Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-04-18

10 sfNA AT the request OF u T.
Greeley Who expresses hope that the
suTgea'ions may prove Of worth 20
ne neN Agricultural committee %
ihe Chamber Of Com merce
The Commercial club OF Heuder-
son, Kentucky. set out b. build up
"a biz industrial center lts Nom
beers we're ambitious 20 make Hen
ders0n young Piitsburg. and they
began 10 advertise what they con.
sidered its unusual adyanta gees
Large billboards proclaiming the
rheapness OF mel. the exemption OF
reH enterprises from taxes and wa
ier rents FOR long periods. and ex-
optional traffic facilities we're erect
od along the railroad tracks. large
quantities. Of advertising literature
were circulated. and the towns cles-
crest talkers were sent 10 large cities
10 interview the prospective invest
ora
nut Henderson did not take on
the appearance 81 Pittsburg or d
Gary OF Birmingham. The place al
ready had a healthy growth. which
continued as 90 the past. but the
number OF smokestacks did not IN
crease at an appreciate rate
henderson T. the trade center Of
naturally fertile but poorly deyel-
1pcd agricultural section OF the
state For more than o hall a cen
Jury The farmers dragged along us-
.ug the methods OF their great
grandfaihers and barely eking out
skinny existence from the soil
that would have made them we'll
TODD had they gwen It half chance
They we're just like millions OF 9th
cr farmers scattered throughout
thn country. They did not progress
they merely drifted The town
VAS not altogether 20 blame for that
but b. missed ~ great opportunity
to us" Us money and its energy In
me promotion OF better agriculture.
The effort wasted IN trying 20 Sc
cure outside help 10 build up an IN
dus'rial city would nave worked
wonders among the farmers and.
Indirectly. IL would have helped
wonderfully IN the upbuilding Of
Henderson.
Bat the Commercial Club vas not
destined 10 follow a cold trail for
ever There came time recently
when IL decided 10 branch ont ia a
new direction and here you are in
PRODUCED 10 an enterprisinE Young
man on the clubs farm develop
ment committee, which mp 10 this
time seems 10 have been little DO any
more useful than the other commit
tees was a young newspaper man
named leigh Harris, who had come
from the corn belt Of northern hi
nOis ana pui a bankrupt evening
paper on ? ala&knnkps basis in
n comparaiiveg Wort time. Harris
spent vacation with relatives IN
Illinois. and while there he had q
good opportunity To contrast the up
to-dato methods OF Illinois with the
old-tashioned methods of western
Kentucky The contrast impressed
him deeply, and while be- vas think
Ing about II there came into his ac-
tive mind an inspiration
When Harris went back to Hen
derson he SAT down and wrote a let
ter to the Bureau OF Plant Indus
try IN the Department OF Agricul-
turc al Washington. tie asked II
Ia garm expert could be- employed
ed by the year at reasonable sal
AIRY, and n the Department could
give him an practical suggestions.
In three or four days he received a
reply assuring him that the hiring
OF scientifically trained agricul-
turist by the year was the very best
thing that q community like Hen
derson COUNTY could do they not
only. offered 10 help him find just
the right man for the position. but
agreed 10 pay half OF the salary
Then Harris began TO look around
for further assistance
he evolved the idea that some
large trade organization In big
city might b. Induced TO contribute
something Tor the carrying out OF
his plan Bankers. merchants. rail
road presidents. and men OF promi-
hence in other lines OF business were
talking about the necessity OF mod
eruizing farming in the less pro-
gressive States. so why should not
some of them he willing to spend a
little money 20 further the Hender-
son COUNTY scheme The first
large organization that bobbed up
In his mind vas the Chicago Board
OF Trade, ana he took advantage OF
his first opportunity TO go TO the
Windy CITY md find out what. IL
anything, IL aas willing TO do.
Putting OF good front. Harris
went 10 sowU OF the leading mem
beers of tho Board OF Trade and
stated his ease Yes. the idea was
all right thcs said. and the expert
ment might prove 20 be of national
importance 'larris carried back
with him an agreement TO donate a
thousand dollars a year for two
years 20 the General fund Of a farm
development organization
The next thing he did was 20 lay
his plans before the local CONNER
cial Club. and with the assistance OF
several fellow members. he enlisted
the cooperation OF the County Fis-