Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-25
A WORD ABOUT A LOCAL JOB

the wheat must needs tarry the
grinding" Shakespeare wrote. tarry,
also. the boiling, the leavening, the
kneading. 1.-The making Of the cake.
the heating of the oven and the
baking: nay, you must stay the cool
ing too or you may chance to burn
your lips"
The farmers bloc would advise
him that one also must stay the pre-
pairing Of the soil, of the seed, the
sowing thereof and wait the harvest.
And when the seed has been sown,
from that time on there must be
patience but along with it endeavor
to secure the returns. the crop and
the cake.
This may seem a roundabout way
Of referring to the good seed which
the Chamber Of Commerce, for in
stance, has been sowing in this city,
but it will serve to impress on the
reader the need Of patience and per-
severance, the consideration that the
seasons cannot be fastened by find
ing fault with the weather. il we
would eat the cake, and perhaps will
be worth while.
The Chamber of Commerce has ac-
complished good so far in its COM
paratively brief existence. 1t has
within it the power for much greater
good. 1t will be what the people Of
Augusta make it. II they do not
make it and keep it representative of
the best that is in the community it
will be representative Of indifference.
inertia, dead-and -aliveness, charac-
teristics which should not be appli-
cable to Augusta. 1t is sure to be
one thing or the other.
The best critic of others is the in
dividual who is busy making sue
cess Of something-he seldom criti-
ciscs. The bystander never helped a
burden up grade by simply remark
ing that he could do a better job OF
boosting than the fellows pushing be-
hind. II they are not doing it right
he might possibly help them to bet
ter method il he were down among
them boosting; he never will while
standing beside the road and critics.
. ing.
Public sentiment enthused, public
hands assisting, public endeavor
properly co-ordinated can work Won
ders. In the old days leaders didn't
bother about the public sentiment so
much, they didn't have to. they gave
the orders. but they built the pyra-
mids by setting the hands Of the null
titude at work and co-ordinating ef-
fort. Critics didn't construct these
marvcls, nor quarry. transport and
lift in place the huge blocks OF
granite.
That sort Of concerted endeavor
can't be brought about by coercion
these days. thanks to the brave souls
who struggled for centuries that 1t
might be otherwise. But without CO.
operative effort little is accomplished,
30 all kinds Of methods are employed
for inspiring it. Some Of these may
seem to overdo, exaggerate. engross
too much Of attention, perhaps, but
none of them fail to accomplish one
very desirable effect. they set people
to thinking about that which they
should think, cause them to think
rather than destruc-
lively, whether the immediate In
. spiration be our mothers. our fathers,
our brothers. our health or our city.
Who can estimate in dollars and
cents the profit Of such effort? 1t
simply can't be done. But We can
see a difference between commune
ty which never does anything. unless
IL has to, and one that is looking for
something to do. consulting together
and experimenting with suggestions
for Improvement. Augusta never
has been q community Of the former
class and while It has not been given
TO splurgins. at times has been
thought conservative, what It has un'
dertaken it has made good Job.
This habit of accomplishment is with
us yet. Those who do not wish to be
considered shirkers will get together
and help to keep 1t so.
The Augusta Chamber OF Com
. merce has made a good beginning. 1t
never yet has been possible to say of
4hi, community: Thou beginnest