Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-06-05
A PLAIN DUTY.
That Lancaster Is Strictly an Agri-
cultural City Should be Borne
in Mind.

in Mind.
Many cities and towns owe their
existence, their growth and their
prosperity to manufacturing in
dustries, the proceeds of which
come frequently from distant points,
and almost invariably from beyond
their immediate neighborhood. This
furnishes the means of livelihood
not infrequently for hundreds OF
working people who make the
place their home and spend their
money there. A city thus has with
in itself that which brings wealth
from abroad to be distributed
throughout its neighborhood for the
purchase of the products of the
farms and this adds in turn to the
prosperity and wealth of the entire
community.
But Lancaster is primarily and
principally a country town, found
ed and built up for the convent
ence of the community tributary to
it, to provide for them a market
place where they can dispose Of
their surplus products, buy needed
supplies, and have that work done
which it is not convenient or Gus
tomarY to employ men to do on
the farm. 1t will prosper conse-
quently in proportion as it serves
this purpose and supplies satisfact-
Orily the demands of the country
which is or can be made tributary
| to it.
1t is therefore a simple business
proposition that in the management
of Lancaster public affairs the well
fare and the interests of the coun-
try around about should be kept
constantly IN mind. The merchant
who prospers most is he who most
closely studies the needs and the
tastes of his customers and most
fully supplies them. So Lancaster
will prosper in proportion as it fur
nishes the agricultural community
what it is in need of. Business men
have long recognized this, but it Is
open to question whether those who
are entrusted with the direction OF
the public affairs Of a municipality
always take the broader view and
have regard sufficiently to the rela-
/ ton in which the town stands to
the community. 1t is IN the power
Of the city council to invite country
trade and to furnish it with con-
veniences or to place restrictions in
the way of farmers securing them.
There can be no doubt as to what
it's duty Is in such case. Whatever
the farmers need the council can
supply, whether in the Improvement
of highways or other means of COM
municatlon or in the granting of
franchises or otherwise, it should
find means of furnishing them. No
class in the community is more
quick to discover or more ready to
resent Sights than the farmers. 1t
and can have if it goes after it right.
When the farmers become convinc-
ed by the action of those we have
placed in authority that we ap-
preciate the appearances of having
them regard Lancaster as their
natural and most convenient out
let and source of supply there will
be no thought of their assuming an
attitude of antagon1sm. The official
should be made to conform to the
business policy. With the Com
merclal club. the business men and
the city council acting together to
advance Lancaster's interests there
should be no question of evolving
policy which would result in MAX
ing the city serve in the most effec-
tive manner that purpose for which
it was founded.
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