The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-07-26

chty possible reneT nom sefy poor
service.
Under the proposed parcels post
the United States would cut of thx
farmers present mail delivery service
the carrier carrying only stamped
packages. The farmers, too, would
pay a large share OF the enormous
amount of postal deficit, probably
from 100000 to $4,000. 900 in its
entirety.
And the farmers son, fairly well
content to stay on farm near
growing town where he can see a bit
Of life, grows restless and i'll at ease
with nothing at the Corners" except
an agent c. two for maiI-order houses
a tobacco shop, restaurant and a
milk depot. He wants to see some
thing Of life. He yearns to go to the
city and become famous. He knows
he can do because he feels strong
and capable and able to hitch his
wagon to star-and here's wishing
him luck, IL he goes. But we cannot
all be famous. Some of us must be
plain hewers of wood and drawers Of
waterand there is that bread line.
And the yicissitudes and trials the
boys go through before they swallow
their pride and admit failure, are tor
turing. The boy who comes to the
city to succeed should have a good
physique, good education and good
mother. He viii need all three.
And if the country town is injured
by the neutrality-suspicious. propa.
ganda the high schools and colleges
Of the country towns viii suffer and
go under-where. then, will the poor
boy get the proper education to help
him in the city?
To be sure, he can come without
training. The city Is filed with men
of this kind today. They live in the
tenements and exist after a fashion,
rearing progeny of which the least
said the better.
The place for the poor man is in
the country and legislation that forces
him to the city is corrupt and mex
cusable. The senator who votes for
parcels post is no friend Of yours and
he is a downright menace to your
children-for upon them will fall the
consequences of this unfair system.
The editor Of the Constantine
(Micn.) Advertiser says:
The census returns indicate that
the large cities are increasing in pop
ulation while the small towns OF the
country are barely holding their own
or decreasing, so that it is evident
that the drift of population is toward
the large cities. Population always fol.
lows trade. Too much Capitalization, Ell
Their in government or in cities, is a
bad thing. Village life and the eiti.
zenship developed by it constitute the
only hope for the perpetufty of the
free institutions Of this country. The
most grave and serious dangers that
now menace our future, result from
the overgrowth of the large cities and
the consequent degeneration Of the av.
erage citizenship of the nation On the
/ place of the plain people, whose coun-
! try environment has made them stable.
/ steady-handed, self-reliant and indie.
( pendent in thought and character, We
would have the volatile city multitude
"a floating population anchored to
nothing, owning no real estate OF
| property, and blown about by every
breeze Of popular prejudice or passion
ready for any rash experiment, So
cial or political"
Do you realize the truth of these
statements? Do you know what the
life in the cities is doing to the once
7 sturdy physique of Americans? Do
/ you know the percentage of lives lost
| through ills directly traceable to the
close contact of life in the metropolis
Do you realize how this will in time
write its own blight upon your chill
dren and your children's children?
Awake, you sleeping people of the
pleasant, peaceful communities. Sher.
idan rides today to warn you of a
greater danger than that which beset
you in the days of different kind of
wari
| Awake and kill the parcels-post bill
for it is at your very throat To
day-now-is the time to act!
RO0nM thfEE