Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 October 1936 — Page 12

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"Genuine Leadership’ and Has Laid Foundation for Future ‘Expansion,

BY FREDERICK G. MATSON How is Indianapolis coming along?

That question has been asked by light and: serious think.

ers countless times recently. - ably was asked 50 years ago.

And the same question prob;

Is Indianapolis ini a position to make the most of its busis

"ness opportunities in. the next few years?

ing it back?

Is-anything hold-

: The answer, according to business and industrial leaders, _ geenis to be mixed. This city it generally is conceded, has

_ weathered the depression as well as any other in the nation. and much better than “many. It is further agreed

that the foundation is laid for considerable industrial growth. © At the same time, several business men say, we could do much better if some driving force were to léad us. These men feel that Indiangpolis has grown without genuine Jeadership. These two opinions, somewhat paradoxical, fairly well state the frame of mind of responsible citi-

“Credit” Items Listed

Let's first list a few of the “credit” items—facts about which Indianapolis residents can be proud and then mention certain “debit” items, which leaders feel might be remedied. Indianapolis, the state capital, is the largest city in Indiana. Its population, according to an R. L. Polk estimate as of last May, is 398,321. The city’s growth has been steady, & fact much in its favor. Other towns or cities which experienced sudden bursts in population in- - crease, almost always suffered through ensuing years of hard times. Here are the United States cenBus figures for Indianapolis since 1840, which illustrate the steady upward trend:

The pwesent population is composed of 84 per cent mative white, 12 per cent Negro and 4 per cent foreign born. The city is located in almost the _ exact, center of the state and within 40 miles.of the center of popu‘Jation of the United States. Indiana is in the heart of the great Middle West agricultural belt, and it8 business activities are divided almost evenly between agriculture and industry. Industry Diversified

One of the city’s greatest assets, it is agreed, is its diversification of industries. As such, it has been ‘able to survive the present and past: depressions to a much better degree than other so-called ‘one-industry” cities. For example, Detroit, seat of the automobile industry, suffered a definite slump when the depression “hit the nation, and that city was a Jong time recovering.

Indianapolis has approximately

B00 industries, manufacturing more |

than 1200 different commodities.

It also; “fs “one ‘of ‘the nation's most important livestock * centers. It is described as the world's largest Inland city—that is, not situated on navigable water—in ‘the world. It is served by 16 railroad lines, all of which are connected by what is known as the Belt Line of whe Indianapolis Union Railway Co. “ Industry located on the Belt or: er any one of the 18 lines has ‘access to all the: transportatiton facilities of the city.

Highway System Good Indianapolis is the center of a

apolis again is more important than its on would indicate. Ranking about twenty-first in size among United States cities, the city stands approximately thirteenth in v of retail trade, Chamber of merce statistics show. One million prospective buyers reside within an hour's ride of the city, and 75 million persons can be reached NSvernight,

Trading Area Large ,

A survey by the State Highway Department reveals that an average of 30,000 passenger cars enter the city every 24 hours. The Indianapolis trading area extends for 75 miles in every direction. The city has approximately 5000 retail estab-

lishments doing a business.of more

than a quarter of a billion dollars annually and 450 wholesalers dealing in most commodities.

Another point in the city’s favor, according to a local banker, is that Indinapolis municipal bonds are selling about as high as those.of any city in the country. “That appears to me to be a good standard of the conduct ‘of our affairs,” he said. Now let's look at certain factors which local business men feel are not so favorable for the future development of Indianapolis. Industrial executives, when. looking over the field for another town in which to locate their plants, examine three vital factors in a. city's

are taken into consideration, but

inized are: First, the labor situation; secondly, the tax situation, and lastly, the local government situation. There is a distinct shortage of skilled labor, business and industrial men here agree. This is particularly true, they say, in the machine tool industry. Explanations for the shortage seem to be that the apprentice system: largely has been abandoned since the depression, with the result that there are fewer Jouas men coming up into the ‘skilled class. The prospect for higher tax ‘rates in 1937 is regarded by the Chamber

of Commerce and some business leaders, as a disadvantage to Indianapolis in getting new industries to move Rere. Regarding the last of the factors considered in surveying a city’s condition—namely, the local government, there seems to ‘be ‘general satisfaction, (At least there is no immediate fear that the city administration will assume an unfriendly attitude toward business. Now.we come to the alleged lack

of driving force, of leadership. Many business nien here feel that that is true. “We have no leading citizen or group of citizens—no guiding genius,” one man said. Another business man voiced it this way: , “God has been too good to Indianapolis. This city always has managed to get along in a steady but non-co-operative sort of way. We have had no calamity, no great disaster here, to bring forth real leadership from one or a few and ‘real co-operation from all our citizens.” The situation probably’ can be best summed up in the words of. still

‘MIL

tricts and travel to and from their

setup. Of course many other things |

the three all-important items scrut--

gos ip bulletin 4 in brief, ‘cites the Jollowing spward Stends 1. Total em per cent during September, with factory employment 29 per cent . |above August and 8 per, cent ‘above September, 1935. :

Employment ° Up.

2. Non-manufacturing © concerns were responsible for most of .the . | émploment gain in the city with an | increase of 6.4 per cent over one month ago. 3. Retail trade was up 10 per cent in employment over August. 4. Considerable improvement was noted in steel and food industries. 5. Building activity was improved with the value of permits far in excess of a month ago and larger than any month since September, 1931.

Drug Store Sales Better The bulletin says that drug store sales were “a little better than in August, but not quite so high as in September, 1935.”

bs |

& or ‘during any g any A i September since 1929 the osoiew | sh in city v employment gained 4|

fey

i 5

i i

Timer Special - or BEDFORD, nd, “Oct. Amal

& 7 Yarling, Lawrence ‘County agri- |"

sulle agent for .five years, has ed to, become manager of the | mous 4 ned >. to Hoosier Green Acres’ Farm om” 2, xk hele

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