The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-07-23
The Thinkers.
GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE WORLD

The rapid extension of rural free
mail delivery is developing some in
teresting results. Country mer
chants have not favored it, as they
correctly reasoned that it would
dimin sh their trade. The big mail
order houses in large cities have
been cutting into the business OF the
country stores rather severely Of re,
cent years and the free delivery of
mail makes trade with such houses
all the more easy and convenient.
For this reason the country mer-
chant, who has so long driven a thirty
ing trade with farmers, has not
looked with kindly eye on the estab-
lishment of free delivery routes. It
is now coming to light that another
class of trade has suffered thereby,
namely, the "wet goods" trade. In
communities where saloons are
largely supported by country patron
age Ii sharp falling off in receipts
over the bar is rep )rted since farm
erS do not come to town regularly
once or twice a week for their mali.
It will be generally agreed that the
loss in this respect is the gain Of the
farmer and the community as we'll.
On the other hand the tendency Of
this system is said to favor the i'm
prOvement of country roads. We
rather doubt whether this influence
is marked enough to enter into Cal
culations on the subject, as a com
munity which will not improve it's
roads for the sake of more substan-
tial advantages will hardly be moved
thereto by easOn of the benefits &C.
crulng by the free delivery of it's
mail. A marked increase in the cir
culatiOn of daily papers is noted all
along the free delivery routes where
access is had to the dailies printed in
large towns and cities. Just how
much advantage will accrue to the
farmer and his family from the
perusal of the literature that passes
current at present as daily journal
ism it is dificult to say. We imagine
that its reading is not an unmixed
good. This, however, is the fault of
the journalism, not the delivery
system. The PostOffce Department
has certainly succeeded IN robbing
fn--, 1Ifo - D,Tvnf - &c. ,---l~,--zA
isolation by the daily visits Of the
pOstman, encouraging the inter
change of letters and therebP the
promotion of many business enter
prises as we'll as Ii social enjoyment
that cOnduces greatly to she pleas
ures Of farm life. With the coming
OF the farm telephOne-and1tis com
ing with a rush-Uhe farmer will be
in as complete touch with the out
side world as the city man. And on
the whole h0 Is likely ID be greatly
the better tOrlt.-Breeders' Gazette
THE WORLD NEEDS JUSTICE, NOT
CHARITY"
The above is from friend Stone 8
letter head. WOul1 tut our great
corporations might put the same
motto on their letter heads and live
up to it. Justice, not charity. Lave
and let live. Do as you would be
done OY. How sadly these notices
are getting out OF date. Did you
notice that the Standard Oil directors
declared Il dividend of 20 per cent. in
March of this year, and another of II
per cent. in May, and this on stock
that is said to be nine parts water in
each ten? The following is from an
editorial in Il leading New York
paper, The World: EIt is not quite
two years since the directors of this
combine came together and voted to
multiply Oy ten its then alleged CAPT
tai Investment OF ten millions, and
make 1t n hundred millions. And
within the two years it has already