The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-03-15
EDITORIAL
THE RURAL

was that on the rural telephone system in Union
County which we printed last week. We are glad
to see that it has excited interest in more than
one section of the State. 1t ought to be read
and discussed in every neighborhood. There's no
reason. so far as we know, why these Union Coun-
ty people have any more right to the earth and
the fulness thereof than the rest of us mortarls.
But the fact stands out bald and plain that they
are enjoying advantages that farmers in other
counties are doing without-are getting more out
of life than farmers in other counties are "et-
ting. But then we have only ourselves to blame
for all this. The Union County peonle have no
patent on their plan. On the contrary, Mr.. Green
and others have taken pains to bring their work
to the attention of other farmers by means of
several explicit and practical letters published
in The Progressive Farmer. In a note accom-
panyin~ his last article, Mr.. Green said:
Il have tried to make it as simple and clear as
possible. and yet many of your readers will look
on the telephone system as a complex affair, re-
quiring the work of a skilled electrician, when
in fact any intelligent farmer can do the work
himself"
Now The Progressive Farmer is very DESTROYS
of getting its readers throughout the State in
terested in this rural telephone system. We be-
lieve it is destined to play a great part, along
VII SoOu TOduS SObu CIIOO anu IuId1 man
delivery. in adding to the pleasures of country
life and turning the tide of emigration back from
the city to the farm.
The telephone puts the farmer in touch with
his neighbors and with the markets: herein lies
its value. Without loss of time i'll changing your
clothes. hitching the horses, or driving over the
roads. the telephone. with all the speed of electri-
city. puts you into communication with the person
yO, cool Won n coll nm Merchant Brown and
get his prices on butter or beef, or learn the
price of cotton or tobacco at your nearest mar
ket; you can call up Farmer Jones and ask him
to send you a field hand for the next day, or tell
YOU the condition of your sick neighbor; your
wife and children can arrange with neighbors for
social visits; i'll case of illness, the physician can
be quickly summoned; neighbors can be called to
the rescue in case Of fire or accident; important
news will reach you before getting stale-and
there are a thousand and one other advantages
that do not occur to us just now.
We have reprinted once or twice before Mr.. j.
L. Green's first letter to us describing the plan
IN which the farmers of Union County have built
up their cooperative system, but in view of the
increasing interest in the subject we think it well
worth while to lay it again before our readers.
Here is the letter, and we shall be glad to receive
any inquiries for further information that inter
ested subscribers may send us:
"Marshville, N. c., July 80, 1902.
Mr.. Clarence III. Poe, Editor The Progressive
Farmer, Raleigh, n. G.
Dear Sir:-I note with pleasure your editorial
in last issue of The Progressive Farmer in favor
of telephones in the rural districts, and hasten to
reply to your inquiry for further ~nformatio re-
garding the extension of the system in Union, the
cost, etc. Until a few years ago one concern had