The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1921-06-11

NJ
depositors to become richer? If non-depostors
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, and intelligent. But they had leader
"lthout single "by your leave" the bank
suhieu the leadership. 1t organized Farmers
norum.' 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
ana advising the farmers regarding the products
best adapted to their acres The bank purchased
carload of purebred cattle. selected by gov
eminent dairy expert. These sold to the
farmers at cost.
That three years ago. Today, that COM
mun1ty 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
Dank. 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
"bushes." He, too, would rather be first in a
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 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 assistant
edftorship in about ten years.
When his tw0weeks' vacation period rolled
around. he made trip through the rural districts
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 1t he put every cent that he had managed
to scrape together his city job.
Not 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 well populated. Most of the
farmers had big city daily delivered at their
gates There was 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 chain of correspondents
Railroad agents. school teachers, doctors lodge
secretaries. justices of the peace-everyone in a
position to gather was supplied with sta
tonery and given free subscriptions There were
few who did not consider 1t 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
If Farmer Porter's wife holds a pie social she
knows where she will find full account Of it.
and her guests know where they 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 nearly four times
rhofi who hn tOnl of,Ii II ic
nized valuable advertising medium. Jim no
longer has to worry his income. But he has
made of his paper than mere chatterbox
of the countys gossip He realizes that in his
little newspaper, he has a powerful tool. And
he uses it to encourage the dweers of the county
to carry out the improvements which will add to
the comfort of ALL and make every town better
place In which to live and bring up children.
There openings for great many more "Jim
Ingalls," In the United States there are about
ten thousand centers of population where news
papers are published. There 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 in
dependcnt local papers.
which brings to the question of the small.
town boy and politics.
The Young who plans to follow political
career can do no better than to begin at the bot
tom in his own village, township or county By
mixing In local affairs he will learn how to handle
human nature. And he will learn to be practi-
cal.
Let not the young man think that participation
In smal-town affairs will stunt his growth. If he
is destined for larger things, few years will find
him. as a matter of course, functioning larger
scale And record of things done-that new
scboo, for Beaver Hollow, the park at -Four
Corners, the new municipal lighting plant, or the
new railroad branch-all will serve as recommen-
dations when he goes before the voters