Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-01-22
INTERDEpENDENCE

nNine years ago my farm was
worth $195 an acre; today I'd have
q hard matter to sell It at $167 an
acre. It is "too far from live town"
80 every farmer has said who wants
to buy. He wants place near schools
and churches, where his children can
have advantages. have awakened to
the fact that in helping to pull the
town down, it has cost me $500 in
nine years.
The above statement is from an
Iowa farmer by name Hans Garbus
and this statement is the conclusion
Of q recital Of this farmers expert
ence, which runs as follows: He be-
gan his farm career twenty mine years
ago with an old team and $50 in mon
ey; rented 80 acres, secured needed
machinery and groceries from mer-
chants in the nearby home town on
credit these merchants carrying his
accounts over from one year to an
other until he was able to purchase a
40 acre piece Of his own. As soon as
he owned these few acres the Mail
Order houses began sending him cata-
logues and he began spending his
ready money with them, letting his
accounts stand in his home town where
he had gotten accommodation when he
needed it.
The home town was q thriving little
village, supporting q library, good
High School, band, ball team and hold
ing & big celebration every vear. The
farm Of our friend being neer such q
town soon doubled in value ana he sold
the original 40 sud purchased another
80 gradually adding to It until he had
200 acres Of the best land in Iowa and
felt that he had no need Of asking fur
ther f4vors Of the homo town mer-
chants. He with his neighbors got In
to the habit Of sending away to mail
order houses for their supplies, fancy
ing themselves independent Of the
town and the merchants who had help
ed them to get their start and make
their way to prosperity. This is what
happened:
their stock Of goods-for lack Of pat
ronage. Finally we began to realize
that when we needed q bolt quickly
for machinery. or clothing for sickness
or death, we had to wait and send
away for 1t, which wasn't 20 pleasant
One by one our merchants moved to
places where they were appreciated
and men Of less energy moved In,
Gradually our town has gone down.
in appearance, q number are empty;
our schools, churches and walks are
going down; we have no band, no
library nor ball team. There Is NO
business done in the town, and, there
fore, no taxes to keep things up.
Hotel Is closed for lack Of travel. Go
down to the depot when the train
pulls in and you will see the sequel in
mail order packages.
The mistake made by Mr.. Garbus
and his neiRhbors was that they were
independent, when the facts Of the
case are that they were and always
had been dependent upon the town and
its business men for their success
and prosperity and at the same time
the town and its business men were
dependent upon the Farmers for their
success and proseprity. Instead of
their Independence It should have
been "interdependence" upon which
thew fixed their minds. What Is true
in Iowa Is true in every state in the
Union american Independence" Il
for export, and in moderation at that
american independence" is absolute
ly essential to home progress and
prosperity. We rise or fall together
not as individuals or classes.