Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-01-31
AUGUSTA AND THE NEW YEAR
The City's Opportunities for Com
merciaI and Civic Growth

A retrospective glance will show
mat the law of average and proportion
have held immutable sway over Au-
gusta's destiny during the PAST II
The New Year. 1922. will doubtless
bring to this city its rghtful share
of prosperity. wealth and growth; ITS
rlghtful increase in good citizenship
statewide influence. education. sci
cnce, art and industry in exact ratio
and proportion to the amount OF intel
ligent labor and planning that the
city's men and women have contribut =
ed in order that these blessings might
be brought about.
tunities is at hand. but several keys
are needed to open it. among them be-
ing. Foresight, Initiative. and Faith.
Optimism and nerve are levers
with which the lid is pried 'opeil
after the keys have loosened TIE lock $
intricate mechanism. The hour of op-
portunity is ever present but it is also
ever necessary for us to reach out ana
grasp our rightful share of the price
less jewels which it brings.
For certainty there are a number
of Augustus merchants, manufactur-
ers and public-spirited citizers who
have found their pace" and they Will
lead in the forward strides of the city
number is far too few for the city'S
good. 1t is gratifying. however, to OBJ
serve that the ultra-conservativcs and
those who have in the past felt that
their personal ends would be better
served by leaving things as they are"
or letting good enough alone" are
rapidly becoming fewer in number.
They have been constant loadstonc
around the city's neck hinderinG its
rightful progress. But thei" dead
weight and consequent retardng effect
upon growth is happily losing its ro-
tency with each succeeding year. These
GOOD citizens are coming to realize
that to stand still is. in reality, to 20
backward, and they are now coming to
the front with zeal and enthus' 'asm.
On the other hand may the city it
self. as a corporation. be in a position
II months hence. to look back over til"
year of 1922 and find no blotch upon
its record caused by lethargy. short
would it not be unreasonable to expect
to find at the end of 1922. greater
growth, proportionately. in tn" citys
management and expansion than the
shown in their private business enter
prises and the. active interest they
have taken in their city's welfare aud
advancement?
There are laws which govern the
growth of cities and business enter
prises which permit them to go for
ward only to thatipoint to which thev
have been forced by the combined ef-
forts of those elements which are al
work for their advancement. Some
towns or cities arc caught up. from
to time. by outside currents of trad.
and their growth is abnormally rapid.
This may be their good fortune: how
fever, such infreuuent and uncertain
occurrences should not cause any city
to rest inert in expectation or hope of
being swept along into a state of
greatness and wealth by outside enter
prise.
True growth and progress must
come from within a city's own limits
and resources. And Augustus growth
in wealth. industry and popula ton
faith. fearlessness. determination and
optimism of its men and women. They
must, as real live citizens be fired ny
enthusiasm and their watchwoI d S
should be work. optimism and faith.
The young men Of the city who are
to be the leading merchants and man.
ufacturers of the future should re-
ceiVe local encouragement to embark
in new undertakings and should Re
guided and assisted by those of ma
ture years and experience that their
ventures may be assured of successful
growth.
Are there in Augusta two men with
the best of life before them who have
had experience in wood or iron work?
Let them cut loose from their present
prosaic jobs and open shop of their
own. Let them manufacture the best
ak handle that they are capable of
producing: or let them make The best
screwdriver. or monkey wrench. or
wheelbarrow,-anything in general use
and Augusta will. in time, have a new
industry to its credit and corre--
civic wealth.
AS a first step in ACCOMPLISHING