Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-11-02
HOLDING ON To TRADE
What Country Newspapers Can
Accomplish In This Line.
AROUSE PUBLIC THOUGHT.
Teach the People to Overcome Abuses
Founded In Capitalization Of Popu.
Iation and Trade In Large Cities.
Build Up Interest In Home Towns.

cago says that his sermons are transi-
tory and unsatisfactory in effect. "a
ermon," he says, mo matter how
good, is like water that is poured
through sieve. 1t is the constant
hammering that produces results upon
the hearts Of men; not what Is learned
today or tomorrow, but what is alb
sorbed; a note this week and note
next which strikes a responsive chord
in the hearts and lives Of the different
members of my congregation, no two
Of whom are alike in temperament, all
Of whom require different treatment"
If we are going to preach sermons,
we must preach them regularly, not
alone from the columns of a trade
magazine, but from the forum where
the people assemble. And the words
must be uttered by those whom the
people know, those in whom they have
confidence and to whom they will pay
attention.
We all realize how important it is
that the tendency toward centraliZa-
ton of population and trade shall be
overcome and the tide, now flowing
out, be turned and made to flow in.
Those cities which become overpOp-
ulated and Overprosperous at the ex-
pense of the prosperity and size of
surrounding country towns and vii
lagos are like cancers, says Hardware,
which impoverish the blood and grad
ually devour the vital spark Of our So
cial life. We have seen this work in
all ages. History brings us many in
stances where through Capitalization
Of power civilization has become can
cerous and rottcd to its ultimate de.
cline.
Will the lessons we should have
learned from history suffice to point
the way by which we may escape the
pitfalls?
If we grow i'll, shall we persist in
treating our systems with strong medi-
cines when deep breathing and the
proper diet would soon restore us?
If in the course Of time our cities,
through absorbing a greater and great
er portion of the population which
comes to our shores, shall establish
unhealthy and unnatural standards of
life, shall we persist in treating the
sore spots instead Of purifying the cir
culation and building up the system?
Let us not wait until that time, but,
rather, anticipate the evils which CEN
tralization is bound to bring upon us.
Who will be responsible for this CEN
tralization? The people themselves.
How will it be overcome? By edu-
eating the people. And who shall edu-
cate the people?
There is one best way to reach them,
and that is through the newspapers.
The newspaper is the greatest power
for enlightenment which has ever
blessed this globe.
Newspaper editors have a great re-
sponsiblity. as they are charged with
the task of molding public opinion.
There are hundreds and thousands Of
them who have done a great work In
this line.
For some months Hardware has been
striving to awaken the hardware trade
to realization Of the opportunity
means of teaching the people and over
coming abuses which have their foun-
dalton in the Capitalization Of trade In
the large cities.
Slowly, gradually other publications
have awakened to the Importance OF
our plan. Retail associations have tax
en- it up.
George II. Maxwell editor of Max
wells Taisman, says in his paper:
"There are many country merchants
who see their trade gradually slipping
away from them, leaving the country
town and going to the great cities by
the channel Of the mail order trade.
"There are many country editors who
see 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 national
one and that it is wrapped up in and
part of the great fundamental question
whether this nation shall be perpetu-
ated or shall he destroyed by the phys
ical degeneration of humanity, the so
cial unrest, industrial discomfort, moral
and political corruption and class ha-
tired bred in the city slums and tene-
ments and certain to eliminate in an
archistic CRIMES, riotous mobs and all
destroying social upheavals as the re-
suit of some long continued period Of
industrial and commercial depression.
1.-THE fact is that the upbuilding OF
the country town and suburban vii
lage as an antidote and safeguard
against the poisonous social. moral.
physical and political consequences of
herdng millions of our working peo-
pie together in the unnatural congested
llle Vi tne tellenents IS lhe one great
question that rises above all others In
Importance as problem that this ma
ton must solve. Unless it does solve
it, it will suffer death from human de-
generacy-the fate Of so many nations
and civilizations that have risen in the
past only to he destroyed. Ours will
be likewise destroyed unless we take
heed il time.
"Then comes the question or the
growth of towns and villages There
g. alttnrs and mpr-