Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-06-13
ARMERs..
Town Commercial Clubs Should invite
Them to Become Members,

tu0m 20 become MEMBERS.
Development of home Industries was
the topic of conversation between two
men In a small city of the middle west
on a recent occasion. One was a local
business man and the other a stranger,
who had Travelled extensively through
the section, frequently stopping over
night at farmhouses. The town resi-
dent had remarked that the local COM
mercial club seemed to be working
hard enough to get outside industries
to locate in the place, but such home
industries as they had were not al
ways properly supported.
"What's the use," he asked, "to boom
the town with the view of inducing
new industries to come here, when so
many of our own citizens, and particu-
larry the farmers who live around here,
are %patronizing the big city mail order
houses so largelyY
lis your commercial club doing INV
thing for the farmers?" inquired the
traveller.
The business man looked puzzled.
He replied that he didn't exactly see
the point.
"What can we do for the farmers?
We've got to look out for ourselves"
he said.
The other q smiled broadly.
why, my dear man." he said, don't
you know that one way Of looking out
for yourselves Is to get the farmers in
line and increase their interest in their
home town? How many farmers, for
instance, are members of your COM
mercial club?"
"Why, none at all. Our club is made
up of town business men. L never
heard of any board of trade or bust
ness mems club that included farmers
in the membership. Where did you get
that notion?"
ooh, l got it from going about in the
country quite a bit and Observing" re-
piled the other. "This town is sup
ported chiefly by its outlying agrlcul-
tural interests, isn't it? You wouldn't
have any town here if it were not for
the fine farming section that surrounds
you, would you"
"Well, no; l should say not. Farm
ing is the chief industry around here"
Every true. Then you certainly
should interest yourselves In your own
chief home industry to the extent Of
INVITING tho 70 yr,nrc, fo M o~oro%o r,3AI,
you In your commercial club. 1t Is the
farmers interest to have the town
grow. He gets a better market for his
produce as the town to which he hauls
1t Increases in population. Why, then,
Is he not just about as deeply interest
ed in the growth of the town as is the
merchant or the manufacturer hereY"
swell, / reckon he ought to be-" ad-
mitted the business man.
but you are ignoring the farmer.
He would take a livelier interest in the
town If the town should take Il live
lier interest in him. AS 1t is now he
probably thinks you folks are too up
pish for him. You should invite him to
join your commercial body and make
him feel at home with you. His inter-
ests are your interests, and vice versa.
l stopped overnight with q farmers
family not far from here this week
and was somewhat surprised to find
him rather inclined to knock our
town. He said that the town people
never really took him or his family
into Fellowship, and he could see no
reason why he should do all his trad
ing with your merchants. He said he
was patronizing the mail order houses
whenever he could, If he thought there
was any chance Of a bargain. Now,
why don't you get a few representa-
live farmers In your commercial club
and let town and country work to-
gether? 1t would pay. l am sure"
"Not a bad suggestion" said the
business man. "Ill take the matter I'D
at the next meeting of the commercial
club, and I've no doubt it will go
through. 1 don't think any of the
members have given any thought to
this idea at all. Like many other good
things, it hasn't occurred to us. 1 can
see now that cooperation in some Off
cial way between the farmers and the
town business men is a strong point in
building up home trade and combating
the outside influences which are TAX
ing away a good deal of the money
that should by right be spent here"
Effect Of Leaking Gas Upon Trees.