Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-08-19

FLUENCE OF CITY AND CoUNTR,
MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL.
What about the country towns with
in twenty-five to fifty miles of the grea
cities? What is their future, and wha
are to be their social conditions? Thinl
it over, and let me know what your yer
dict is, said a friend the other day.
have been thinking; while there is no
much evidence of decadence, the socia
condition is rapidly changing in some
and in others the change is already here
and to stay. This | tell The Tribune
Farmer, that it may lead to other talk
and the expression of views along SINH
lar lines. Ours is farming town
twenty miles away from the CLEVELAND
limits. The town was settled by Massa
chusetts and Connecticut pioneers, auC
still carries strong New England tradi
patriotism. There is shrinkage oi
farm values as compared with thirt,
years ago, but the town is in every way
in a better condition as 10 dwelling
houses, buildings and general tidiness
In general way the inhabitants are, st
far as they retain New England blood, 3
social, homogeneous class, fraternal and
pleasant people TO know; they are not
only intelligent, but are possessed Of
pronounced modern ideas, and are useC
70 good society. But their number is
rapidly narrowing. The tenant farmer
with his not always high order of farm
,,,,r ,,n,l,l. =. a,,l IN,
dence, forming, despite the overtures OF
common brotherhood, class unto
himself that savors not of New England
ideas or practices.
The bent of the town is educational
and far in advance of the common drift,
and centred years ago, in advance OF
statutory law, in a centralized school
with a thorough course of study that
has had and is having marked intiu-
ence upon the whole town, as all the
pupils in the township are here Invested
of all clanShip and imbued with com
mon desire for education, which in fu-
ture days will obliterate the tenant clan
nishneSs so apparent now; and, while
this school is being conducted with far
less money than was called for by the
old ten district plan, its cosmopolitan in-
fiuence upon the town, even were the ex-
pense twice as great, would be cheap rs
an investment. To-day it stands the
pride of the town. So in this particular
the town is making great advancement.
In accordance with the general change
in conditions in other towns, the small
manufacturer and tradeSman have disap-
peared, and the farmer sells for money
what he now produces, and buys in the
open market, instead of bartering with
local tradeSmen and shopkeepers. In
this respect he lives and dresses as the
city and village man, with whom he has
community of interest" He has
greatly enlarged his circle of business
life and social friendships, and going to
the city visiting is quite as common
as keeping up his country friendships.
This is strengthened by the great num-
Der of boys who have gone To the city
and succeeded there, not only in
large business interests, but in other
circles. These conditions for the nearby
rural towns make the city limits far ex-
ceed their legal bounds.
BY keeping the two villages of the
town up in pleasing and attractive APP
pearance, a new element has been at
tracted to the tOwn-the cOmmuter,
who lives here, with his family, and
goes into town each morning on the
flyer" This class, wealthy and of intlu-
ence, are not only buying and renting
homes. but building, and some of these
are to be permanent residents, as their
children have here thoroughly appoint
ed school, as good rs the city one. This
is feature the results of which no one
can as yet prophesy. With it is another
feature that is having an effect which is
not so rosy" 1t is the readiness with
which our boys and girls, on completing
their education lat home" find employ
ment in the offices and establishments of
the city as typewriterS and office assist
ants, or get into the professions, and
still come home to sleep-in fact, still
remain permanent residents of the town,
and live from an occupation outside OF
il. They still maintain local interest in
town affairs and loyalty to the town up
building. and, best of all, the citizenship
is kept intact and harmonious. These
men are proud of the towns traditions,
and are ready 10 defend its best inter
ests. With all these changes have come
the historical society, the science club,
several musical societies, remarkable
telephone system, rural delivery, trolleys
on paper galore, and two well supported
churches; and not saloon or drug
store" to cOunteract the better influences.
In all this can see little to be pessi-
mistic about; conditions seem rather con-
ducive To hope for the future. This
may not picture every rural township,
but il is a helpful influence that may
inspire others 10 exert themselves to get
into the twentieth century drift" and
fraternize with the spirit of the age. As
a people we are inclined to drift apart
and be Selfshly wrapped up in our own
particular interest, or set. \ suburban
town lends hand to change this and to
re-establish the homOgeneity of COM
munity. This is one of the charming
features of life. Where the town and
the city can be in measure blended, and
on the one hand meet and share in an
active and competitive life, and on the
other hand secure fast hold on nature
aud the less strenuous life, it seems as
if something ideal is within reach. The
aid to strength of character, to better
living and to brotherhood that the city
can never know plainly indicates that
there is to be no decadence of the coun-
try, but each year its worth to the city
will come more and more to be recog,
nized. The rush of city men to buy farms
and homes in the country is teaching the
rural resident that the city man is not
always so grasping and overawing a be-
ing as he had supposed, but that nine
times out of ten he was farmers boy
of another locality transplanted to the
city; and the two have not so different
interests after all. shall tell my friend
that | think the old town is not decay
ing, but will be, as it now is, pretty
good place in which to live, and quite as
near heaven as the city when We shal
start on our last long journey.-Johr
Gould, Ohio, in Tribune Farmer.
The extremely high price of corn fed
Loaf ,,ra,,ailipu at tho nrasant time IL