The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-10-04
SEEK RURAL HOMES
SMALL TOWNS DRAWING PEOPLE
FROM THE CITIES

Counsel 10 RuraI communisiea That
would Attract n wealth Producina
PopuIation. MUST show Enterprise
and he Up 60 Date.
In leafet issued lately by the Amer
lean League For Civic Improvement
and written by Charles Mulford Rob
Inson, author OF ''rhe improvement OF
Towns and Cities.' attention Is called
TO the important fact that towns have
an opportunity 60 reap unmeasured
benefits from the toward the country
movement that IL az present more or
less felt throughout the United States.
Mr.. Robinson says that men and wo-
men, old aqd young, are rapidly dis.
covering tilat better and less expen-
slye opportunities for living and for
the conduct OF many lines OF manufac.
ture and other businesses are offered
by rural towns than by large cities;
thnt, for instance land h cheaper and
transportation charges no higher IN the
town than In the city: that consequent
~ less capital Is required for the plant
and employees may have pleasanter
homes and live more agreeable lives
there. and that boys and girls viii
grow up with better physical and NOR.
al surroundings and have more leglti.
rpate pleasures and fewer temptations
The chief question now is. says the
Chicago llccord-lIorald, which towns
VIII see and rise TO these dawning Op
portunltlesG Which Will realize that
the most wholesome. agreeable nnd
convenient surroundings are going 10
attract both cnpital ana labor; that
to compete at all IN these new oppOr
tunlles a town must be UP 10 date
must have electric lights telephones
good transportation. and must show
business enterprise aud business meth
ods that will Invite instead OF repe
the advances OF both labor nnd cap
ltal3
Land should not be held 0t eSOrbi
tnut prices, streets must be- well llghi
cd und well paved, the water supply
must be abuve reproach. scientific san
ltailon must be- established, school
aud church prlyilegea must be ade
Qunie. aud household supplies plentiful
or good quality and reasonable n
price.
Il must tc apparent that the resi-
dents are not greedily waiting 10 play
the pnrt 81 vampire on cnch new
conner That spirit has successfully
strunglod c0ming prosperity al 10
birth for mnuy one horse town tllca
with nrrow minded inhabitants who
thought they knew All there was Ia be-
known. but la reality did not even
know enough to recognize a good thine
when personally Introduced 20 II.
Uoodhy ''ll share IN these new and
Increasing opportunities for amy com
munlty where lusty, country bred
vampire spirit prevails II anything
worth while N 70 come OF all the fore
going preparations FOR prosperity,
there are other things that must not
be overlooked. The day has come
when wise people have learned 20 live
a many sided life. The eye must be
fed az well as the stomach. the mind. |
the Imagination, etc
Agreeable surroundings, pleasant oc
equations for leisure hours, local inter |
ests for citizens OF an ages, must be
supplied. such things are a paying |
Investment for any town and are a
prime necessity FOR those that would /
invite the attention OF residents from
larger places.
Every natural advantage OF the sur
rounding country should be made fac
tOrs Ia the general advancement ana
good roads maintained 10 all points
Of interest or beauty. n there is
stream 0r lake. Il should become the
browning glory of the place both
msthetically and for amusemenis
boating. bathing and swimming In the
summer and skating or icchoating
IA the vlnter-an tho choicest ioea'
ton Ia the vicinity should at once
be set apart as a public park. where
plcnlcs aud other open air gatherings
may be held ana where all, young
aud old. boys aud girls. may Ia safety
Indulge their tastes Cor wood wander
ines. Good golf links should be lnid
out aud every branch on legitimate
pleasure planned Tor aud catered Co.
let the would be prosperous town
proceed 20 grasp the skirts 90 happy
chance" by making an these things
this desirable combination of urban,
suburban and country advantages a.
lalnahle 10 those whose fancy strays
soon they viii be ah'e
10 show the world a nucleus az town
surronpded hy an aureole ot homes
lhe whole linked together by modern
electric advantages eonmnnliy J
where children nre welcomed, q COM
living out ils days as hnman
creatures should, Instead of commu. /.
nity packed in indlsrrlminate layers 1
with the stars above The earth he a
heath ana brick. art. mortar and d
aolse on an sdea. great gritty layer r
,ake that should % perfectly impos 4
.llla lrom any nnlnl oi View. ". y