Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-29
Has Richmond Learned Its Lesson?

Has Richmond Learned It's Lesson?
D edmond can attain its 25O,0 900 popu-
IN laton mark within the next ten years
il it wills it 1t cun do better than that
1t can pass that mark and be well on its
way to the 800 900 class if its determination
be backed by treless and properly directed
energy. Its future, barring unforeseen and
improbable circumstances, lies III its own
grasp. But to reach the goal it has set for
itself it will be necessary for Richmond to
undergo brief period Of introspection, take
note OF where it has failed, resolve that
thoroughly awakened civic conscience shall
prevent the repetition OF past mist axes, and
then set its hand sternly to the task ahead
OF ii.
Richmond must depend in large measure
on its transportation facilities and resultant
low freight rates for its anticipated growth.
Without their full development there can be
no hope Of locating new manufacturing
plants and OF building up the rich outlying
territory to which it must look for sub
sistence. What are the facts? Richmond
permitted the Tidewater and Western Rail-
road, which tapped prosperous agricul-
tural country to be scrapped and sold for
junk. 1t permitted the Richmond and Rap
pahannock Railroad, penetrating to the
Pamunkey River, to be scrapped and Il rich
territory to be lost to Baltimore. 1t per-
mitted the Chesapeake Bay Line to lie idle
for a year until private enterprise rescued
it from the junk dealer and restored the
service. 1t depended on the same private
enterprise to save for it the Seven Pines line,
which the government prepared TO
abandon. Aside from the direct loss and the
check to its growth administered in certain
of these instances, each one gave Richmond
undesirable advertising and perhaps pre-
vented the location Of enterprises which
otherwise might have come here. That
damage now must be repaired.
Richmond did act promptly and aggres-
sively in restoring water service TO New
York But again consider the facts With
the boats running and preferential freight
rates saved, the business interests are so
reluctant in subscribing to the necessary
capital stock that the danger in reality has
not passed. Subscriptions are regrettably
slow and in many disappointingly
small. Let it be said frankly that in this
case Richmond is not showing the spirit that
will make it 100000 city in ten years.
And what is Richmond doing toward utiliza-
tion of the great milliondollar boiler plant
which the government erected for war pur-
poses and then abandoned? What, too is
it doing to turn to profitable account the
Seven Pines plant and industrial village so
admirably suited for thriving industries?
These are concrete instances Of where the
-einvigoration Of its municipal spirit
Perhaps it may be deemed ungracous to
recall the past and cite the present just at
this time OF rejoicing over tho census figures,
but it is done out Of love for Richmond and
for Richmonds material good. The naked
truth is that we city have been a trne
apathctic. We have depended on others to
do for us what we should have done for our
selves. We have played for outside capital
when our own capital was readily available.
We have waited for others to come in and
start things moving, instead OF putting our
own shoulders to the wheel. We have been
conservative to a degree that demanded a
showdown of S1.06 for each and every
dollar we were asked to invest in Richmond's
future. And, perhaps, We have been a bit
too satisfied with ourselves and a little too
pridefml over the past at the cost OF the
years to come. These arc some OF the things
that must be remedied if the next ten years
are to witness that development which Rich
mond has the right 10 expect. 1t is time
now for Richmond to wake up TO its posi-
hilitics and to boost itself to that position
among American cities to which its ad-
Nantages and resources entitlc it. Outsiders
are not going to do our boosting for u.s.