The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-01-24
MOSCOW BUSINESS MEN TAKE
COMMUNITY BUILDING" ACTION

The meeting of Moscow business
men held at the headquarters of the
United States Employment service in
this city Tuesday evening, which re-
suited in the appointment of COM
mittee composed of ]. H. Heckathorn,
G. P. Mix, A. S. Lyon, F. A. David,
Ben Bush and George Creighton,
whose duty will be to assist in pro-
curing employment for returning SOL
diers, as stated in report of the
meeting published Wednesday, prom
ises to mark an epoch in the progress
and development of this community
and the entire county. While this
committee was appointed primarily
for the purpose stated, its duties and
opportunity promise to cover a field
of activity of considerable scope.
Recognizing the Importance of the
step taken by the business men of
Moscow at a time like the present
when there appears so much con-
structive work to do, representative
of the Star Mirror made an endeavor
to learn more of the aims and objects
in the minds of these men which re:
suited in the appointment of this COM
mittee. He was referred to Scott
Ogden, whose services have been Sc
cured as legal advisor to the COM
mittee.
eyes," stated Mr.. Ogden, when ap-
preached on the subject by the re-
porter, mot only in keeping with the
progressive spirit of the times, but
realizing the Importance of providing
employment for the returning soldiers,
as well as the Importance of good
roads and permanent highways, the
people of Moscow and vicinity are TAX
ing the one step looking to real COM
munity building.
"By community building" contin-
ued Mr.. Ogden, 81 mean first of all
more friendly and brotherly feeling
among the townspeople and farmers,
as well as among the people of the
trict affected Then it means that
the farmer will be brought nearer the
markets, the county seat, his doctor,
his miller, his banker, his merchant,
and that his boy and girl will be per-
mitted to attend high school and a
university without having to send
them into town. 1t also means to him
land values, and that if his
land is worth $500 an acre now,
with a system of good highways it
will be worth $4,000 an acre. 1t
means also a saving in time, horse
flesh, wagon-gears and axle grease,
and if he owns an automobile it means
The saving in gasoline and wear and
ear alone, the price of the car in two
IL three years. 1t may mean at any
lime the life of member of his family
0y being able to get his doctor quickly.
Good highways mean even more than
I'll that to the farmer. They are the
advance guard, as it were, for the
and general develop
nent of the country and they put the
children of the farmer even on better
or they then have the combined ad-
yantage of the good wholesome coun-
;ry life, while at the same time theF
ire brought in close contact with ad-
anced education and the social side Of
ife found in the cities. Besides, it
must be source of considerable salts
action and consolation for any farm
r to know that his children and
will not have to mud
t" as he has been compelled to do
or the last quarter of a century.
"To the city man good highways
nean equally as much. They mean to
i'm that his business with the farmer,
md with others, can be transacted
With greater dispatch and much more
satisfactorily. They mean that he will
e brought into closed contact with
he farmer and get better acquaint-
nee with and understanding of him.
hey mean that he can supply any
emand for farm produce on short
office, thereby affording him profit,
nd one of the consequences will be
hat Sears, Roebuck will lose a Gus
omer. Good highways also mean
hat the children of the townsfolk
lay now and then get good breath
pure invigorating atmosphere by
eing driven through the country.
lside from all this, local pride ought
0 cause every man and woman to
ct behind the movement for better
ighways. We have an assessed valu-
ton within the proposed highway
istrict of approximately $6,000,000,
-hich means an actual physical val
alton in the neighborhood of $14,-
100000.
"Why can we not afford permanent
ighways, especially when it will in
'ease land valuation from 20 to 25
er cent? Up to date it has remained
,r the farmers in the Genesee, Cow
reek and Thorn Creek districts to
unch the good roads movement by
liking steps to form highway dis
lets In those sections, and the people
Moscow and vicinity will surely
,cognize the necessity of keeping
breast of the times in this important
ovement.
'I might also say that the labor
mmittee has been approached with
view to securing their endorsement
I'd assistance to the end that through
e organization of the highway dis
let more employment can be given
the returning soldiers, and they
spress themselves as being in full
cord with the undertaking. 1t
ems to me that it is up to the people
this ctata fO San that tharn will ha