The progressive farmer and the cotton plant., 1905-08-29
EDITORIAL
"THE OLD EDITORIAL"

tor Who ACCOMPLISHED more 5v his writings than
josiah Turner, whose paper was pillar OF clcud
and of fire in the darkest hours of Reconstruc-
ton And yet Josiah Turner had little literary
ability little grace skill writer. But lie
did know what North Carolina needed, what evils
she suffered: and in season and out OF season. he
hammered away perpetually at these thlngsWl
"damnable iteration and reiteration' he repeated
his charges of fraud and corruption until the
whole State was ahame with an indignation that
could not be withstood Day after day the same
charges of fraud and thievery were put before
his readers, and on one occasion he gathered all
of them together under the heading, "The Old
Editorial"
Now it happens that The Progressive Farmer
has its hobbies, too-better farming methods, OF
course; good schools, good roads, rural mail de-
livery rural school Libraries, farmers clubs, bet
ter farm implements and machinery, more beau
tiful country homes, etc., etc. These things VIC
are continually urging upon our readers. but now
before the busy season again begins on the farm
it seems to us entirely fitting that we hiring all
these matters again to the attention Of the pub
lic-and so here is 'The Old Editorials
In the first place, we wonder if you have rural
free delivery of mails. Your neighborhood is
paying its share of the to maintain the ser
vice; why not get of its benefits? Every
day some new North Carolina route is going into
operation. We have nearly 1000 of them now,
and there were less than dozen at this time four
year ago. The recent talk of more stringent reg
ulation has been much exaggerated. All that the
Government demands is that the route be ap-
proximately 25 miles long, that it serve 100 peo-
pie or more and that the roads be good enough
to enable the carrier to make the trip in a day.
We think you map out line that will meet
these requirements, and if so, you can get car
rier to deliver your mail daily. To argue to
the merits of the system is unnecessary; they are
self-evident. If you are interested, talk to your
neighbors about the matter, and write your Con-
gresham for further information. The carrier
gets fair salary, and if you find some one
who wishes to get the appointment as carrier, he
will probably make the canvass for signers to the
petition.
Next you ought to have library in your pub
lie school, It will be of incalcuable value in
deepening the interest of the pupils and in pro-
noting a love of reading. The last Legislature
as we have said before, appropriated $4,000 more
to aid the establishment of six more libraries in
each county; the way is open for you to
get valuable little collection of books for your
school-open now, even if you did make applica-
tion last year and found that you were too late
Raise $40 more by private subscription, SIC
will be set apart from the county school
fund, and the State will give you $40 from its
$4,000 appropriation-thu enabling you to begin
with at least $50 for the purchase of books Bet
ter start this movement Immediately, or you may
find that six more progressive neighborhoods
have reported first and exhausted the appropria
ton.