Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-12-14

copyrighted. 1919. by Thomas j SULLIVAN
Weather. books and roads contribute
largely To the influences OF rural life.
Bad weather and bad roads mean
books
And books they say are the light
houses erected in the great sea Of
time. They are masters who instruct
us without rods or ferules. without
words OF anger. without bread or
money If you approach them they
are not asleep. II you seek them they
do not hide. II You blunder they do
do not laugh.
But the worst robDer in all the
world is bad book Ii has long been
the DEVILS policy TO keep the masses
OF mankind In ignorance; but, finding
that they will read. he is doing all In
his power to poison their books. Now,
let's see what our rural friend is read
ing. Oh, rara avis oh, book without
parallel In the history OF commercial
destruction. The book" is a huge pie
torial. tricolored retail catalogue
The catalogues of mail order houses
are kind Of leaky boat on the waters
OF temptation; some OF the temptation
will get In anyhow
Mud a Great Hsip Too.
What is more natural with gloom.
darkness, rain and mud surrounding n
farmer or suburban dweller. when "a
venture forth means either a sacrifice
OF self or faithful horses. than for him
TO turn TO the aliuring catalogue for
both pastime and a means OF procur-
ing the necessaries Of life? Thus II
can be seen that the third and best
factor in favor OF the catalogue houses
10 mud.
Man il measured by his deeds. and IL
seems strange that after mastering the
art OF reading the stars, discovering
the course OF the planets, controlling
the iron monster. the lightning. the
sea and the wind. man shows his in
ability to conquer the one great prob
lem which is proving such draw
back to the best expression OF his life
In rural districts as far az social and
commercial conditions are concerned.
Poor roads seem TO be his heritage. his
master
country's stability is measured by
its agricultural Importance. as the
well being OF nation is like "A tree
agriculture is its root. industry and
commerce are its branches and it's life.
II the root be injured the leaves fall.
the branches break away and the tree
dies Community pride begins where
agriculture leaves off. and both are
equal and inseparable in their impor
lance to healthy. happy. successful
existence for man.
Blue Grass Roads Are Best.
Ii is pleasure to drive through the
blue grass district Of Kentucky, where
lied turnpikes. These roads are the
equal Of any paved city street aud
of course are passable at all seasons
of the year. They cost approximately
$1,000 per mile. The highways in Ken
lucky are from thirty to sixty feet in
width. Ii is estimated that were the
highways of Illinois regulated To fifty
feet $25, 600 900 could be added to the
wealth Of the farmers Of the state.
That alone would build more than 5000
miles OF road
Spend s15o,o0o,ooo.
This country today has about 2,250,
600 miles of public highway, on which
it is estimated that the people OF the
country are spending S160.OOOOOO an
nually. Statistics say we also spend
81. 600 OO0. 900 for alcohol. $1,000 OO0. 900
for tobacco and Il is said that the
ladies spend 1886, 900 900 yearly for
candy II all this money could be APP
propriated for road building we could
have turnpike TO the moon.
The principal cause Of the Roman
empires downfall was its neglect of
agriculture-the exodus Of it's men and
women from the farm 10 the city. the
life there to be spent Ia extravagant
and riotous living. Go TO any OF ouI
cities today and view the cxtravagant
dress and general trend OF life fol
pleasure and you will feel that the old
Roman times are being repeated.
II would seem that the remedy lies
In building good roads. narrow If ad
visable, but hrm and hard. and have
| them all lead to your trading center
and TO the doors OF your local mer
chants. Then on gloomy. rainy days
you can do your marketing. and ther
back TO the farm" without sacrifice tc
self o. injury TO beast
Nothing tends to make n man a good
citizen so much as cooperation witt
his fellows No man can live for him
self alone Selhshness leads nowher,
bat 10 destruction. strife bad feelinl
and disorder II is one ~ the mean
est Of all the vices
The farmer and the town consumei
who patronize the retail catalogu,
houses also assist materially in the de
struction OF The local market and trad
ing center This practice OF sendinl
local money to out OF town merchants
n a dangerous habit
0n