Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-06-10

III
depositors to become rlcher9 n non-deposltors
see us doing this they have the best argument
IN the world for bringing their accounts to u.s."
The farmers of the community were hard work.
erS ana intelligent. But they had no leader.
without single by your leave the bank "a.
sumeu the leadership. II organized Farmers
Forum. On the banks recommendation the farm.
ers employed field demonstrator," thoroughly
grounded In the theory and practice OF scientific
farming. The federal government paid half the
expenses Of this "soll doctor" he spent his time
travelling from farm TO farm making soil tests
ana advising the farmers regarding the products
pest adapted TO their acres, The bank purchased
carload Of purebred CATTLE selected by a gov.
ernment dairy expert These were sold 10 the
farmers Mt cost
That was three years ago. Today. that com.
munity IL one OF the most prosperous agricultural
districts In the country. There Is only one bank.
The business of tho competing bank has been
taken over by the "llve" bank
The young man is president OF tho enlarged
bank. He has been offered a Vice presidency In
large city bank, with salary doulle that which
he now receives lie prefers to remata In ths
bushes" He, too would rather be nrut n q
little Iberlan village than second la Rome"
On trip last year through one OF the richest
agricultural sections Or the Middle West, / was
continually hearing the name OF one man. l call
him Jim Ingalls, because that Is not his name
Five years ago he was an overworked reporter on
big city daily Ills work did not seem to he
getting him anywhere. There were half dozen
men ahend OF him In the line for promotion ani
the best that he could hope for was an assistant
edltorship In about ten years
When his two-weeks' vacation period rolled
around. he made trip through the rural districts
of his state, He did not return TO the city. For
In q little town no found the subject Of many day.
dreams--a rundown country newspaper for sale.
And into II he put every cent that he hnd managed
TO scrape together on his city job.
Not very promising baby" you say But
Jim Ingalls, had a vision OF possibilities, The
town WINS In the heart OF a prosperous farming
region that was well populated Most OF tho
farmers had big city daily delivered at their
gates. There was growing community spirit
among the county dweers. Jim saw the need
for a real community newspaper.
The first thing that be did was to improve the
appearance Of the paper. Then he toured the
county. aud created . chain Of correspondents.
Railroad agents. school teachers, doctors. lodga
secretaries, justices of the peace-eveFyone In 4
position 70 gather news was supplied With sta.
hOnery. aud given free subscriptions. There were
few who did not consider II d privilege 90 send
In news Items.
lie gave up foreign news entirely, leaving this
10 the city dailIes His news policy has always
been one 0f intensive reporting of the affairs Of
town and county. His correspondents pour In ia
him every week > steady stream Of the gossip and
chitchaf Of every hamlet and crossroads village
II Farmer Porter's wife holds a pie social she
knows where she viii ind full account Of H.
and her guests know where they can ind their
names In all the glory OF print Farmer LawIeI
and his Delghbors are interested Ia the hay grain
and forage reports from up state. They look n
Jim's paper for them. lie keeps close tabs ON ths
Developments at the county experimental farm
and nothing gets BY him At the meetings Of II.
county agricultural societies.
The papers circulation Is now nearly four slinss
ha4 Il shenh a fnnk md d u
nlzed n valuable advertising medium. Jim ~
longer has to worry his income. But hn hn
made more Of his paper than mere ehaiteFh0.
9 Of the county's gossip lie realizes that. III 81
little newspaper. he has powerful tool Am
he uses II 10 encourage the dweers Of the count,
10 carry out the improvements which win add .
the comfort of all. and make every town d bette
place In which 10 live and bring up children.
There are openings for great many more "Jlr
Ingalls," In the United States there are ahou
ten thousand centers Of population where newi
papers are published. There are about twentl
i've hundred daily newspapers. and nearly 81
times as many country weeklies.
Our smaller communities are beginning
awaken There Is Increased political activity Wit
IN their boundaries and they need fearless. i
dependent local papers
Which brings us 70 the question 81 the sma
town boy and politics.
The young man who plans to follow pelitlc
career can do 10 better thnn 70 begin at the bC
tom M his own village, township or county.
mixing Ia local affairs he win learn how to hand
human nature. And he viii learn to be pruc
cal.
Let not the young man think that participate
in smnlt.town affairs win stunt his growth. If
IN destined for larger things. few years win On
him "A a matter Of course. tunetiooIng Oh laFg'
scale. Anh q record Of things done-that ne
school for Beaver Hollow. the park at FOL
corner. the new municipal lighting plant o. .
nay railfoad braneh-gu VIII serve as 'seOai'ae'
J.tluns when lie goes bef"Fs us