Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-10-27
AND III CAME TO PASS

there all of which helped to make this location
good harbor power beautiful high land
upon stately might be erected good climate, an
pure and the possibility of fine railroad IA
cities this chosen from and
city sprang up
Many this locality, ured there
by presently erected by the
advantages which offered by the
pure air and splendid water supply by the nearby beau
full others by the business opportunities which they
helped to create there
And the years slipped by time the city prospered
grew through all the land But after
several decades further was noted and decline
setting This became plainly evidenced by
that by its best most progressive citizens be-
struggle build new homes for themselves in other
cities.
And the residue who remained discouraged and
ceased further building up of their city after
the leaders in that community had gone
away.
One of the original settlers of this place. however, still
reside in his old home. To be he white
haired and feeble but his mind still retained its ciearness and
He had been of the charter members OF the city one
inhabitants He had watched its growth and had
done full helping with various necessary public
his loved city reach its peak of greatness
and he still lived there marking day by day its gradual decline
feeble put forth effort to stop the retrogresson
which slowly but surely going But he felt none
the less keeny and spent hours specializing the cause
and sorowng the result is often the habit of old men,
upon porch his house in the late afternoo-
sunshine day. he looked stranger entering his
gateway The tall and sawart and walked with air
of Much impressed by his the Old man
invited him take upon the porch The invitation was
quickly accepted the began general
They had been talking long however when the stranger
said old you have lived here they tell
have ask important question and want
fair Why city, with Its natural advan-
tages beautiful homes its business opportunities slowly
declining? ask because interested in knowing why and
because think that you tell me the real cause
The old looked the and impeedb by his
clear straightforward look speak the truth he
So hesitation, he replied Eyes have been
citizen Of this city since it first founded love as
love my home because it home and am far too
old make another And anything criticism of its
my neghbors my friends of many years. hurts
sorey you say city slowly decayng you
speak the truth much dislike to admit it. have lived here
many years and know much concerning the inside history of
this place. therefore of what speak have thought
the whole many times, and and
that the which have contributed most to the
gradual decay Of which speak, the spirit of sefshness
which prevails here and the lack cooperation the bus
mess for all these years For most of the leading
merchants of this place have been working always sngy for
their advantage they it in their
looking things Each has been jealous of
prosperity that might of the Others and the town
has suffered in of their blindness For they have
failed the truth that that which benefits the whole
must benefit part few did but unable to convince
the Others they forced to seek their business opportunity
in other field they prospered in other localities
they could have prospeed here greve to but in
judgment it is this selfish and jealous spirit that is wreck
ing city and feel that this spirit will gradually
undermine and wreck any city that is dominated by it.
But, continued the old you have not yet told
have explained why have to
with this question"
"My name" said stranger straightforward way,
% Big Business Opportunity your city to size it
attracted by its natural advantages thought to locate here
definitely but what you have told has changed my mind
shall take the next train out. With these words he suddenly
vanished
The old slowly raised his white head and rubbed his
fastdmming and said to himself 81 must have been dream
ing. The sun has down and am getting chilly must
be getting into the house But, he added wsuy Il wish
that the stranger might have decided to stay"
The city of this tale city. That fact is plainly
by Cooperative week
But might easily be the tale of city whose citizens work
selsh thinking only of their temporary advantage with
out cooperating for the good of ALL until that
the city declines and its merchants fail utterly for lack that
intelligent cooperation which would surely brought