Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-01-19
FIGHTING FOR PROGRESS.

m y HIS FARM JOURNAL John Fields ls making
fight Tor the parcels post bin that Is character
II istio Of the man lie knows that the objections
- urged against the measure are foolish and with
out foundation in fact and he says 30 We quote from the
current Issue Of that excellent paper
I'VE are told that parcels post in any form viii mean
ultimately the death OF the small town" time ago
Il talking with city builder" who especially
active in melting opposition to parcels post legislation
and asked him what he thought the cause Of Iowas
decrease In population during the past ten years why
he said nothing but the competition Of the mail order
houses and parcels post would make 1t all the worse
And being Interested in the development of small COM
munltcs rather than IN "cy building" l wondered If
what he said true and began investigations
found that the population Of the cities In Iowa had
increased ana that all Of the loss in the small country
communities And further found that the people who
live In these cities all have express service with cheap
rates from the great cities OF country, the rates
cured by the big shippers being about what decent par
cells post rates would be, while the individual pays en-.
ough more TO make tat dividends for the companies
with all of these "bghtng influences of cheap express
service these cities have in population And pre-
7umaby the people patronlze the local merchants and
thus encourage more growth But the rural towns and
communiucs protected by conditions which preserve
them from such "bIghng influences have lost in pop
uauon more than the cities have gained! People have
be working 10 make NE agreeable in the cities and
more dsagrccable in the country We listen to a lot Of
talk about improving rural conditions and having coun-
try schools which shall teach the children In terms Of
their daily lfc In the country" and all Of that But I'm
sti wondering why this express which city people
enjoy and with which cities Increase In population
shouldn't be extended through parcels post to those
who live in the country
And stlll think that country people ought to have
school system just like good as town and city
people have and that the state ought spend least
much money to encourage the development Of better
mentaY schools for country children does to en-
courage town-lot speculation In the Of institutions
for higher learning There's plenty OF space in the
Journal for those who wish combat these notions Of
mine with new arguments against them But regular
adv crtising rates viii be charged those who
peat the stock arguments Of the paid representatives Of
the express companies against the parcels post measure
now before congress And unless you farmers get busy
and proceed to make your influence right now while
congress and our legislature in session those who
think VIII continue getting the money and governing
those who toll Dot think you'u win by flocking by
yourselves and starting game into the pres
en game and follow the tactics by which the others have
been winning, And first convince the merchants in the
town where do business that what's to your interest
when they build tho whole community best,