The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-01-23
Fidelity to Home Interests.
From the Michigan Tradesman.

| In tne advancement OF its VariOu
interests and I'll show you a tow
where the grass doesn't grow in tn,
streets and where able bodied mel
do not sit on empty dry good
boxes and bewail the sad fate tha
prevents them from moving to some
other place. There is no mistak,
about it; it is an infiexible rule ad.
mitting of no exceptions. Fidelity
to home interests on the part of in
dividual units of any community
having a trade center will max,
such community cheerful, contenteG
and prosperous; and it will do this
whether the natural advantages
such as shipping facilities, water
power, quality of the soil in the
surrounding country, etc. be
great or small. Pulling together
means a positive movement,
whether in the right or wrong di-
rection; and, therefore, the power
to build up or tear down rests with
the individual members of the com
munity If every individual,
whether manufacturer, producer,
distributor or consumer, would
prove loyal to the community of
interests OF which be is a factor, it
would check the growth of this cos
mopolitanism which is revolutioniz-
ing the industrial world and making
the weak weaker and the strong
stronger.
America for Americans is a
popular phrase with one of our
great political parties, and stripped
OF all political significance which
the politicians may pat upon it, the
phrase per Sc sounds all right. 1t
means home building home-sustain-
ing and home-protecting; and it
means helping hand first to
brother American. This is not
selfishness; it is true patriotism,
brotherly love and fidelity to home
interests.
Michigan for Michiganders would
be an extension of the same princi-
ple-and, by the way,I could include
Mlchigeese as we'll OF course, this
does not mean antipathy or feeling
of animosity toward brother Ameri-
cans outside of Wolverine limits, but
it does mean Michigan patronage for
Michigan enterprise, and Michigan
consumers for the fruits of Michigan
labor in preference to that of any
other state or country-provided
the quality be az good and the cost
no greater.
The same principle applies to
county and township, but it does not
end here. Real life, with all of its
ups and downs, its hopes and aspira-
tions, its social privileges and its
joys and sorrows. is involved in the
little worlds, which, in the
aggregate, make up the great world
in which we live. 1t is in one of
these little worlds, dear reader, where
you and l fight the daily battles of
life; and our failures and success IS
do not depend SO much upon u par
ticular national policy, state legis-
'ation, Il wise county board of super
visors or an economical set of town
ship officers as upon the degree OF
idelity to home interests which we
and our fellow citizens evince in the
1aily affairs of our own little worlds.
With my mind S eye / see Michi-
gan village, or trade center of one
Of these little worlds, where the
value OF this principle of fidelity to
home interests has always been fair
~ well recognized. 1t has popula-
ton of about 1900, and in every
thing apparent to the eye is fairly
of southern Michigan
villages. 1t has bank which has
never changed hands since it was
first established, many years ago.
For many years its leading dry
goods, readymade clothing and
gents furnishing business was con
iucted by two young men who came
to the town with small capital, and
Dne of them had no experience what
ever. They prospcred from the very
start and actually accumulated "a
snug little fortune. One of the lead
ing grocers in that town, today, was
on the railroad less than a
1ozen years ago in u gang of track
men. After accommodating d small
sum of earnings he concluced to try
the grocery business. He had no
more experience in the business than
the old railroad shovel he hung up
In the back woodshed, but he planted
MS hard-earned dollars in the
grocery business, and you may find
lim there today, at the same old
stand, he made money from the very
start, and is making money now,
Just as easily as he would if Bryan
had been elected. Another leading
grocer in that town went there over
thirty years ago, poor boy. He
has made a tidy sum of money. One
Of the most popular dry goods men
in business there today was a poor
boy only sixteen years ago, working
on a nearby farm at twelve dollars u
month-including board, washing
and mending. The shoe dealers,
hardware men, and the druggists
have all made money in that town.
A bi-weekly newspaper is published
there, and, strange as it may sound,