Licking Valley courier., 1921-01-06

smoke and dust and CRIME, when it
thrives on its trade with the surround
I ing country and has unimproved and
unsupported beauty spots all along the
banks of the little river where the big
mills Ought to be?"
Has it ever occurred to Bigburg that
it would add more othat places charm
and fragrance to move the pig-pens out
of town, to fill up the mud-holes where
the streets" dwindle down into coun-
try roads, and to pull down the ram
shacllle old firetrap across from the
depot, than to build an opera house
or street car line with the prospect of
seeing the builder get two per cent out
of his money?
And Littleville, where each family
has, from either front or back yard.
a fine view of a wooded cliff, and
where all wade through mud in wet
weather and kick up the dust in bry
weather as they go to church or post
office-cannOt Littleville realize that
what it needs is to put down few
rods of concrete walk and to make
sure that the trees on the cliff will not
be cut? The fields can grow grass and
grain and help to pay for the walks,
If they are left as fields; cut up into
lots they will grow up in weeds, most
likely, and yield no return.
And our Cross Roads friends, why
do they want more children of uncer-
tain ancestry and unpatched trousers
in their schools; more ugly little
three-rOom houses to mar the beauty
of the pastures? Can't they see that
what the Cross Roads needs is n
hitching shed for the farmers horses
a coat of paint on the "storehouse :"
and some vines and hedges to screen
some of the unkempt-lOOking out
houses.
Suggest these things to the people
Of these towns-tell them to make n
park Of the river bank, to get rid of
the mud-holes, to put down the new
walks, to build the hitching shed
and they will tell you in all serious
ness that they have not the money
that the taxes are too high now, and
that what the place needs is new set
tiers and new enterprises.
And yet the city will buy site by
the river and give it to some corpOr-
alton, if the corporation can only be
induced to build its new mill there
stead Of elsewhere. There will be
big meetings, too, to start that new
street car line which is not needed and
cannot pay. And If Littleville has n
struggling newspaper, that paper will
print long accounts of the big sale of lots
and the phenomenal growth of our
young city," with never a word about
the beauty Of the green clad cliff, or the
needlessness of the mud-splattered
shoes.
The question with the towns is no.
How good?' but How big?"
Surely it is not so everywhere.
There must be at least one little city
that does not wish to be big city next
year; one country town that does not
'aspire to be city at all; one little
hamlet that has no desire to push the
wheat fields back from its doors
Such places must be, and into their
keeping, l am persuaded, has been
given the key TO the future. Their
citizens it will be who shall dream the
dream Of the city that is possible, the
town that ought to be, and bring this
dream to pass. For as surely as it is
more important that the town be beau.
tiful and clean and well-governed than
that 1t be big. so surely will the pres.
mt cult of numbers pass away and
more rational appreciation of home.
likeness and wholesome surrounding,
take its place in the minds of the
American towns.
Taken in its entirety, the town of
today, big or little, is an unlovely
thing. Exceptions there may be, but
the rule holds good. In almost every
town, too, may be found beauty spots
fine residence selections where trees
border the curving avenues and the
lawns are kept green; public build
ings, not faultless Perhaps, but dig,
niiied and purposeful enough to give
the citizens feeling of pride; smooth
well-lighted streets, and noble bust.
ness houses towering above the hurry.
ing throngs There are few even of
the smaller towns which have not some
feature other Of natural beauty or civic
achievement which they are proud Ia
possess and glad TO see each day
Even the tall smokcstacks of the
mills, waving the dark pumes of in
dustry above roof and spire, and tn,
grim-fronted furnaces which brighter
now and then with the unexpected
and thrilling splendor of leaphg flam,
and billowing vapor, crimson and pur
pie and rose and turquoise and tender
gray-even these most utilitariar
structures have their charm. TIL,