Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-05-05
KILLING THE GOOSE THAT LAYS GOLDEN G Ia

seems that the city has any amount of money to spend to
prevent the manufacturing concerns of this community
the concerns that form the very backbone OF our prosperity
from expanding and increasing their business, but when
it comes to providing parks and Fairgrounds, band concerts
and other features that help make the city attractive and a
more delightful place in which to live, there are no funds
available. ,ta44
If the members of the Board of Aldermen would spend
half as much time trying to devise ways and means for
making the people happier and more contented as they do in
trying to find ways for embarrassing the industries and max
ing their existence here as unpleasant as possible, something
really worth while might be accomplished.
When other cities are outdoing themselves in their ef-
forts to attract new industries and assist those which they
already have to grow and increase their business, the popu-
lar thing in Perth Amboy, as far as the aldermen are con-
cerned, is to take just the opposite view. The city govern
ment, by its attitude toward local industries, announces to
the world that no new industries are wanted. By the man
ner in which they treat every request made by the industries
it is evident that the present city government is opposed to
all expansion and growth; they do not want more business
done here; they are against giving employment to more
labor; they are adverse to larger pay rolls and more money
being spent in the city.
What other meaning can be taken or the antagonism
shown toward these great industrial establishments that
have made Perth Amboy what it is today and upon which
the city must depend for its very life blood?
1t is very narrow and petty to argue that to give the in
dustries all that they ask would be to turn the entire city
over to them for them to run for their own advantage all tn.
time. Any city official who puts up such an argument proves
with his own words that he is not big enough, not capable OF
handling the problems ola municipality such as Perth
Amboy.
For some reason or other, some of the men elected to
Office seem to think that unless they are constantly harrass-
ing the Industries and jumping on them at every opportunity
they are not doing their duty. They are not big enough
they haven't the ability to distinguish between cooperation
and friendly aid and the surrender of rights belonging to
the public for which the Industries have no right to ask.
After a stagnation of nearly a year when the local plants
were all but shut down, many of them being kept in opera
ton at a loss merely to keep a working force together and
incidentally help some employees exc out a living, a revival in
business is apparent, but it is not yet assured. 1t is as if the
little spark that had been smouldering all through the hard
times had caught a faint breeze and had been famed into a
tiny flame. BY careful nursing and encouragement this
little flame may grow into a real blaze. Everybody must
help, however, and by all doing their part, pulling together
for prosperity, it can be accomplished.
Now. what is it that the industries, which are just be-
ginning to feel the effect of this revival, are asking of the city
as its contribution toward making prosperity real?
They want railroad sidings. Could anything be more
reasonable? No plant can carry on large volume OF business
these days without adequate railroad facilities. No indus
trial concern can do a small volume of business, even, with
out efficient and economical means of handling their
product.
The cable works want additional railroad facilities;
the dry docks want additional railroad facilities, and the
chemical works want railroad facilities, the latter industry
being without any at the present time.
All of these requests are tied up in court proceedings
and the CITY is responsible. In the meantime these indus
tries, struggling to meet competition andto bring more bust
ness to Perth Amboy so as to employ more men here and
thereby put more money in circulation, are seriously handi-
capped. Their local development is halted and they are
looking to their plants in other localities to extend their
work. They find the city government of Perth Amboy an
tagonistic toward them; they get the impression that they
are net wanted; there is no encouragement to carry on their.
development in Perth Amboy.
What is the result?
The city finds itself al a point of stagnation. There is
little enterprise and no growth. People stand around and
wonder what can be the matter.
The fault lies largely at the city hall. The Board of
Aldermen fail to realize what their belligerent attitude
toward the industries of this city means to Perth AmbOy
Such opposition as these concerns are encountering at every
turn will have an effect here that will be felt for years. It
is a policy that is doing the city untold harm.
Look after the city's interest by all means, and protect
the rights of the public in every instance, but consider well
that is TO the best interest of the city and what rights are
worth protecting.
A friendly attitude of cooperation, a pulling together
for the welfare of the city as a whole is the greatest need OF
Perth Amboy today. And this applies TO all lines OF endeavcr
as well as to municipal affairs.