New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-18

volved, and success depends upon the
constant and unceasing initiative and
industry of the local merchants. In
Northeast Missouri there Is county
seat town of some 1000 inhabitants
situated in the midst of fertile coun-
try. It's principal assets, however, are
country doctor, who is also an en-
thusiastic farmer, and country
banker, an acquisition of the last two
years. Now, in the West the country
banker is always the biggest man" in
the town, for, In Hindu phrase, "he is
the father and the mother to his peo-
pie" and in colloquial phrase he Is like
wise the Clutch uncle" He Is rarely .
financier in modern accepted under
standing, but he Is always a money
maker, and has his full share Of
shrewdness and common sense.
Building Up Home Industry
This particular banker realized that
the prosperity of his bank hung upon
the prosperity Of the town. and his
first observation was that the town
failed to provide an adequate market
for the products Of the farmers, upon
whose trade the people Of the town de-
pended for their living. The farmers
shipped their wheat to distant markets
and bought -four from the great Mime
apolis mills. They also sold their corn.
oats and alfalfa and bought mixed live
stock food-"balanced rations"-from
Kansas mills. According to the theory
Of concentration and specialization, this
should have worked we'll TO all con-
cerned. There are, however, a great
many things in life that appear logical
which really are not, and this was one.
So the banker called to his aid the ply
sician-farmer, who has the rare faculty
of plain speaking. which stimulates and
does not offend. and between them they
proceeded to start something. They
raised enough money in town to erect
what is known as midget MILL" with
-four grinding output of twenty-five
barrels daily capacity. So now the
farmers have their wheat ground by
this mill, keep what they need and the
mill sells the remainder. Also, they
have their foodstuff for livestock
ground and mixed by this same mill.
The net result Is that the farmers buy
and sell more in town than ever before
The banker next noticed that only a
very few farmers brought cream and
milk to town, and that it was shipped
clear across the state, some 225 miles.
10 large creamery in a great city.
So he made a personal tour of the sur
rounding farm country and arranged
to loan sixty-two dairy cows and four
purebred bulls TO the farmers, taking
their notes at & moderate rate of in
terest and a chattel mortgage on the
animals. Now there is . large ware
house and shipping station In the town,
established by q creamery In a small
city only fifty miles away.
Soap Adds to Prosperity
There Is still another chspter--in the
shape Of local soap plant. II che pro-
motors, the banker and his friends, all
local people, had gone to some high
financier to finance this proposition
they would have probably been regard
ed as At candidates FOR an asylum for
the fsebleminded, for the great sue
cessss In the soap business seem 10 be
wrought By great distribution facilities
and fortunes spent In advertising, all
Of which imply large investments. Bat
these men did no advertising Whatever,
for they realized that they had not s'
yet an advertising proposition, ana
that would come later. They dlstrio'
uted their goods into a steadily widen
Ing territory by means Of that IRE
sistibls human equation, . good travel
ling salesman. and made service and
quality their first requisites.
They have got away with II, and are
growing and prospecting. II Is needless
to say that the town is Increasing IN
numbers and In business, and tue whoie
u -