New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-06-16

/ W Cne rural mercnanCS, ana IN dong 81
demonstrate what can be done through
the use of up-to-date selling methods
"But the ultimate cause of the arrested
developments of rural towns lies farthe,
back. According to my observations,
one OF the sources of this deplorable
situation is prevalent misrepresentation,
on the part of many rural citizens, of the
fundamental laws governing municipal
growth. The expansion of any one line
OF business in given town, for instance,
is limited by the variety Of type or kinds
OF other enterprises represented in the
same community. Failure to grasp this
economic explains, in no small degree,
the decline of rural population. 1t might
be termed lack of cosmopolitanism. The
business interested of the community as
whole are frequently sacrificed to the
sublime DEGREES of personal prejudice.
Some consumers are content with merely
necessities of life. Others demand art,
music, entertainment, social recreation,
etc. Indeed, there are many wholesome
people whose social expenditures are
larger than their necessary expenses.
But some citizens, caring for nothing be-
yond the necessities, vote to deprive the
town of the business activity which
would accrue from the supply of their
larger and more cosmopolitan demand.
"This is in Violation of an essential
principle of municipal expansion. 1t is
illustrated in the stupid prohibition, in
stead OF the promotion and proper control,
OF every inherently clean variety of
indoor recreation. The business activi-
ties OF many country towns could be
actually doubled by promoting lines Of
enterprise which, in many cases, the
majority of citizens do not care for per-
sonally.
Each class should entertain spirit
OF hospitality toward every other class
holding differences in political opinion,
religious ideas, or social taste. 1t takes
them all to build up town. Each one
is supplying legitimate demand of hui
man nature, whether for medicine, legal
counsel, spiritual edifcation, clothing,
food or fun.
"Any one or all of these classes may
abuse it's privileges and therefore, require
regulation. But when one class diverts
any part of its energies from the perfor-
nance of it's own normal function, to OBJ
pose or suppress the performance of the
function of some other class, it is sub
traction from the total up-building en-
ergy of the community as whole.
Again, other factors being normal,
the business progress of community is
measured by it's money circulation. Yet
many rural citizens have boosted with
pride in my hearing of having reduced
by ballot the legitimate opportunities Of
locally spending money. A community
is benefited by that policy of economics
in much the same way as potato crop
is benefited by dry-rot.
'These are some OF the factors enter
ing into the decline of rural towns. The
merchants sneering at the local press
and ignoring their advertising possibili-
ties; the dentist or lawyer sneering at the
local church and it's functions; the minis
ter engaging his whole energies with de-
nominational tomfoolery or in rabibly
denouncing the young peoples amuse-
ments, by which he has already driven
them out of his church and lost the sup
port and respect of many of the sub
stantial business men,"