Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-24
rsMsea OF rye ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOCAL LOYALTY.

LOCAL LOYALTY.
In the last issue Of Maxwelrs Tails
man appears the following argument
in favor Of local loyalty based on the
assumption that the community is a
social organism with interests SO in
terwoven that every individual profits
by loyalty to the community as
whole" H.: !
ssThe simple barbarism of primitive
man made each individual almost
wholly independent Of his fellows, ex-
cept as they might have to unite for
defense against attack from common
enemy. Modern society presents an
entirely different condition. Independ-
5ence has been succeeded by interde-
pendence. The complex conditions of
modern life make the individual more
and more dependent on his fellow
men. This increases the necessity for
a full recognition of the obligations of
each to the all. 1t likewise increases
the necessity for a clearer recognition
Of the BENEFITS that each derives from
the all The things without which life
in the country in these enlightened
days would be a dreary existence
roads, schools, churches, libraries,
electric cars, telephones, rural free de-
livery, and everything that combines
to make up the social life especially
In the smaller cities, towns and viii.
lagos within reach Of farm homes, can
not be enjoyed unless the community
1cooperates to. create and maintain
them }s,
Hence the community as a whole, in
SO far as its relations to all these
things necessary for enjoyment as a
community are concerned, must be
treated as one entire and indivisib1e
social organism. Anything that in
.creases its strength and wealth and
the number of people composing it, in
creases in a like degree its power to
serve the wants and needs of all as a
community vi.
Consequently everything that can
be done by every member of the com
munity to promote its general pros
perity and healthy growth and i'm
porvement should be done from a pure
" selfish standpoint, il from no other.
Each member of necessity participates
in the increased prosperity values, in
creased prosperity and general wealth
and increased social and educational
advantages.
This is true of the dWellers in the
adjacent country, on the farms, just
as much as of those living in the
midst Of the town that is the center
of social activity for the entire season.
The spirit Of cooperation and mutual
helpfulness for the common benefit in
which all must participate should in
cIude the farmers as well as the town
dwellers. The isolation and deadly
monotony of the old farm Life has fill
ed the insane asylums with farmers
wives and driven countless thousands
OF young men and women away from
the old farm home to failure and life
of unhappiness and disappo ointment in
the cities. These terrible drawbacks
to farm life have been or can be done
away with In any modern rural com
munity by uniting the farms and the
town into one loyal whole as a com
munity cooperating for the welfare OF
all The trolley, the telephone, the
rural free delivery, the consolidated
& school, good roads to nearby towns
s and neighbors and the entire social
q life of the town or village where the
farmer should trade are the new influ.
ences to make farm life the happiest
life In the world. But to enjoy these
benefits the farmer must be one OF the
community, and in exact proportion
that all who comprise it cooperate To
D make that community stronger and
weld It together more closely and keep
its accumulated capital and its trade
at home, Just TO that extent will each
enjoy the Increased dement's resulting
from such q policy Of loyalty to the
home community.
All should work together for the
Improvement of the schools; the es.
Establishment OF libraries, halls, and
churches; the Improvement Of roads;
the establishment Of new industries
and Increased prosperity Of those al.
ready established. and everything that
human activity can do to make q BET.