The Huttig news., 1908-02-15
PROTECT THE HOME
NATURAL LAWS EVIDENCED IN COMMUNAL RELATIONSHIP,
PRACTICES THAT DESTROY
Necessity for Harmonious Co., pera- tion If the Highest Interests of the People of Community Be
 Best Subserved.


 to fraternize in a protective as well as in social way. Primitive man il- lustrated high type of individualism Examples of his methods can be found in the barbarous, wandering tribes in some sections of the world to-day. AS far as possible, he existed independent of his fellow creatures. Like the wild animal, he tracked down his prey and subsisted the best he could. A natural law binds together creatures of certain types. As intel Hgence in man developed, sense of interindependence directed that tribal methods of living in community be put in force. This was necessary for self-protection and for defense against attacks of common enemies.
 As far back as evidence can be found relative to mans existence, there existed resident places core spending to our present "home towns" With the advancement of civilization, methods of living became revolution ized.. One resident of a community found that his interests were best sub- served by dependence upon other merbers and by closeco-operation with them. In modern life, there are many complex conditions which make neces- sary the recognition of obligations of one person to another. The small city or town of to-day affords an illustra. tion of the highest type of communal relationship. Here is found ideals as to cooperation and full recognition of the necessity of harmonious labor, not for self alone, but for others of the community. It is by this co-opera- ton that the highest type of society is built up. It is by this harmonious action that churches are builded, schools maintained public libraries for the enlightenment of the people supported, roads kept in condition and all conveniences for mutual inter- change in the social and commercial life recognized as necessary.
 A town cannot in itself exist. It must draw the subsistence for it's peo- pie from the surrounding country. The basis of the city or town is agri- culture. The growing of food stuffs must be in order that people shall live. An agricultural town of thousand population cannot exist by itself alone, but must draw it's support from the contiguous territory. Those residing upon the farms find the town an es- sential to their welfare and enjoyment. Thus community must be consid- cred an entire and indivisible social or ganization, in which each member participates in whatever prosperity and general advancement exists with in it. Thus we find that all compris ing the community have equal inter- est in increasing it's prosperity, it's wealth and all it's moral, social, edu- cational and commercial advantages This participation is not exclusive to those residing within the limits of the town, but must be enjoyed by the resi- dents and the workers on the adja- cent farms and all who labor within the radius of which the town is the center. Perforce of this, the town be- comes the apex of the social activity as we'll as that of business nature And the social and the commercial are so entertwined that one is necessary for the other.
 A spirit of mutual cooperation should permeate all of community Each and every one comprising the communal organization of a district has equal interest with the others There can be no affair important to the townspeople but which is also i'm portant to the farmers and others of Qhe community; and there can be no affair of interest to the dwellers in the rural district but is of equal import to the residents of the towns.
 How desolate, how monotonous and how isolated is the life on the farm without a home town. In human kind social instincts are predominating. Unless social desires are gratifled there is despondency. The records of our insane asylums prove that from the isolated farms, where social in tercourse through certain conditions is most restricted comes the majority of inmates of these institutions. With out social intercourse intelligence is benumbed and ignorance prevails. Then how important it is to the resi- Q6nCS OI rural ulSCTlCIS that the prOS- perity of the home towns be encour- aged. There is the social feature, the educational, the moral and religious, and as important as any and most es- sential for the highest perfection, is the business relations. The more prosperous the home town the more prosperous are the farmers residing within it's trade radius, because the livelier the town the better the home markets.
 There are complications in the busi- ness world today and the building up of systems of business that interfere with the highest development of the small cities and towns. Railroads, telegraph, telephone, rural delivery all has tended towards enhancing life in the country But these means have also encouraged business methods that work against the higher development of community interests. In order that the home town exists, there must be