Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1921-06-09

Y
oepositors to become richer? If non-depositors
see us doing this they have the best argument
III the world for bringing their accounts to us"
Inc farmers of the community were hard work.
ers' and Intelligent. But they had no leader
"ilhout single by your leave" the bank as
sun'eu the leadership Itforganized Farmers
foru1n. 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 "soil DOCTOR" He spent his time
travelling from farm to farm, making soil tests
anu advising the farmers regarding the products
pest adapted to their acres. The bank purchased
carload of purebred cattle, selected by a gov
eminent dairy expert These were sold to the
farmers at cost
Ihat was three years ago. Today, that COM
munlty is one Of the most prosperous agricultural
alstrlcts In the country There is only one bank.
1he business of the competing bank has been
taken over by the Give" bank
Inc young man is president Of the enlarged
bank. He has been offered a vice presidency in
large city back, with salary double that which
ne now receives He prefers to remain in the
bushes" He, too, would rather be first in
little Iberian village than second in Rome"
On trip last year through of the richest
agricultural sections of the Middle West was
continually hearing the name of one man. call
him Jim Ingalls, because that is not his name.
Five years ago he was an overworked reporter on
big city daily. His work did not seem to be
getting him anywhere. There were half dozen
men ahead of him in the line for promotion and
the best that he could hope for was an assistant
editorship in about ten years.
When his twoweeks vacation period rolled
around. he made trip through the rural districts
Of lotto He ~, M.
in little town he found the subject Of many day.
dreams-a rundown country newspaper for sale.
And into 1t he put every cent that he had managed
to scrape together on his city job
Not very promising baby" you say. But
Jim Ingalls, had vision of possibilities The
town was in the heart of a prosperous farming
region that was we'll populated. Most of the
farmers had big city daily delivered at their
gates. There a growing community splri,
among the county dwellers Jim saw the need
for real community newspaper.
The first thing that he did was to improve the
appearance Of the paper. Then he toured the
county, and created chain Of correspondents
Railroad agents, school teachers DOCTORS lodge
secretaries. justices of the peace-everyone in
position to gather news was supplied with sta
tionery, and given free subscriptions There were
few who did not consider 1t privilege to senc
in news items.
He gave up foreign news entirely, leaving thi
been Of intensive reporting of the affairs O
town and county. His correspondents pour In t,
him every week steady stream of the gossip ant
chitchar OF every hamlet and crossroads village
Ii Farmer Porters wife holds a pie social sh
knows where she will find full account of IL
and her guests know where they can find thei
names in all the glory of print. Farmer Lawle
and his neighbors interested in the hay, grail
and forage reports from up state. They look Il
Jim's paper for them. He keeps close tabs on tn
developments at the county experimental farm
and nothing gets by him at the meetings of tn
county agricultural societies.
The papers circulation is now nearly four time
what 1t was when he took it over, and it is recot
nzed as IL valuable advertising medium. jim n
longer has to worry his income. But he ha
made more of his paper than mere chatterbo
of the county's gossip. He realizes that, in HI
little newspaper, he has a powerful tool All
he uses it to encourage the jewellers OF the count
to carry out the improvements which will add
the comfort Of all. and make every town bette
place in which to live and bring up children.
There are openings for great many more iii
Ingalls," In the United States there abo,
ten thousand centers Of population where new
papers are published. There about twent
five hundred daily newspapers. and nearly S
times as many country weeklles.
Our smaller communities are beginning
awaken There is increased political activity wit
in their boundaries And they need fearless.
dependent local papers,
Which brings us to the question Of the sma
town hoy and politics.
The Young man who plans to follow polite
career can do no better than to begin at the bt
rom in his own village, township county.
mixing in local affairs he will learn how to hand
human nature. And he will learn to be prac
cal.
Let not the young man think that participate
IN small.town affairs will stunt his growth. If
&c destined for larger things, u few years will fl
him as n matter Of course. functioning on a are
scale And record Of things done-that nj
school for Beaver Hollow, the park at Flo
Corners, the new municipal lighting plant. or
now railroad brancl-all will serve as recomm'
datons when he goes before the voters.