Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-11
are we'll aware thA& the last general 49,
seinbly did not dscids things for al
time.
GATHERING 10 THE BEST.
[Council Bluffn Nonpareu. d

lC0unCL Blu6D Nonpareu.1
Tne Reporter. . Newspaper published
az AlgonA. In Kossuth county, dis
oussing the merits Of its home town
ana pointing out It's advantages, said:
we Are having = steady and substan-
TAI growth. Forty houses are In
course OF construction now. Building
lots arc at . premium" Noting the
Character Of people who are becoming
editor observes: 1--WE cater only to tho
best element Of citizenship. and they
are moving In every day"
There II Just a. much wisdom In q
town seeking to attract high grade
citizens ~ there Ia for a merchant to
seek nigh grade customers. Algona 10
doing In this respect Just what hun
ofeos OF other good towns In Iowa arc
ooins-seeking to attract high grade
citassns. And It IL clear from this re.
port that satisfactory results are be-
ing achieved.
a Few years ago q fine, clean town
In Iowa which had been dry since the
old prohibitory law went into effect.
waS threatened with q wet regime. Al
citisen OF the place concluded that the
town ought to have q saloon. He
started out with Q petition to secure
consent. AZ . matter OF fact the fell
low didn't stand ghost of a show to
succeed. But he did stir up the drys.
The local newspapers vigorously OPP
posed the establishment Of the saloon.
Ono OF them discovered and published
the TACT that in the twenty years the
town had been running on Its dry
schedule more than q score Of the best
families In the community had located
In and about the place because It waS
dry ana clean and had q reputation for
the good quality Of Its schools and
Churches. Two flne, strong churches
were located in the town and consId-
cradle number Of the most substantial
members in both were people who had
moved into the community because %
It's dry policy.
This was most remarkable evi.
dence Of the wisdom and worth Of the
policy Of catering to the best elements.
There has been for generations a con.
slant movement westward. A large
percentage Of tho people now in Iowa
came from the states farther east We
have more people from Illinois than
from any other one state. When land
in Illinois reached 800 to $50 per
acre it was selling In Iowa from $40
to $50. Hundreds Of farmers sold quar-
tiers in Illinois and came to lows
where they bought half sections Of
land Just as good for the same money
received for their Illinois quarters. In
selecting Iowa land these men took into
consideration the character Of towns
near which they were going to locate.
Live wire towns caught the live wire
people.
In similar manner men and women
around 50 years Of age are now leav-
ing the country to live in town while
the young people remain TO look after
the farm. These people are looking
for the places that are catering to the
better elements. A town that Is COM
paratively free from evil influences
and which maintains good schools,
churches, lecture courses, chautauquaa
and good library are getting the
larger share of this constantly moving
population. There is no business in
the country where . policy Of catering
to tho better elements yields such rich
rewards - In the building Of = town
or city.