Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-04-23
The Census Shows We Have Grown Greatly In Population
A City That Grows Only in Popu-
lation and Business Is Not Grow
ing at ALT Is Only Swelling
Up.

The census this year shows a
great growth in population, espe-
cially in the towns and cities.
We know from the bank statistics
and from many other sources that
the United States has grown ire
mendously in wealth. The people
have more saving deposits, more
bonds and stocks, more life insurance
and more of everything that shows
great material prosperity. Prices
are all high, but most people seem
to be able to pay them and have a
surplus.
Now, also we are given figures to
show we have more people. Our
cities are growing at a rapid rate,
so lar as population and wealth are
concerned.
Is that the only way a city should
grow? Should it not grow in
beauty, in the things that make life
more worth living, in %conveniences
for recreation in social activities, in
those things which uplift the spirit
and especially should it now grow
in the promotion Of health and the
reduction of the death rate?
The spirit of the times is not alone
for bigger things and more things,
but it is especially Tor better things.
That really is "the great unrest"
The people want better things, bet
ter. living and growing conditions.
They are not satisfied merely to see
their city grow large in population
and business. They want it to grow
also in those things which make life
more pleasant and more free from
sickness and from the distress
caused by loss Of employment
through disease and epidemic.
Everywhere there is this demand
for these better living conditions.
People are reaching out for them,
blindly in most cases, because they
do not know just what to do to get
them. THY do not realize that they
can produce these conditions for
themselves, if they will only work
together to get them. Any city can
be healthful and beautiful and a
desirable place to live in, if its citi-
zens will pull together to make it so.
There is no need to- make a commo-
ton, to tear things to pieces. to set
one portion of the community
against another. What is needed is
cooperation and unity of effort on
the part Of all in the following of
some particular and practical plan.
Then the thing is done.
This plan exists. 1t has been
worked with great success for a
number of years in many American
cities. 1t can be worked this year
more successfully than ever. Every
city where it has been tried is a bet
ter, healthful and a pleasanter
city to live in because of it.
This plan which literally trans
forms cities is the Cleanup and
Paint-Up campaign which is nation
wide in its scope and which this year
is doing its work in thousands of
cities and towns. 1t cleans the
streets, cleans the alleys, cleans the
back yards and Easements, cuts the
weeds and carts away the cans and
refuse from vacant lots, fills up and
drains stagnant ponds, stops the
strewing around Of garbage clears
away the refuse heaps where the
deadly house fly breeds and the
pools where the malaria mosquito
propogates, makes thrift gardens
and flower plots and window boxes,
keeps grass lawns neat, plants and
trims shade trees, enforces the milk
and food laws, snd paints up fences,
trellises, garages porches and
houses. All these things create more
sanitary and healthful conditions,
reduce sickness and loss of employ
ment, add to the joy of life because
of more beautiful surroundings, in
crease the value Of property, reduce
fire losses and insurance premiums,
create new pride in the city and a
new civic spirit which leads to fur
Their civic enterprises, and impart
to both old and young new interest
and activity in all municipal af-
fairs"