Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-03-11
THE CITY OR CouNTRY

In every country town like Audu-
bon, in every farming community,
we find young men who are pining
for the gay life and the higher
wages of the great cities. In every
city we find men of mature years,
heads of families, who would give
anything to get back to the sanity
and purity Of country life-but they
cannot And there you have the
situation in few words.
The young man in the country
store, or the bank, or the black
smith shop, or on the farm, reads OF
the high wages that are being paid
in the cities. They seem fabulous
compared with his more modest
earnings in the country. He be-
comes fired with a desire to coin
money, breaks his home ties, and
Joins the millions of toilers in the
maelstrom of marts of commerce.
But once there he is disillusioned.
He finds that his wages are perhaps
double or treble what they were In
the home town or on the farm. He
also finds that his expenses are not
only doubled or trebled, but are four
or five times as heavy.
If his room is sanitary, though
modest, he will pay from 81 to IS a
week for it, His meals, If he is a
| light eater, will cost him from $40
| to SIS per week If the Lord has
blessed him with healthy appetite,
only the Lord knows what they will
cost him-they vary from 81 to SO in
any respectable restaurant per meal
OR So to SO per day-or SCI to
! 500 per week, all according to what
he eats. For a shave each day he
will pay rs cents or 35 cents, and a
hair cut will relieve him of so to rs
cents. His laundry bill comes
high, his clothing is frigthfully ex-
pensive, and he can pay SIS or S25
for a pair of shoes. And he must
dress up to his part or get left in the
shuttle. Then a show will touch
him up to the extent of 81 to IS, and
he pays car fare about every time
he turns around.
II he gets married his troubles be-
gin in real earnest. The furniture
for his little four room fat will cost
him from $500 to $1,000 and the fiat
itself will squeeze him of s65 to SIS
month. Then the grocer and the
DuLCuGT anu tuO DdhCi VIII NhOOihuAa
rob him of his last cent and take the
shirt from his back. There is only
one way in which he can beat the
profiteers and other sharks in the
great cities-the county will bury
him free of charge IL he dies paup-
err. 1t is this class of men in the
cities who would give an arm to get
back to the country again. But
they have families, their money goes
as fast as it comes. and they seldom
get enough ahead for a decent vaca-
ton, to say nothing of the expense
of moving and establishing them
selves in business in the God-given
! freedom of the country. They are
anchored to a life of toll and drudg-
cry, with no hope for the future,
and must remain until death sewers
the chains.
Fortunes are made in the large
cities. ii is true, but they are made
by men who have money with which
to make more money. There are a
| few notable exceptions to this rule,
but this is the story of SO out of ev-
cry 100 who chase the rainbow Of
city life. At home young man has
individuality and is free agent.
He is of some consequence in his
community. In the city he is but
little cog in a. great wheel that
grinds out greater wealth for some
captain of industry. He is nobody.
He is unknown, and no one cares
whether he goes up or down.
Does the prospect appeal to you,
young man? Unless you are en-
dowed with an extraordinary amount
of brains and business acumen, your
best opportunity is right here in this
community, where everyone knows
you, and where they respect you for
what you are.