Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-25
Plain John Smith
By JACK LEE

II BY JAGA LEE
Every community particular celebrity every
pays homage. In the smaller community may be th
banker In the town be professional In th
city may be captain Of industry In the metropolis
may be group Of financiers Commercial
geniuse every they have the admiration
citizens Of the efforts they have expended
furtheng the interests of the community in which they lived
Homage and respect every way afforded
After they have monuments reared to their
The natives take visitors to the sacred spot and in awensprne
say hats the memorial the citizens erected for the Hon
Bobbs this place from the wilderness and made
II Of it prosperous city"
Parks boulevards buildings schools named for
bg" School children taught their
and urged to emulate the example set by them.
pictures hung in public places and pointed
as being made the city, Every community has its
big who have been set pedestal Honoring these
very WE'LL for efforts put forth in large by
unseshy devoted to the advancement Of the
munity in which they live deserving of honor
Most Of the "big" men, while helping the city, helped
grown prosperous Others have left nothing for
the their families but the good wishes Of the
munty have large fortunes Of which has
been placed trust for charitable Others estates have
allowed their progeny live in luxury bask in the light Of
social leadership.
It is quite common hear Of "Banks the banker" "Cue
great pork packer" "he judge Fttem the great
the Of how each did wonders make the
memory of Pan John Smith," the private in the ranks?
As every community "bg" every community
has Smiths Steady, Godfearng awrespecng
go day after day. living and allowing to ve inter-
fering with nobody thrifty and reliable interested in the
munty but primarily interested their homes we'll
knowing that the city depends the caber of
its homes
John Smith may have to his community when it
village may arrived there after had be
great city, Plain Johns first duty to himself He OBJ
job and worked conscenouy and steadily Finally he
took unto himself helpmate and reared sturdy youngsters and
taught them the value Of right living and thinking and respect
Plain John Smith had dreams Of glory thoughts
of Advancement All he wanted be allowed to
quietly peacefully in the bosom of his family feeling
be king under his vine and fig tree Perhaps
this faculty that got him steady advancement from his
employer.
Year after year he poddng shrkng
sbes complaining about misfortune His children
school and perhaps they learned the value of being
cupied spare by working helping family
When they finished school they went out for themselves
and became Plain John Smiths With the simple upright
teachings Of their father planted firmly in their hearts they
emated his example and established homes such their father
had.
Year after year Plain John paid his little home and
made donations the public veal and services
When there duty perform regardless Of whether
pleasant unpleasant when Plain John called he al
responded In the last analysis it the Plain John Smiths
those glorious upright plodders who responsible for the
"bg' and their memorials Of marble
the Plain John Smiths keep pride in schools,
churches commercial aid industrial institutions alive. the
Plain John Smiths who watch the civic advancement and
weather its 1t is the appreciation of Plain
John Smith that the ofcehodr while holding office
remain politics It for the patronage of Plain John
Smith that the big merchant keeps his huge date
with the help of Plain John Smith that industrial
a organizations prosper because he Of them
depends the other for is the Plain John Smiths
steady honest thrifty the bankers like to have their
for is their hardearned dollars that keep these institutions
In walk Of life Plain John Smith plays important part
Take Plain John Smith of any community you
that is dependable
Society resembles huge There the lower and
crusts and then the "n Separately neither the
three parts amount to anything Two without the n
little better than useless Put in the "fn
appetizing healthfu concocion Plain John Smith n
the society pie and his substantial qualities that make society
endurable He is sort Of balance wheel in community
mechanism.
The big" and "ttle" fellows equally important to
Plain John Smith he to them What the "big" do in
large he does with his smaller
and while Plain John Smith unheaded unsung the
"bg men reap the harvest in praise and memorials. Il
Yet there isn't "bg" any community worthy the Il
name who would not admit that Plain John Smith helped him
and remain big Plain John Smith envy
famous neighbo but joins
the praises of "our esteemed fellow citizen sung
So while erecting memorials "bg" men and throwing
oratora garands to his memory why slip
word Of praise for Plain John Smith ho after ALL had just
important part in the Of the community
'big" man? .t.-, j.