The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1912-01-06
TOWN UPBUILDING
Congested Population In Cities a
Menace to Country's Welfare.
MAIL ORDER PLAN RUlN0US.

Whatever IL Needed to Supply Needs
Of Households In Rural Communities
Should Be Bought Over the Counter
OF the Local Merchant.
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 hat their problem is a national
one and that it is wrapped up in end
a part Of the great fundamental ques-
ton whether this nation shall be per-
petuated or shall be destroyed by the
physical degeneration of humanity, the
social unrest, industrial discomfort. NOR
al and political corruption and class ha-
tired bred in the city slums and tene-
ments and certain to eliminate in In
archistic crimes. riotous mobs and all
destroying social upheavals as the re-
suit of some long continued period of
industrial and commercial depression,
reasons Maxwell's Talisman.
The fact is that the upbuilding of the
country town and suburban village as
an antidote and safeguard against the
poisonous social. moral, physical and
political consequences of herding nil
lions of our working people together IN
the unnatural congested life of the ten
ements is the n great question that
rises above all others In Importance as
a problem that this nation must solve.
Unless 1t does solve it 1t will suffer
death from human degeneracy-the
fate of so many nations and civilian
lions that have risen in the past only
to be destroyed. Ours will be likewise
destroyed unless we take reed in time.
The danger arises from the conges-
ton of population In cities and from
nothing else.
The solution lies in checking the fur
Their growth of cities at the homes of
industrial workers and scattering those
homes into and among suburban home
croft villages and In country towns
and rural settlements.
To do that trade and industry must be
decentralized. Industries Of all kinds
must be established In the suburbs Of
the cities or in the towns instead of IN
the congested centers. That Is some
thing that requires an organized cam
paign, but first 1t requires n current Of
right thought in the minds of the peo-
pie.
1t requires that everything should be
done that can be done to hold In the
existing towns and villages the trade
that now naturally centers there. Amy
part of It. small or large. that is d.
verted to any OF the huge central natl
order centers in the big cities and
thereby taken away from the locality
where It originates aud belongs Is an
influence that promotes just to that ex-
tent the growth of the evil that is eat
ing at the heart of our national life.
Whatever is required to supply the
needs or every household In every rural
community should be sold over the
counter of a local store and not through
the postoflce and the mail trade.
Then comes the question of the
growth OF own and villages. There
IS where the country editors and mer-
chants can help themselves. Once get
it into the minds Of the whole Ameri-
can people that the salvation OF the ua-
ton depends on the upbuildins Of the
country towns and suburban villages
get the idea planted and deeply root
ed so 1t will grow itself-nnd II thou
sand influences will enter the field and
enlist for this great campaign for rural
and country town and village develop
ment to check the oyergrowth of cities.
with all its resultant evils.
1t cannot oil be done at once. The
first thing Is to get public thought nc
lively aroused and turned into right
channels. There must be q complete
common conception In the minds Of
millions Of people Of this new national
ideal. Then there must be united. con-
certed and vigorous action to realize
that ideal. The facts and arguments
to support 1t must be disseminated
through a great educational campaign,
entirely separate and apart from poll
ties.