Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-02-26

some much less. Now. this means a
large circulation of money, perhaps
S3O0, 600 or s4OO, 900 expended annually
by the farmers within five or six miles
of any small town. How and where
do they spend it? Is the town itself
such as to impress them with the feel
ing that it is the real heart of their
community? Is it a pretty town, u
beautiful town, in which they cannot
but feel Just pride? Has it wide.
well kept streets and good roads lead
ing into it over which it is Il delight
to drive either with light buggy or
a heavily laden wagon carrying Il load
ofproduce to the market? Has it long
rows of shade trees and some public
parking to make it attractive: Are
it's citizens taking pride in making
their own grounds and yards beauti-
ful and their houses vine covered and
not commonplace? In short, is it such
a pl: c. as a man may be glad to visit,
to patrOniZe and to call "his town"
and where as he retires in later years
from the active work of farm life he
may move or look forward to moving
into and becoming himselfa resident?
TIE poorer classes of Italian and
Chinese labOrers earn their wages in
our country and send it away-to their
homes. For that reason they are not
desirable citizens. The member of
the community who sends his money
out of the community either for in-
vestment or to purchase the necessi-
ties and luxuries of life is pursuing
course as detrimental to the commu-
nifty as does the foreigner who sends
his money away. And he is acting
ag ainst his own best interest. Take
the outlaying farms of any small
town. They will not have to be en-
ceptionally rich to produce half a mil
lion dollars value from the soil in a
year over and above the home con-
sumption. Can any one doubt that
with that sum flowing through the
heart OF the community year after
year the heart will not strengthen and
grow - double and he able to send
back through it's channelsa stream of
prosperity and increased value to the
farms out of which it is the growth,
that the entire community will not be
stronger? The community will be-
come a better place to live, in both the
town and country section. The town
will afford Il better market for sale of
the products Of agriculture, and it
will be Il better place in which to buy
things. 1t will have better schools.
more churches, and if the spirit of To-
cal civic improvement is fOstered it
will become constantly more beauti-
full. more attractive, more influential.
With the spirit of cooperative effort
stimulated in Il community, great
things have been accomplished.
Through persistence in pulling to-
gether communities have forged ahead
and passed other communities with
far greater natural advantages where
the spirit Of cooperation has been
dormant.
The man who has pride in his home
town and who, ii he does not meet his
ideal, works and thrives to arouse en-
thusiasm in Others to make it such is
the best Of citizens. Ieis worth dol
lars to the community. He may be
advancing his own interests, but he is
likewise increasing the market value
Of the community. lie is helping his
town. the heart of the community.
and therefore the community. He is
entitled to the support Of it's citizens.
their enthusiastic support and Coop
GRAFTON.