Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-21
LEE IN The COUNTRY.

Strange as the assertion may seem, it is
probably true that in the last ten year
the effect Of inventions has been felt rela-
lively more in rural than in urban life.
The countryman has certainly gained
relatively more I'm the way Of conven-
fences in the last decade than has HIS
brother in the city.
Long after the telephone had become
common thing in the cities and towns it
was unknown on the farms, except I'm
rare Instances. Since that time telephone
construction and the cost of telephone
service has been reduced so greatly that
many states now number their telephone
farmers by the thousand.
Georgia Is behind some OF the southern
states in rural telephone conveniences.
Virginia was the first state OF the south
TO use the telephone to any great extent
to connect farms with farms and with
the country seat or the nearest town.
The Virginia farmers. especially those
In the fertile and prosperous valley region
OF the state, either secured low rates from
telephone companies or organized coop
erative telephone exchanges and obtained
range Of ready communication which
they found OF great practical service and
profit.
North Carolina has moved rapidly for
ward also I'm the matter Of rural telephone
service.
Commenting upon this fact Our Home.
an excellent weekly newspaper Of Mar
shall. n. c., says:
Union county's telephone system prob
ably surpasses that of any other county
in the state. especially in the rural dis
tricts. There are in the county ten teie-
phone exchanges and six of these are in
the country. Tie total number of phones
in the county Is So and 295 Of these are
in towns and 2f7 in the country; and the
system is yet in its infancy in the rural
districts. At the present rate Of increase
the number OF phones in the county VIII
probably be increased 100 per cent within
the next twelve months and it is only
question OF short time before this county
viii be a network Of wires and almost
every farmer viii have a phone In his
house. The telephone system, together
with rural free delivery of mails, will rev.
olutionize things in favor OF country life,
rendering IL less isolated and more at
tractfve. Even now all important news
Is transmitted to every part Of the county
as soon as Il ocurrs. Two hours after
President Mckinley was shot at Buffalo,
the affair was being talked about by our
farmers through their neighborhood ex-
changes During the recent congressional
convention at Monroe farmers sat in
their homes and received the ballots as
they were cast for, the various candidates
and many of them knew who the nominee
was before the first applause from the
friends OF the successful candidate had
subsidized
The telephone is becoming a more and
more familiar auxiliary to the comfort
and convenience Of country life. AS the
expense Of this connection with the out
side world decreases the cities, towns and
farms viii be brought closer together to
the reciprocal benefit OF ALL
The farmer with his telephone and his
regular daily mail deliveries is strictly
'fn it" And he is the happy possessor
OF many other advantages, conveniences
and Injuries Of which he never dreamed
and to which he never aspired a few years
ago.
But II must not be imagined that be-
cause country life has become more COM
Portable there has been decay Of the
virtues which most become the farmer
and insure his real prosperity and happi-
ness. On the contrary, there is every rea-
son to believe that the average farmer in
the United States is more practical and
therefore more productive than he ever
was before. He cultivates his land more
scientifically and with greater profit.
He can afford his telephone and the gov
eminent of which he is the backbone can
AFFORD to supply his free mail delivery.
The farmer is getting along pretty well
| and means to do better.