The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-06-18
Community Building.

community DulIulHS'
Community building by chautau-
qua talent is a logical work. The
chautauqua itself is supported by
the small centers, and hence chau-
rsnuuans are naturally interested.
Community building is an educa-
alon that the rural communities
need. Mr.. Longs address on the
subject the other night was very
happy elucidation of the sentiment
al side of the question, but how far
did it go into the practical phases?
Perhaps many of his hearers think
he has covered the subject. Now,
our chautauqua friends, if they are
coming to educate us, should have
no reservations in the mater May
be they haven't but will the refer
ences made by Mr.. Long answer for
all the ills or majority of them that
act as a deterrent to community
building?
1t is we'll enough to refer to the
wanderers, those who see the bag
of gold at the end of the rainbow,
and never return. But if we get in
to the actual business conditions are
there not other things operating
against community building? Why
should a railroad company charge
$50 only to haul car load of auto
mobiles hundreds of miles from De
troit to Paducah and $50 more for
the same car load of machines sixty
miles from Paducah to Union City?
May we ask, is that stimulant to
community building? The same car
can be handled as thru freight to
Union City just as well as to Padu-
cab. Why, we ask, is manufacture
ing enterprises leaving the small
communities? Is it because the boys
and girls are leaving? That we
know is bad enough. Or is it due
in a considerable measure to the
present transportation and CONNER
cial conditions? Will the chautau
qua friends wade in and take up the
question without gloves, or is it the
better part of judgment to lay low.
There are some hard, cold facts con-
nected with this matter. Railroad
companies are permitted, even by
sanction Of the Federal courts in
some cases, to serve their patrons
with tariff schedules that are mani
testify unjust to the smaller towns
or community centers. Stating the
case very plainly, why should not
car load of freight be brought to
Union City from st. Louis as thru
freight at a smaller charge than it
On the other hand, why should we
not be permitted to ship from Union
City car load as thru freight to
ST. Louis at lower charge than the
same care is carried from Meridian
or Mobile to st. Louis? Is this con-
dition good for community building,
and is the chautauquan willing to
investigate it? How can communi-
ties build successfully when the
greatest business organizations in
the world are operating against
them?
viii the chautauquan help us, if
we are mistaken to trace this de-
cadence thoroughly?
Some years ago before the intro
sduction of the parcel post the whole
sale houses put a query to their re-
tail patrons, asking if it were not
best, in order to compete with the
mail order houses, to abandon the
drummer system, which is the great
est item of expense in the wholesale
business. The retailer was appar
emily disinterested and no express
sion was given on this point. To-
day the mail order houses are mail
ing and shipping into the homes
every article of farm and family
supplies. Whether they do it or not,
the mail order house has the advan-
tage in price making over the retail
er. Would they have it if the whole
sale merchant snapped his drummer