The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-11-08
RACINE HELPS HERSELF.

Business men of Racine and other nearby
towns for months. have realized that the pros
perity of Racine was on the decline-the sur
est indication, the payroll of the various in
dustrial plants of Racine had been getting less
and less" says a page advertisement announc-
ing that business men Of Racine had subscrib-
ed a hundred thousand dollars toward the ex-
pansion of one industry there which has shown
signs of life.
It's rather heroic treatment, but 1T is just
possible that Racine business men realize the
value of heroic treatment and appreciate the
necessity for it. It shows q civic interest that is
encouraging and one which may well be prac-
ticed by neighbors of Racine.
Every city has it's ups and downs and Racine
has probably been having the downs" It's a
good town. and if the people get the idea that
it is worth while to support their own town, it
is not at all impossible that Racine will come
back to it's pristine glory
"A town may be down, but like a man it is
never out so long as it has some people who are
willing to do something to build it up.
In passing it can be said that it is lot better
to give this civic aid toward the advancement
of a community before it is down and threaten
ed with going out. Help at the right time is just
as valuable to keep town going as to start it
going better after it has gone bad. Civic inter-
est directed in the right direction and directed
at the right time can keep any town from going
down and keep every town going up.
Kenosha is not going down. 1t is going up
and going up steadily, but it needs the sustain
ing force of civic interest to keep it going up.
1t needs united effort on the part of every
one in Kenosha to keep the ball rolling 1t needs
some financial support.
Just now Kenosha needs most of all new
q show n
terest than Racine has shown in securing the
expansion of an industry, Kenosha industries
stand ready to expand themselves without
asking nickel from the people on the outside
of their business offices if the people of Keno
sha will just give the assurance that they will
keep their town moving at rate to keep up
with industrial development.
Kenosha should benefit by the experience
of Racine and not wait until the city is slipping
away from the prosperity zone before this unit
ed effort is organized and put into action. The
hotel proposition is just little matter to try
out the ability to Kenosha to get behind and
stay behind movements for it's public better
ment. 1t has been rather discouraging to learn
that Kenosha people have been stingy and tight
in dealing with this problem. That kind of a
spirit is just the spirit that puts town down
and makes it necessary to force it's way back.
Beating back is possible, but beating back
is always harder than going with the current.
With the forward momentum established and
working, it is lot better to keep it going by
feeding little gas of civic interest-the inter
est which gets beyond making speeches at
clubs, and reaches down into the trouser pocket
and puts up little money, when that money is
necessary and at the most advisable time for
it to be spent.