The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-07-02

W.
depoSitors 70 become richer: Il non-depositors
See rs doing this they have the bes, argument
IN the world for bringing their accounts 10 Us"
The farmers Of the community were hard work.
ers and intelligent But they had no leader.
without single by your leave" the bank as
suneo the leadership. II organized Farmers
Forum On the banks Recommendation the farm.
ers e-nployed q field Demonstration thoroughly
grounded il the theory and practice Of scientific
farming The federal government paid half tie
expenses Of this soil doctor. He spent his tine
travelling from farm 10 farm, making soil test:
and advising the farmers regarding the products
best adapted 10 their acres. The bank purchased
carload Of purebred cattle. selected By e gov
eminent dairy expert. These were sold 10 the
farmers Al cost.
That was three years ago Today. that COM
munjty IS Of the most prosperous agricultural
districts in the country. There is only one bank
The business OF the competing bank has been
taken over By the Tive" bank
The young man is president Of the enlarged
bank He has been offered vice presidency in
large city bank, with salary double that which
he now receives. He prefers 10 remain in the
bushes He. too, would rather be first in
little Iberian village than second in Rome"
On trip last year through one 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 oyerworked reporter on
a 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 assistant
editorship in about ten years.
When his two-weeks' vacation period rolled
ho do VI, 7sc-~So
of his state. He did not return to the city. For
In little town he found the subject Of many day
dreams-a rundown country newspaper for sale.
And into ii he put every cent that he had managed
TO scrape together on his city job.
Not a very promising baby" you say But
Jim Ingalls, had a vision Of possibilities The
town was in the heart of prosperous farming
region that was well populated Most Of the
farmers had big city daily delivered at their
gates There was a growing community spirit
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 a chain Of correspondents
Railroad agents. school teachers, doctors. lodge
secretaries, justices Of the peace-eyeryone in a
position 10 gather news was supplied with sta
tionery and given free subscriptions There were
few who did not consider Ii a privilege TO send
in news items.
He gave up foreign news entirely, leaving this
to the city dailies His news policy has always
been one of intensive reporting of the affairs of
town and county. His correspondents pour in to
him every week steady stream of the gossip and
chitchar of every hamlet and crossroads village.
IL Farmer Porter's wife holds a pie social, she
knows where she will find full account of ii.
and her guests know where they can find their
names in all the glory of print Farmer LAWYER
and his neghbors are interested IN the hay, grain
and forage reports from up state. They look In
Jims paper for them He keeps close tabs On the
developments al the county experimental farm,
and nothing gets by him al the meetings OF the
county agricultural societies
The papers circulation is how nearly four times
what it was when he took 1t over, and 1T is recog-
uized as valuable advertising medium. Jim no
longer has to worry over his income. But he has
made more of his paper than mere chafteroox
of the county's gossip. He realizes that, In his
little newspaper, he has a powerful tool Ano
he uses il to encourage the jewellers OF the county
to carry out the Improvements which VIII add 10
the comfort of all and make every town better
nIaee in which to live and bring up children
There are openings for great many more Jim
Inpagls,- In the United States there are about
ten thousand eenters Of population where news
papers are published There are about twenty
five hundred daily newspapers. and nearly si1
times as many country weekhes-
Our smaller communities are beginning 10
.wsLen There is increased political activity with
in their boundaries And they need fearless, In
dependent local papers
Which brings US to the question OF the small
town boy and politics
The Young man who plans to follow political
career can do no better than to begin at the DOT
tom ia his own village, township or county. bs
mixing in local affairs he win learn now TO nanoie
-. nature And he will learn to be pracd.
cal.
Let not the young man think that participation
I'm s,nal,-toxn affairs will stunt his growth II be
Is destined for larger things, few years VIII md
him. as matter of course, functioning On larger
scale. And a record of things done-that new
school for Beaver Hollow, the park at Foul
Corners, the new municipal lighting plant or the
new railroad branch-an win serve as fecommen'
a..;ocs whom he goes before the voters.