The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-05-16
NEED SMALL TOWNS
TIE BuLwARk AND THE HOPE
OF THE COUNTRY.
GENERALIZATION AS AN EVIL
Building Up Of Large cItiss with
Their Crowded and Disseminated
Population, One o. the Psrlls
That Menace Nation.

That Menace Nation.
There ara many country merchants
who see their trade gradually slipping
away from them---leaving the country
and going to the great cities by the
channel OF the mail-order trade, writes
George II. Maxwell In the Michigan
Tradesman.
There are many country editors who
sec the prosperity OF their towns de-
pleted and circulation and advertising
income reduced for the same reason.
There are very few, however. who
realize that their problem is a nation
al one, and that IL Is wrapped up In
and a part OF the great fundamental
question whether this nation shall be
perpetuated or shall be destroyed by
the physical degeneration OF human
ity. the social unrest. Industrial discon-
tent moral and political corruption
and class hatred bred In the city
slums and tenements and certain TO
eliminate in anarchistic crimes. riot
Gus mobs and all-destroying social up
continued period OF Industrial and
commercial depression.
The fact is that the upbuilding OF
the country town and suburban vii
iage, as an antidote and safeguard
against the poisonous social. moral,
physical and political consequences OF
herding millions OF our working people
together in the unnatural congested
life OF the tenements. is the one great
question that rises above all others in
Importance as problem thatthis ma
ton must solve. Unless II does solve
II, II will suffer death from human de
Importance as a problem that this ma
lions and civilizations that have risen
In the past only to be destroyed. Ours
will be likewise destroyed unless we
take heed in time.
The danger arises from the con-
gestion OF population in cities and
from nothing else.
The solution lies in checking the
further growth OF cities as the
homes OF industrial workers and scat
tering those homes into and among
suburban homecroft villages and in
country towns and rural settlements.
To do that, trade and industry must
be decentralized. Industries OF all
kinds must be established in the SUI
instead OF in the congested centers.
That Is something that requires an
organized campaign, but first II re-
quires a current OF right thought In
the minds OF the people.
II requires that everything should
be done that can be done TO hold in
the existing towns and villages the
trade that now naturally centers there.
Any part OF It, small or large, that
is diverted 10 any OF the huge central
mail-order concerns In the big cities.
and thereby taken away from the To-
cality where II originates and belongs,
is an influence that promotes Just
TO that extent the growth OF the evil
that is eating at the heart OF our ma
tional life. Whatever is needed 10 sup
ply the needs OF every household in
every rural community should be sold
over the counter OF local store and
not through the postoffice and the mail
trade.
Then comes the question OF the
growth OF towns and villages. There
is where the country editors and
merchants can help themselves Once
get II into the minds OF the whole
AmeriCll people that the salvation
of the union depends on the up
| building OF the country towns and
suburban villages-get the idea plant
cd and deeply rooted so II will grow
itself-and a thousand Influences will
enter the field and enlist for this groat
campaign for rural and country 70 n
and village development to check Q
oyergrowth OF cities with all its res Ut.
! ant evils.
II can not be done all az once. The
/ first thing Is 20 get public thought
actively aroused and turned into
\ right channels. There must be a COM
] plete common conception In the minds
\ OF millions OF people of this new ma.
tional ideal Then there must be unit.
ed. concerted and vigorous action 10
( realize that ideal The facts and ar
gAmcnts 10 support it must be dis
seminated through great educational
cnmpaim entirely separate and apart
\ from politics
Every country editor and country
merchant should 81 leader IN the
movement Ia his locality
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