
For years the people of Escambia
county have admired the good roads
of other parts of Florida. Meetings
have been held and we have told each
other that something ought to be done
about II. A vague something that
would place the burden somewhere
else than on our own shoulders. And
we continued to mark time. Then as
other counties progressed, we were
slowly beaten backward, losing op-
portunities that other counties enjoyed.
because instead of utilizing what we
possessed, we were waiting for some
public miracle to be performed for our
special benefit.
Then on September 20. Escan1bia
county walked up, put its hand in its
pocket and paid the price that other
self-respecting counties have had TO
pay. And in so paying, placed credit to
its name. and assured such expan-
sion as this county has never Shown
before.
These things were not accomplished
by going out and getting some new
and untried recipe for success. Mira
cles are never performed that way.
There are certain established rules of
business, and those rules work, whern-
e. we are in business for ourselves.
or in business for our state or our
country or our town.
Unless we utilize what we have,
what is the use Of going out after
something that we have not?
No legitimate business is built up
on anything but a solid foundation of
buying and selling, getting and giving.
When any town seems to have
reached its full capacity. and. becom-
ing ambitious, wants to spread out,
and 10 conquer new fields, the first
thing to do is to take stock of what
il has. To find out if 1t is making the
oesr of present assets. To cash In
Y hat is already acquired.
No municipality can ever amount TO
! any thing without growth. People stag