The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-08-06

county, April &c, 1868, and having
just passed his fortieth birthday.
He is a true son of the soil and re-
ceived his early education in the pub
JIG schools of Columbia county and
in the Orangeville Academy His
early bent was toward business
life, and upon leaving school he
spent short period in farm work.
Displaying more than average man.
aging capacity at the early age of
10, he was employed as assistant in
the management Of a mercantile and
Gumber business with small distil-
lery attached.
The business grew and prosper
ed under his management, and In
f901 the distillery was incorporated
eparately, the future Congressman
becoming the head of the concern
1t is now one of the largest in the
state, and pays to the Government
a revenue Of a half million dollas
in internal taxes upon its an
nual output.
Mr.. NIcHenry's distinguished trait.
however, consists in his recognition
of the principle that the prosperity OF
an individual business concern in any
community depends largely upon the
average prosperity OF the entire COM
Snunity and upon the cultivation of
q proper spirit of cooperation among
oil the members thereof. It has been
'he chief work Of his active life to
interest his neighbors and make
them rart OF every enterprise which
could be fostered to increase the pow
er and influence of the community.
His first achievement in this direc-
tion was the organization OF Co
operative department store at Ben.
ton. wsS~c. -. .r..,. - iAAs -
Another evidence Of the place ne
had achieved in the confidence OF
his neighbors was furnished when
ihe people Of northern Columbia es-
tablished a national bank at Benton
and elected lin, although one OF the
youngest stockholders, its presi-
dent.
The success Of the Benton Nation.
al Bank led Mr.. McHenry to suggest
TO the State Grange that the farmers
of Pennsylvania could free them
selves from the periodical stringency
dn money affairs due to the specula-
tive panics which from time to time
occur in the great financial centres
Ny establishing chain of Grange
Banks in the State. The idea appear.
,ed reasonable and it's application
feasible to the Grange leaders, and
Mr.. McHenry was invited to inau.
gurate the system. This he did, and
already dozen banks of this kind
have been established or are in pro-
Cess Of organization. The effect OF
this system of Grange Banks Is to re-
tain the surplus money Of each COM
munlty in the community itself, to
ibe employed for the handling of
crops, the promotion of local indus
trial enterprises and the attraction
OF trade to the neighborhood, instead
of being drained away, as has been
too often the case heretofore, to the
great speculative money centres, leav
ing the communities from which it
was drawn without sufficient funds
for the transaction of local business
whenever from any cause a none
,tary stringency arose In financial
centres.
This plan OF local banks, establish
ed for the purpose of promoting local
industries and rendering each COM
munity financially independent Of
Wall street or any other speculative
financial combination, has grown pop
ular in Pennsylvania and promises
to extend nto all the rural communi-
ties of the United States, and the
credit Of originating 1t and putting
it in successful operation in Pennsyl.
vania belongs to Congressman Nc.
Henry. If he had accomplished moth
ing else, this achievement should
prove an enduring monument 10 his
public spirit. integrity and business
capacity.
MIR. McGIenry was born in Demo
| cratic county and has consistently
aligned himself in poht1cs with Aia
Democratic neghborS. When only 81