Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-20
HAS STRONG INFLUENCE
What the Rural Mail Route Has
Succeeded In Doing For
It's Patrons
c. E. WILSON'S RURAL LETTER
Gives Examples of the Farmers Close
inspection and Intimate knowledge
of His Daily Paper--The Evolution Of
the so-caIIed Greenhorn"-Advan-
.ases of Woven Wire Fencing.
Special to Times-Rerubllcan.

1
Williams, April 20.--Few of those
who have not given the matter close
attention, realize the influence of a rur-
al mail route on the character of its
patrons. 1t is not simply matter
of convenience nor of pleasure but is
one Of the chief factors in the progress
of the rural population.
Recently the writer heard a travelling
man telling a story illustrating the
"greenness' of country boy in the mat
ter of current events. If he would drive
over a few of the mail routes in Iowa
and talk with some of the boys he
would likely tell the story hereafter on
somebody else. The fact is the farmer
of the day as is his brother in city and
town.
The other day solicitor approached
one of these 'greenhorns" with view
of selling him a daily paper. He was
already subscriber To a daily but
would change, OF course, il he could get
a better one. Taking the offered sam,
pie in his hand he inquired what train
the paper arrived on at his postoffice
and remarked that h6 would see how
fresh the telegraphic news was. For
example he chose thu merger deci-
sion." glanced over the headlines say
ing that they were worded rather diff
ferently from the account in his paper
but that the sense was the same. Then
he read the news btern and pronounc-
ed it identical with the account given
in the other daily.
Other features of the paper were ex-
amined in a way that showed his
thorough acquaintance with the paper
he read. This is not an unusual case.
A good many like it are to be found on
nearly every route. Compare 1t with
this:
A man living in nearby town said
to the writer the other day, THE gov
eminent is doing a wrong thing in
forcing all these mail routes on the
farmers. They don't want them. 1t
would be more sensible to use the
money 1t costs to maintain them, in
improving the roads,
In driving thru the country one often
notices certain peculiarities in the farm
improvements of community, for in
stance, the ell-shaped barn roofs n
the vicinity OF Ackley, the open sheds
built against many OF the barns near
Clarion, giving the appearance OF
porches, communities OF large houses
and small outbuildings, and sections
where the conditions are reversed.
In a neighborhood near the town OF
Manly there occur many short strips
of woven wire fence, anywhere from
twenty rods to half II mile in length
generally on farm line. Before
reaching this place the writer talked
with prominent farmer who told him
that years ago he began the practice on
putting UP certain number OF rods OF
woven fence each year until he had
enclosed his entire farm.
He regards it as one of the best I'M
provements a farmer can make. he
never had any horses ruined by barbed
wire cuts his cattle never broke the
fence down and wandered away, no.
body's stock ever bothered him and the
fence soon paid for itself.
The strips of fence before mentioned
are the results of the example set by
this man. Many have begun as he did
and will in time surround their places,
thus making them far more valuable
than they would otherwise have been.
The editor of an Iowa farm paper was
right when he said that the value of
farm land is governed very largely by
the character of the leading men who
own it.
The writer believes that there is no
occupation in which the effect of
good example is more potent than In
that of farming, and while the world
as a usual thing doesn't appear to take
much notice of it. there must be a sat
isfaction in the consciousness of hav-
ing been one of those whose ideas, APP
propriated by others, have resulted in
the betterment of the farms Of the
community in which he lives.
C. E. WILSON.