The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-06-04
A TRIuNvlRATE
OF REAL EVILS
Factors Which Affect Well
Being Of Farmers.
Rad BOOK WORST ROBBER.

Weather, Books and Roads Contribute
Largely to the influences Of Rural
Life-Ail Are Factors In Favor OF
the Mail Order House and Against
Local Merchant.
copyrighted, 1914. by Thomas j. Sullivanl
Weather, books and roads contribute
largely to the influences Of rural life.
Bad weather and bad roads mean
books
md books they say are the light
houses erected in the great sea CT
time. They are masters who instruct
lis without rods or ferules, without
words or anger. without bread or
money. If you approach them they
are not asleep II you seek them they
do not hide If you biunder they do
not scold. IL you are ignorant they
do not laugh.
But the worst robber in all the
world is a bad book. 1t has long been
the devils policy to keep the masses
Of mankind in ignorance; but. finding
that they will read he is doing all in
his power to poison their books Now,
let's see what our rural friend is read
ing Oh. rara avis. Oh. book without
parallel in the history of commercial
destruction The book" is huge pic
torial. tricolored retail catalogue.
The catalogues of mail order houses
are a kind of leaky boat on the waters
of temptation: some Of the temptation
will get in anyhow.
Mud a Great Help Too.
What Ia more natural with gloom,
darkness, rain and mud surrounding a
farmer or suburban dweller, when to
venture forth means either sacrifice
of self or faithful horses, than for him
to turn to the aliuring catalogue for
both pastime and means OF procur-
ing the necessaries OF life? Thus 1t
can be seen that the third and best
factor in favor of the catalogue houses
is mud.
Man is measured by his deeds. and it
seems strange that after mastering the
art of reading the stars, discovering
the course Of the planets. controlling
the iron monster, the lightning. the
sea and the wind. man shows his in
ability TO conquer the one great prob-
lem which is proving such a draw
back TO the best expression OF his life
in rural districts as far as social and
CSnmercial conditions are concerned
j. roads seem to be his heritage. his
master.
conntry's sta ability is measured by
its agricultural Importance, as the
well being of nation is like tree
agriculture is it's root; industry and
commerce are its branches and it's life.
II the root be injured the leaves fall
the branches break away and the tree
dies Community pride begins where
agriculture leaves off, and both are
equal and inseparable in their impor-
lance to he Tiny. happy. successful
existence for man.
Blue Grass Roads Are Best.
1t is pleasure to drive through the
blne grass district OF Kentucky. where
they have what they call macadam-
lied iurnpikes. These roads are the
equal of any paved city street and
of course are passable at all seasons
of the year. They cost approximately
$4,000 per mile. The highways in Ken
lucky are from thirty to sixty feet In
width. 1t is estimated that were the
highways OF illinois regulated to fifty
feet $25,O0O.000 could be added to tie
wealth of the farmers of the state
That alone would build more than 5000
miles of road
Spend $t5o,ooo.ooo.
This country today has about 1885,
600 miles OF public highway on which
1t is estimated that the people of the
country are spending $150,O00.000 an
nually. Statistics say we also spend
S2o00O00.000 for alcohol. $4,000. 100000
for tobacco. and it is said that the
ladies spend 1865. O000OO yearly fos
candy. II I'LL this money could be ap-
propriated for road building we could
have a turnpike 10 the moon.
The principal cause OF the Roman
empires downfall was its neglect of
agriculture-the exodus Of it's men ana
women from the farm to the city. the
life there to be spent in extravagant
and riotous living. 20 TO any of our
cities today and view the extravagant
dress and general trend of life for
pleasure and you will feel that the old
Roman times are being repeated
1t would seem that the remedy lies
in building good roads, narrow IL ad-
visable. but 6rin and hard. and have
them all lead 10 your trading center
and to the doors OF your local mer-
chants Then on gloomy. rainy days
yon can do your marketing. and then
hack 10 the farm" without sacrifice to
self or injury to beast
Nothing tends TO make man a good
citizen SD much as cooperation with
his fellows. No man can live for him
self alone, SeliiShneSS leads nowhere
but 10 destruction, strife. bad feeling
and disorder. 1t is one OF the mean
est of all the vices.
The farmer and the town consumer
who patronize the retail catalogue
houses also assist materially in the de-
Stcnction Of the local market and trad