Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-07

We believe that the patriotic slogan
of the whole people of this nation
shold be Every Child in Garden
Every Mother in a Homecrost- and
Individual Industrial Independe for
Every Worker in a Home of his Own
on the Land and that until he has
such home, the concentrated pur-
pose and chief inspiration to labor in
the life of every wageworker should be
his fixed determination. to Get an Acre
and Live on it,
We believe that the slums and tene-
ments and congested centers of popu-
lation in the cities are savagely de
teriorating social moral and political
influence, and that a great public
movement should be organized and the
whole power of the nation and states
exerted for the betterment of all the
conditions of rural life, and to create
and upbuild centers of social and civic
life in country and suburban towns
and villages, where every family shall
have its homecroft, and where trade
and industry shall be so firmly an
chored that they cannot be drawn in
to the commercial maelstrom that is
now steadily sweeping industry and
humanity into the vortex of the great
cities.
In the great national movement to
q which the Talisman is devoted, the OBJ
3ect of which is to spread the fast in
creasing population Of this country,
more evenly over the country, and re-
lleve the congestion of the oyergrown3
cities, and restore the balance OF the
population to the land, every influence
that void be Immediately and directly
benefited, financially and practically,
not only in the future, but today as
We'll, should be united as an organic
ing and motive force in the movement.
The last paragraph quoted above
from the creed and platform Of the
aiisman sets forth tersely and
strongly evils and dangers to be COM
batted from social and purely patri-
otto point OF view.
The situation referred to in that
paragraph, however, issone Of .tremen.
dous import from practical and busi-
ness point Of view. I.
II involves the question whether, on
the one hand, to an enormous and con.
SANITY growing extent, the trade Of
tine country merchant in the towns
ana villages shall remain where it IL
ana continue to constitute a vital
force IN the development Of the life e
those towns and villages, or whether
On the other hand, the tendency
mat Is dragging everything into the
large cities shall prevail and The
lrade and occupation Of those engaged
70 = be transplanted to some great
1 city. az e go lss
ne profound mistake which the
country merchant and the iobter wbo
sells him goods have made il t1,e pas ,I
70 dealing with this great question
mas been that they have treated Il 81
8 9 pure question Of trade comnetit,on
between the country merchant and ii
mail order system.
e Y much broader question than
that. 'tae.1'
ne Danger Of Mail Order Business
me real problem goes to the YER,
neart OF the most portentous soc;a !,
and political questions that confron,
1ne people Of this nation today. The
question involved is one Of the IA
ce sil ton Of trade, Industry AM
population and the maintenance Il ,
proper balance Of population in thu
country.
n fifty years we shall have tWt
hundred million peopls.
II the destiny OF the future ID a,,a
me proportion Of population il n,
cities shall continue to increase q,
me eorrespo ending depopulatfon Of ii,
country proceed In the same propor
alon, the day that sees two I1undre,
million people in this country viii IL,
cities grown beyond all possibility :
control or right social deyelopment
ana the country transformed I'M,
great factory farms operated by n,a
cnlnery, and cursed beyond hope 8
remedy by the evils Of land monopoIv
Every merchant who is forced 81,
q business IN the country ~ the con,
petition Of the mali order trade ,,a,a
tens the coming Of that day. ana I
nelooyes every thoughtful influence /,
LABOR e check that wrong tendency !,
the currents Of trade. 8
IT 1s not to be expected. 1owavar
snat country merchants and woI,1esaI4
1obbers can be quickly brought q &.
z tnis broader side Of what they nav.
been accustomed to regard ag ! I'M.
question or eay,1nox III 49,, g.. = 3 gSls