Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-07-26
VIRTUE IN HARMONY
HOW COOPERATION OF THE peo.
PIE OF A COMMUNITY WINS.
STICKING TOGETHER COUNTS
Illustration Of Some Of the Good
Things In ciannishnsss ~ Found
In Some Agricultural, Dis.
triets.

Often Is heard protest against whnt
II called ciannishness among foreign.
ers who become citizens Of the United
States. II In claimed that they carry
old-country ideas with them to the
new land. and refuse to minEle with
other than their own nationality. In
defense of these foreigners who are
thus charged. II is but fair to say that
many OF them labor under the misap.
prshension that they are not looked
upon by the older American citizens
~ companionable. Often their lack
Of = knowledge OF the English Ian
suaSe makes their own class desir.
able associates. II will be observed
that In one or two generations condi.
tion changes and the children OF these
foreigners become thoroughly Amer.
icanized.
II would be well II some OF the
traits OF clannishness that are manifest
In foreign colonies be generally prac-
ticed throughout the United States. In
ls<S an effort was made TO coloniHe
land In Missouri with progressive
class OF German citizens. The events
Immediately following this effort. the
loss of one shipioad OF immigrants
and tho subsequent sunerinss Of the
newcomers. IL n matter OF history.
Hut undauntcd hundreds Of those who
at tina, time sought homes In the new
country. gained for themselves envi.
able places In the annals Of American
history. and they founded commu'
mites that may well be held up as
All. 40. h... .l...N n
conndc county. Missouri. n largo colony
OF these people sought homes. There
they titled the soil aud cultivated vine
yards They were OF one tongue and
OF one religious belief. n highly moral.
hard.work!ng people. and their aim
was TO found homes for themselves
and their progeny. To-day In Gas.
conadc county there Is more evidence
OF wealth. OF culture and harmony
amons the people than can bc found
In any like area Of tho United States.
From the founding Of the colony It
vas recognized that II progress be
made that the wealth produced by
members should be retained. Mills
were gradually built for tho convcr.
sion OF tho grain into dour. vino
presses were found on almost every
homestead. and towns were built.
Among tho nrs, institutions establish.
ed were schools and churches. and
these Today are prominent factors In
the moidinE Of the character OF the
people.
II was one OF the rules Of the col.
ony to assist one another. Each one
while working for himself and his
family. realized that II was TO his nd.
vantage TO pntronixe his neighbor.
Thus when the towns were started
and stores opened. II was made
rule that these stores be patronizcd
and that the storc.kccper be allowed
n fair profit for the goods he sold.
Tailor shops. boot and shoe makers.
soap makers. and even the brewers
of beer found their customers solely
among the members Of tho colony.
Although st. Louis was within few
hours ride. the members Of the colony
considered that the dollars kept In
the little town instead Of being spett
In st. Louis meant much for the ad.
vancement OF the place. As years
passed by members Of the colony be-
came prosperous. Families were
reared and children married. addition.
al homcsteads were secured and there
was q thorough cooperation among
all towards making life agreeable and
giving each member of the commu.
nifty means OF acquiring 4 compe.
tency. One Of the early undertak.
ings was the building OF macadamized
IA, xlst s. In.
in the best OF condition and have
proved a matter of economy to the
county. Schools and churches. which
at first were roughly built. have been
replaced with magnificent edifices
which are sources OF pride to the resi-.
dents OF tho community. Some OF
the small business places OF 40 or so
years ago have grown to be OF almost
national Importance. In fact all res
idents OF the community are inde-
pcndent, and q few of them posses
sors Of great wealth. How success
full they have been is shown by the
absence Of paupers In the county.
There are no public charges, neither
is there any great expense as to main
tanning q county jail.
This community is but one OF many
In the Mississippi valley and through.
out the west. Such communities have
been built up solely by the simple ad.
herence to cooperation among mem.
bers and following out Of the home.
trade principle. Members realized
that every dollar earned in the com
nunity and sent to some other place
robbed the community Of 10 much
wealth, and that this dollar ceased to
be factor in increasing the impor-
tance and progress Of the place. In
these communities are generally To-
Gated Touring mills. The output Of
these mills finds local sale and the sur.
nlua Ia asni IN Tho tmarkafa tn hrin1