Mexico Missouri message., 1917-06-07
MEXICO AND THE FARMER

MeAiCO sometimes makes the mis- |
take OF trying to lift herself by her |
own boot-straps. 1t sometimes ap-
pears that the more business houses |
are induced here, an the more res
idences that are built, the greater |
will be our city. But when there are |
more houses than there are dwellers |
some houses must be vacant, and va
cant houses do not make a bigger |
city. Then, again, Mexico gets a bet |
ter look at her reasons for growth
and discovers that Mexico's best
years are those years when the farm
ers around in territory adjacent to
Mexico produce the best crops. From
our own city history may be found
evidence that Mexico's growth and
the growth of farm productiveness
are vitality related. For this reason
efforts should be made through the
Chamber of Commerce to hold con-
ventions in Mexico that deal with the
practical methods of more certain
crops and bigger crops.
Close cooperation between the
city and town dweller and the farmer
should exist in every community.
There can be no steady advancement
Of one without the other.
A city's prosperity depends upon
the development of the country con-
uguous to it; and the farmer is
largely dependent upon the growth,
develoment and success of the city.
The farmer may produce abundant
crops, large herds of livestock, poul-
try, vegetables and fruits galore, but
he must find a market for these
things in the non-producing but con-
suming centers. The interests of the
country and the city are therefore
interdependent. Few farmers and
few city dwellers appreciate fully how
important one is to the other. A
community of producers, who must
depend solely upon far-away mer-
chants for the sale of its products, is
badly handicapped. There are so many
intervening hindrances which harass
the producers in disposing of their
products in distant markets, among
strangers and under systems of mar
kets unstable and crude that the prof.
its are jeopardized and often wiped
out, thus turning ones years labor
from one of profit to one of loss.
The establishment of industrial en-.
terprise, the broadening of com,
merce and the concentration of trades
in cities and the development of the
agricultural lands contiguous thereto
are few of the agencies that are
bringing about the much desired co
operation between the city dwellel
and the farmer. The farmer is there
fore vitality interested in the growtl
and expansion of our cities and thu
city dweller in the development o
agricultural resources of the coun
try.
The spirit of cooperation is grow
ing. Never before in the history o
the country has its potent infuenc
been more appreciated. Never be
fore has there been a broader viey
taken of its necessity. 1t is attract
ing the attention of our Nation
ruler, our lawmakers and our mas
ters of finance. Our humblest citi
zens have begun to realize in. it tn
road to success and prosperity.
Let the banker, the merchant tn
tradesman, the manufacturer, joi
hands with the farmer to make rura
life more inviting, that more acre
may be brought under the dominic
of the plow and better system G
marketing be established that may b
better equipped to contribute to tn
upbuilding of the city. Let the farm
ers of Audrain county unite with tn
city dwellers of Mexico in encouragin
city building, the maintenance @
. commerce and trade, and thus unif
all influences, that prosperity ma
come to all.