Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1907-09-07
STAND BY YOUR TOWN
Why 1t Is Right and Proper to
Spend Your Money at Home.
SUGGESTIONS TO FARMERS.
Strong Argument For Patronizine the
Local Merchants Instead of Sending
Your Money to City Mail Order

Your Money to City Mail Order
Houses-Where Your interests Lie.
The curious question, is ii right to
trade at homcf" is answered in the
following manner by writer in Il
recent issue of the New England
Grocer:
II is the right thing to do, for, after
rll, the fundamental question in every
transaction is whether 1t is right or
wrong-not will | save it, but Is it
just? Not is it more convenient, but is
1t fair? Not whether l gain. but is it
right In principle?
The town as local market is worth
at least $40 year to the ordinary
farmer. OF course the town does not
donate him that amount The town
was not built for philanthropc pur
poses alone, yet he receives an actual
cash benefit because the town is here,
and he is under actual financial obliga
lions to return that benefit 10y leaving
his money with the home town. 1t is
not an obligation that the law would
recognize. but is one that appeals to
those clean hearted men of high honor
who tell that perfect honesty demands
that when benefits are received from
stranger or brother, friend or foe. bene-
fits stand to be returned
1t is right for the country to spend
its money with the home town because
OF the social obligations between them.
The town is the center of your com
munity. From 1t DIVORCES your rural
mail service. In 1t center your tcle-
phone systems. On the streets of the
town you meet your ncighborS during
the week and exchange news and cX-
perienCe. You 20 to it for recreation,
for throughout the winter lecture
course you hear great orators and high
grade musicians. The political rallies,
the church conference. summer Chau-
tauqua or associations are held there.
Then some day in the pretty little
church, whose spire you can see from
your home, your son will preach the
gospel In the brick building three
doors from the corner farmer lad
will open up a law office, and in the
little frame building some blocks away
another son from the soil just home
from college, will begin the practice of
medicine
There is the high school to which
you send your children, and then after
awhile your daughter will teach. And
by and by when you find the farm
work has grown heavy for your age
and you want to be near your children
you will build on some grassy corner
lot not far from the church and be-
come one Of the honorable town pco-
pie.
Yes, the town is Il mighty good thing
to have, a convenient thing, and Of
course, like all good institutions, the
more YOU put into it the more you get
out of it. 1t grows according to the
trade you put into it, and the more it
grows higher Will grow the prices on
your land. You know a good town
where there is plenty of work for car
penters, bricklayers and maSons,
plenty of work for everybody at good
wages, is worth many times as much
as the little village where the mcchan,
ic and stOrekeeper play marbles in the
street
There is still another and stronger
reason why the country people spend
their money at home, the moral OBJ
legation. The town Is yours, yours to
ruin or prosper. The same sense of
obligation should prompt you to sup
port II as prompted our Tcutonic an
cestorS In the forests Of Germany to
stand elbow to elbow IN protection of
their village. The same spirit of 10y
atty should inspire You as fired the
highland Scot to shed his blood for
the welfare of his clan. The country
town, with all It's faults, is rightly gov
erned, best enlightened, most moral
and the happiest spot in civilization
It's good safe place, not too fast
nor yet too slow. 1t is the place from
which spring most all great business
men, lawyers, scholars, physicians.
and the place where men are helpful
and nelghborly.
To the city belong the mail order
houses and the trend of evil With its
corrupt government, overflow of pOpu-
lation and its depravity, the great city
Is the menace of our morals and our
liberties The city, like the dragon.
swallows the vast throngs of country
Cirls and boys that flock into it and
tOoner or later, when health and virtue
and hope are gone, spews them out to
die In want or wander as derelicts
over the face of the earth. The town,
my farmer friend, Is yours, and don't
you see that when you take the money
from the country town you destroy the
chance of success there and the boys
and girls will follow where you have
sent the money?
This town of yours was founded on
faith In the customs of men for hun
dreds Of years to trade at the near
est town. They put their all in their
business-time, money and hope. Their
success or failure Is in your hands.
For your trade they will give you good
returns, and all will prosper together.
They work hard-you scarcely realize
how hard-and have pinned their faith
TO the town. Even if you could save
a little by sending away your patron
age, don't you think 1t the fair thing,
the right thing, to trade mt your own
home town with those you know, those
whose prosperity and happiness you