Bisbee daily review., 1915-07-11
Sunday, July II, 1915.
pEPoPuLATlNe BIG CITIES.

DEPoPULATING BIG CITIES.
 Unless an era of sanity dawns on the metropolitan world" says the sandusky Register boards of trade and chambers of commerce will be organized to keep people away from our great cities instead of trying induce them to come in Unless apply people the same philosophy of values which subject the pro their toll and the gifts of nature, this country will some day witness national organization to depop uate the cities and the process of doing will become a function of government"
 "The era of ndustriaism requires great centers Of population. is folly for them to overwork them selves in the direction numbers only There is no real distinction in being sixth city" any other city whose title denotes merely population. There is far more honor in being a city the wisely governed prosperous contented community moderate than in boosting relationship with a metropolis whose ignor ance and ogotism lead to a false pride of the many"
 This is an admirable statement of civic truth that ought to be spread from end of the country to the other There is TO more unfortunate tendency in Amer can life than the growth of cities already big to pro portions that make them unwiedy and inefficient busi, ness organisms and undesirable places Of residence The civic patriotism that impes citizens of a small town to develop it size that will insure the cooperative advantages of larger community may become mistaken and pernicous zeal when the city has sufficiently for that purpose"
 There is no real advantage in a mushroom city cT cop 10 apccuators The curse big cities ia that they arc never finished never properly organized per form city's functions. If numbers a true criterion China would be a better country than ,ho United States to live and work n New Works East Side would be superior Detroit San Francisco, Den yer Richmond Bsbee.
 The depopuation overgrown cities, though it may never become governmental function as the Register suggests has in reality already begun. The back tC tho soil" movement is part of it. The American peo ple even though they have yet stopped hurrahnl for mere bigness coming feel that the country the town of moderate size, is far more wholesome fol them and their children than the metropolis. And th tendency increases fast transportation and invention bring the world every door and make it possible for any home in any become center of cviza tion.
 The advantages" of the big city real nov largely imaginary Railroads, trolley lines macadamize roads, automobiles and universal mail delivery hav woven city and country together There few rura dwelers now who cannot get to town" easily and qucl ly And that town, even though it number only fe' thousand souls if it prosperous and wideawake, pr vides them with nearly all facilities for business, educ ton and recreation that they would find in New York Chicago.
 The big buildings the hustle and roar are missing as the dirt smoke struggle and vice. but the fundamental are there Even the village has it's Broadway theate and its Metropolitan Opera House. Moving picture which have become the peoples drama the world owe are as good in the prairie mountain town as in tl metropolis and the phonograph provides nearly all tl peasuabe sensations Of fine opera except the consciou ness of paying more than it's worth.
 nveterate "boosers" may long continue their frenz scramble for more and more people, even when the cities have not yet digested their present populatio But their activities should be restrained by count campaign of common sense. IL is time to apply to O cities the modern doctrine of good farmng-ntensi cultivation
 We have entirely too many cities now of over 1000 population We need more 25,OOO and 5OOoO and 75,o cities which as soon as they have attained prosper and gained civic competence to speak shall delib ately set about perfecng themselves instead of gro ing aimessy at the behest of real estate espeoulato Better water supply better paving better sewers, bet
 sidewalks, parks, public libraries, schools museum clubs for public service good building laws unver