Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1911-07-06
Community Development.

man. These articles contain some
original and pithy ideas along this
line and We think they are well
worth a persons time 10 read them
in full. We have space for only a
few OF the best paragraphs:
Think over the communities
you know. How many are dis
tinguished by harmonious work in
the interest Of the common welfare?
How many have come to a realiza-
ton Of the absolute necessity Of CO.
operative efforts? And how many
are cursed with jealousy, envious
malice and friction? How often
have YOU heard business men say,
This town Is dead. There Is not
enough public-spirited men in it to
do anything for it, advancepent,
and what few there are can't get
together. Does it occur 10 you that
every business man in that town j.
apt to believe that he l. the only
public-spirited man in the place?
If apathy prevails there, is it not
directly traceable To the lack OF that
pride that enlists men shoulder to
shoulder in every work for the good
OF their community?
Retail merchants all over the
country have learned to look upon
the mail order houses as their COM
mon enemy. They realize that
they must fight for their existance.
They know that the retailer must
progress or lose to his big city com
petitor. If the mail order system
OF merchandising threatens to sap
the vitality of the small town, the
rural center-pride is the rallying
force that must win the fight
THE farmer is the backbone of
the average community. He is the
real producer Of wealth. He takes
out of the ground the materials that
serve to sustain the innumerable in
dustries. And generally he takes
great pride in his profession. He
vies with his neighbors in producing
the best crops his soil will grow
He selects and chooses and plans
for better stock, better grain, better
fruit, everything that will advance
his skill"
That the average small town
has neglected its contiguous popula-
ton is a fact. The town dweller
has fallen into the habit of believing
his way OF living places him on a
slightly higher social plane; that he
is trifle better than his farmer
neighbor. This is accentuated by
the fact that he is dealing with the
farmer and making a profit out Of
the farmer. This attitude is indie
feasible but it exists
THE small town is not a com,
munity. 1t must recognize the ag
riculturist-who grew the produc,
that first justified the building o
the freight siding as one of it
most important citizens and mem
bers. 1t must take him into full
confidence, must make him realiz'
that he is a partner in everything
pertaining to the welfare of tn,
town, which after all is only tn,
Hub of the community,-a hui
that is useless without the rest o
the wheel"
Merchants, farmers, profession
al men, these are the component
parts of the organized effort tha
spells success for the community
and they must be actuated mainly
by pride in their community"
Tear down the barriers that arr
dividing the community against it
self and united effort will protect i
against the inroads of every com
mon enemy. The community vii
win through pride, and the result
will be an era of greater prosperity
Of more evenly distributed advance
ment and of increasing nationa
solidity. For the community is the
red blood corpuscles of the nation
We have woven wire for stock,