The Neshoba Democrat., 1920-10-07
EWHEN THE COM
IMMUNITY GUT Be
l4|ND BUSINESS
HWhen everyone works and
70 one shirks, you can raise
4 q town from the dead
BY SHELDON WILLS
Copyrighted BY A. w. Shaw Co.
Published Here Through the
Courtesy Of SYSTEM"

/. Down In southwest Missouri where
he country laps over into Arkansas,
pin-point on the map designated
Us Neosho, the county seat of New-
ton county. People who live there
.abouts are just as enthusiastic owe
aNeosho as retired Iowans are over
Dos Angeles and they stand up for
cir town in a way that is reveia-
on to many people.
Il Not long ago. a New Yorker, with
Iail of New Workers. contempt for
things provincial, paused long enough
!. give the town the once over. Dur
y & his stay he was shown about the
ttle city by a-native OF the county.
rho pointed with prideto the vari-
& ,as new buildings of the town,
"That's our new clothing store"
Q said to the New Yorker as they
.assed substantial brick building.
The New Yorker sized 1t up "How
1 bng did it take you people to build
81 he asked.
.Oh, bout four months" AZ
yThe easterner grinned. WED have
ad 1t up i. 10 days in New York"
They passed the new bank building.
How long did 1t take 10 put mp that
i uiIding2n the visitor queried.
1--WE put that up In ju- tsix months" "
bid the Neoshite with evident pride.
4 Humph! Three weeks would have
been the limit for that in New York"
n Then the wholesale grocery build
lg, the pride of th5 town was reach
3D.. The New Yorker eyed it. pretty
rood building" he condescended
4 How long did IL take to build it?"
Il The long lank Missourian took
look ut his questioner. BE paused
end contemplated the big brick struc-
8)ure In am azement. Then he said in
khls soft, Missouri drawl, burned if
Know. 1t wasn't here when / went
yesterday"
This pride in town and county has
Jeen developed largely through the
fforts Of the Neosho Advertising
Club. Honesty is not merely the best
lpolicy-it 10 the only policy in the
lmotto which has been adopted by the
business men of Neosho and which.
|strictly adhered to, has been the
Rmeans Of giving this little Missouri
town or 900 people almost national
Importance, for upon this foundation
has been built what maybe called
|1khe ''Neosho Plan"
And strangely enough it was the
I'D court house square. that served
10 waken up the town and make 1t
Rpne of the best trading points in the
state.
The old hitching posts. gaunt, nn-
sightly, used for years as a sort Of
teething ring for countless Missouri
Smules, were an eyesore co the pro.
sressive business element of Neosho.
fhe space about them was a quag-
hire; q &breeding place for fiies-ob-
hoxious to sight and smell.
One midnight some Of thel more
uiaring spirits in the town held q
modern version of the Boston tea
party and when morning dawned the
Aitching posts had been dumped into
she discard and the connecting chains
10 which the mules were formerly
eethered were securely hidden.
All was peaceful and serene until
ahe farmers drove In and found no
bitching places under the broad
spreading trees frontiug the square.
Rou can imagine the howl of protest
|Iend Indignation that was directed
against the town. Il,
q "We'll trade In Joplin" these irate
garmers said with one accord. III
his Ia the kind of town you run.
you'll get no more business from u.s.
So they gathered up the reins, slap
bed the old mules on the back and
&gurativsly shook thedust Of Neosho
from their feet
Neoshc is In Q fruit country and the
Down depends upon the surrounding
srritory for support, 80 with the
.armer trade eliminated, this first at
tempt at improvement was . fiat fall