The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-05-21
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
The TOWN BUILDER.

People are queer5 there is no doub
about that, aud they are - queer i
Que section Of tic country as in an
other.
The town Of Beatrice Neb. is de
termined to rise TO greater heights
OF usefulness and fame. and IN o.
der to interest the people in the sub
ieci Of municipal Improvement, an ora
ior from a distant city was imported
That idea in itself is queer but dis
tiuctly human III all parts OF the
world the theory exists that thing
that comes FROM distance is better
than thing produced at home; an
oily-tongued stranger from the other
end Of the country must be better
worth listening to than citizen Of our
own town II is because Of his theory
that we insist upon having flour that
is manufactured in Minneapolis Or
Kalamazoo: 1t is because Of this the
ory that a stranger with side-whisbers
and plug hat can sell us gold bricks
Or mining stock, when we sternly re-
fuse to invest fifty cents in legiti-
mate home enterprise
The stranger arrived at Beatrice and
made a helpful talk 10 a remarkably
large audience AS 1t cost nothing to-
hear the address, everybody went The
front seats were occupied BY the town
tightwads, who aDplauded every sug
gestion that eEtailed no expense
There are many tightwads in Be
atrice. as there are In most towns
they are men who spend most Of their
time collecting rent from tenants. and
the rest Of their time protesting
against everything that viii add one
min to their taxes.
Many Of the seats were occupied by
merchants who never spend cent
with the newspapers for advertising
When the gifted orator took crack
at the mail order houses. these mer-
chants were fairly frantic IN their en-
thusiasm; but when he suggested that
all Beatrice merchants should spend
two per cent Of their receipts for ad
yertising. they left ini disgust Most
Of the merchants Of that town are OF
the non-advertising description; a few
leading ones publish their announce
meuts in the newspapers every day
and make special efforts to attract Gus
toners from the rich and prosperous
farming country that surrounds the
town, and the tightwad merchants try
to profit By the enterprise Of their
ncighhors Similar small potatoes are
found ID every town.
But the queer part Of this little in
cident a Beatrice was the fact that
The speaker made a great hit, and after
his departure there was much whole
sale enthusiasm, and various improve
meat societies were formed, and the
local papers printed pictures Of large
red roosters in decollette costume, and
urged everybody to get out and do
some boosting instead of roosting,
This is queer because the speaker or
fered no good suggestion that had not
been advanced a hundred times BY
local newspapers That is always the
way. The newspapers are the hewers
Of wood and drawers Of water; they
bear the heat and burden Of the day,
whooping it UP for their town an the
year round, and nobo9y pays any at
tention 70 them: and then stranger
with pink side-whiskers and a stand.
ing collar comes TO town ana draws
a hundred bones far handing out, for
an hour, the same advice the editors
hase been handing out for years.
Il reminds the Innocent Bystander
Of ne hardworking clergyman. who
labors might and day to bring people
70 the straight and marrow path. put
ting all he has Of strength and sin
certify and inspiration into the work
to accomplish beggarly results; and
thep along comes converted conlor-
Zionist Of junk dealer who pfeaches
slangy sermons in tent. ana Is and
behold the SINNERS fail over each
other TO reach the mourncr's bench
Many Of the suggestions Of the
stranger at Beatrice were silly and
childish One was that citizens Of
the town 90 to New YORK or Chicago.
and other Eastern cities ia the fall.
ana parade the streets. carrying the
lonecst cernstalks they could find The
speaker didn't guarantee them immu.
uiiy tfum arrest by the foolish factory
authorities of shoee cities.
Auother suseestion was that tbe