The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-06-17

W.
uepoSltors to become richer? If non-depositors
see us doing this they have the best argument
III the world for bringing their accounts to u.s.
Inc farmers Of the community were hard work.
ers' and intelligent But they had no leader.
without a single "by your leave" the bank as.
suhed the leadership. 1t organized a Farmers
Forum" On the banks recommendation the farm.
ers employed a 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
d 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.
muhlty Is one of the most prosperous agricultural
districts in the country. There is only one bank.
Inc business Of the competing bank has been
taken over by the live bank.
The young man is president of the enlarged
bank. He has been offered a vice presidency in
a large city bank, with a salary double that which
he now receives. He prefers to remain in the
pushes" He, too, would rather be first in a
little lberian village than second in Rome"
On a trip last year through one of the richest
agricultural sections of the Middle West, l 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
q big city daily. His work did not seem TO be
getting him anywhere. There were half a 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 two-weeks' vacation period rolled
around. he made a trip through the rural districts
of his state. He did not return to the city. For
in a little town he found the subject of many day.
rundown country newspaper for sale.
And into 1t he put every cent that he had managed
to scrape together on his city job.
Not q very promising baby" you say. But
Jim ingalls, had a vision of possibilities. The
town was in the heart Of a prosperous farming
region that was we'll populated. Most of the
farmers had a big city daily delivered at their
gates. There was a growing community spirit
among the county jewellers. Jim saw the need
for a 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 to gather news was supplied with sta.
tionery, and given free subscriptions. There were
few who did not consider 1t 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 a steady stream Of the gossip and
chitchat Of every hamlet and crossroads village
If Farmer P0rter's wife holds a pie social, she
knows where she will find a full account Of It.
and her guests know where they can find their
names in all the glory Of print. Farmer Lawler
and his neighbors are interested in the hay, grain
and forage reports from up state. They look in
Jim's paper for them. He keeps close tabs on the
developments at the county experimental farm,
and nothing gets by him at the meetings Of the
county agricultural societies.
The papers circulation is now nearly four times
what 1t was when he took it over and 1t Is recog.
nized as a valuable advertising medium. Jim no
longer has to worry over his income. But he has
made more of his paper than a mere chatterbox
of the county's gossip. He realizes that, in his
little newspaper, he has a powerful tool. And
he uses II to encourage the jewellers of the county
to carry out the improvements which will add to
the comfort Of all, and make every town a better
place In which to live and bring up children.
There are openings for a great many more "Jim
Ingalls," In the United States there are about
ten thousand centers Of population where news.
papers are published. There are about twenty.
five hundred daily newspapers, and nearly six
times as many country weeklies.
Our smaller communities are beginning to
awaken. There is Increased political activity with
in their boundaries. And they need fearless, To-
dependent local papers.
Which brings us to the question Of the small
town boy and politics.
The young man who plans to follow a political
career can do no better than to begin at the bot.
tom in his W village, township or county. by
mixing In local affairs he will learn how to handle
human nature. And he will learn to be practi
col.
Let not the young man think that participation
in small-town affairs will stunt his growth. II he
Is destined for larger things, a few years will find
him ne n matter of course. functioning on a larger
scale. And a record OF things done-that new
school for Beaver Hollow. the park ut -Four
Corners. the new municipal lighting plant. or the
new railroad branch-all will serve as recommsn
,,..~ ,,Aac ho uoos hafOre the voters.