Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1915-07-01
Be A Builder, And
Not A Destroyer
Lets Al Hei7- Pit Your Shoalde-
to thc Wheel ard You Viii Sc
the Difference

Are you q builder. or are you
q Destroyer
Are you seeking 70 advance
the interests Of the community IN
which you live, or are you divert
ing your efforts to its ultimate
dcstrucrion2
Il is one or the other, for there
is no happy medium.
You are either a benefit TO the
town, or you are . detrsment.
You are either a builder, or
you are a destroyer, and the re-
sp~orsibility rests with you.
Others know you as you are.
but do you know ~yourself2
Every town has within its boF-
ders many excellent people VINO
want to see their community adj
vance and keep pace with the
rest OF the world.
They want a larger and better
town. q more prosperous farming
community, more gold in the
pockets OF every citizen, and they
labor increasingly to this end.
They are good citizens. and the
great mass of THE populace rates
them as good citizens.
They are Builders,
But often the most persistent
efforts of the builders are more
than overshad0wed by the other
classes-the destroyers.
A destroyer can undo in a day
wha. in takes a builder . year 10
accomplish.
And destroyers are legion.
They travel in all walks of life
and are exceedingly active.
You fad them among the rich
property owners. the landed
proprietors, the business and
professional men. the mechanic
and the fNTmer. Yoa find them
everywhere.
They do not realize that they
are des.rcyers-bGt they are
Many rich men ami landrl
proprietoIs ara opposed 10 al
forms of public Improvement be-
cause they feas it will increase
the amount Of their taxes.
As their eyes are firmly fixed
upon that tax list, they lose sight
of the fact that public improve
that increase the tax roll
slightly Likewise increase proper
" values immensely.
They oppose improvements,
md thereby become dessrOyers,
llaciry the tremendous weight of
heir hostile inhusnee in oppose
ion to the advancement Of the
community.
Then there is a certain class OF
men who carry around a load of
-rouch which they let loose upon
very possible occasion and with
ut regard for their victims.
They damn the town, and the
PEOPLE. and everything thing and
everybody but themselves.
To mention civic Improvement
% them is ike shaking a red nag
At a mad bull.
They rave At all times and at
everybody. and their rawlings
travel on wings, and grow, and
penetrate every section Of the
country.
And then there is still another
class that comes along with their
contributions 10 the downfall of
their community. They are pat
rous Of the mail order mantle
worlds greatest enemy OF the
small town community
Many OF these people utilize
the local stores when they want
something in a hurry or OF cred
il, and tlen send the bulk OF their
cash away 70 the great cities
They give the mail order man the
ripe ear of corn and toss the
husks to the local merchant.
They, too, are d~estroyers, and
are daily thro,tling the conmuni-
ty which they should foster aud
encourage in every way, for with
out the close proximity OF the
local stores and the market place
their farms and other property
would be worth lar less than its
present value.
These are just a few OF the
many ways in which a communi-
ty may be destroyed-in which
THIS community is being de-
stroyed every day.
The builder creates and Is en-
riched by his labors.
The destroyer kills and gains
nothing but his ovn ultimate de-
struction.
These few lines have been
penned in the hope that you will
pause and think, for thinking
breeds healthy action, and action
IS the birthplace of building,
and creation, and riches.
Every nan is a possible build
er, if be will but emerge from the
shadows and look upon the bright
side OF hfe.- Charlottesville Times.