Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1915 — LET US MAKE OUR CITY BETTER IN 1915 [ARTICLE]

LET US MAKE OUR CITY BETTER IN 1915

John Holden Bays It is Time to Start and We Have Unlimited Confidence in John.

Several years -ago a stranger came to Rensselaer.

To many he is a stranger yet, because he has not devoted his time to getting -acquainted just for the sake of enlarging his circle of friends, but he has been a worker. He has embodied in him a deep seated conviction that it is not what one says but what one does or inspires others to do that amounts to anything. This man didn’t pose for the plaudits of the community;, he didn’t stop when some said that he was trying to carry things too far; he didn’t stop at anything, but went right ahead with his labor and wore callouses on bis hands. No man ever worked who did not get results. Sometimes the work has been selfish and the community has not benefited, but If a man was public spirited and broad in his version his work has told in community good. We don’t want to swell any person’s head, but Rensselaer has several men and several'women whose splendid sacrifices have helped to make this a really great city. They have brought it from the rear and placed it in the front rank in ap pearance and good fellowship and better morals. But to get back to this one man. We want to name him, not to please him nor to spoil him and not simply to give him credit but because we believe naming him right now will belp to make Rensselaer accomplish more the coming year. John Holden is the man. John just came to Rensselaer by chance.

Wanted to get out of Chicago and to enjoy the freedom of a live, forward-looking town. He hardly knows today how he happened to come to Rensselaer, hut he came, and his Influence has radiated for good ever since. Three years ago he said Rensselaer was -dirty and he said it in a way that didn’t make people mad. He made them acknowledge that there were a lot of weeds and tall grass and old fences and brush heaps and ash piles and untrimmed trees. We had never noticed horw had they looked before. He helped us see them in their worst light. He had some help. Dr. Gwin, health officer; Dr. Loy, who is a great beiiever in tidy premises; Superintendent Claike, of the public school®, and a great hand of workers who “fell to” and used rakes, lawnmowers, axes and pruning shears. The Holden spirit became epidemic and Rensselaer thrived under the new ambition. Scarcely a lawn that was not kept mowed and clean, scarcely a home in Rensselaer where there was not the most dheerful response to the appeal for a cleaner, healthier, more beautiful Renslselaer. People didn’t do it just because John Holden wanted it done, but because they saw that the plan was right and that it meant better health, greater happiness, and more satisfaction. The paint brush kept tune with the lawnmower, the hammer of the carpenter played in rythmic concert with the rake. I heard a traveling man say the other day; “Oh, you want to see this town in the summer time; its the cleanest and best kept town I visit and I go, to o lot of them. There’s pride enough for u« all. It belongs to us aIL Every travelling man is a booster for Rensselaer. Many of them will locate here just as soon a s we get another railroad and accommodations for these busy men to get in and out _ .. . . . "M

Well, we don’t want to be satisfied Satisfaction is stagnation. We lack a whole lot of meeting up to the highest ideal of beauty and cleanliness. We have only scratched the outside. 'But we have accomplished a lot but John Holden is not satisfied; neither are his aides and neither are you if vou are scrutinizing. There are piles of unsightly -things and an enormous amount of work for the coming months. It’s time to begin now the plans for the future. John Holden was in the office early today and has things started for the comiing year. Prizes will be awarded again for the best kept premises. The money will either be appropriated from the park fund or made up as before by subscription. John bdieves the city Should make the appropriation. We think so," too. The 'beautification and health of Rensselaer is a eom- : *nmniiy enterprise affecting all the property owners in proportion to

Should be equalized by eomlng from general taxation. One other thing. John says it is time right now to plan ifor the porch boxes. Carpenters are idle. An indoor job making the boxes will serve the pur pose of giving employment and assure that there will be no delay in getting the geraniums, the ivy and the foliage plants started. John Holden says spring will be here before you know it. Let’s take John’s advice. He hasn’t given us a bum steer since he came here a stranger seven or eight years ago. Let us get an earty start to make Rensselaer just twice as delightful and healthful as It was in 1914. All aboard for 1915. -■ - -