Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1916 — GET DOWN AND PUSH [ARTICLE]

GET DOWN AND PUSH

Every town has its men of wealth —its prominent citizens—people who are looked upon as the community leaders. AND AS THEY LEAD, SO WILL THE COMMUNITY BE. If YOU have accumulated a competency and are enjoying that life of ease to which you are entitled, it is time for you to think of your community—of your children—of your neighbor's little ones. Your town needs your strength, your assistance. GET DOWN AND PUSH. The generation that is passing away started you on the road to affluence—pushed you along life’s pathway—headed you for that goal which you now enjoy. THEY GAVE YOU A PUSH—and your own energy, and perseverance, and determination did the rest. Now you are on top and a new generation is springing up, and they have an ambition to achieve. But their goal is a long way up, and the road is steep, and there are many obstacles to be overcome before your children and your neighbor’s children may hope to reach the goal of THEIR ambition. The community standard in vogue when you were a boy was doubtless

high for those* times, but the standard is hopeless today—a relic of the past—an impossibility of the future. To. maintain its relative position in the world your community must prosper, and grow, and expand. And your children are confronted with those changing conditions. To hold your town down to the early standard is like cutting the throat of your faithful dog, or casting your bank hook into the flames. But advancing its material interests is like casting the loaves and fishes to the hungry multitudes. You are successful—the past has enriched you of its wealth—-the future is one of peace, FOR YOU. But w hat of the children of today —-what of those growing to manhood and womanhood only to be forced to meet the serious problems of a few years hence? What of the future of YOUR OWN DESCENDANTS? A retarded commercial spirit, a throttled community growth, all portend a struggle with adversity in the years to come. Other men of means and prominence will act, and other communities will forge to the front and prosper—and if your community simply remains stationary it will soon be subsisting on the crumbs that others cast aside. What are you going to do about it —you men of means and the ability to act? Are you going to get down and push? Are you going to assist your children, as your fathers assisted you? Are you going to give your town a shove to the front—a boost that will mean prosperity for the future? A town that is worth living in is worth boosting. And all good citizens should be boosters—in fact, the really desirable citizens are boosters. This world is moving at a pace, and America leads the van. Do you want to see your child en inarching well up to the front- -it the position of honor—or would you prefer to see them ambling along in the dust of more progressive people? The great opportunity for commercial and community advancement is here now—is looking for a word of encouragement from you—is waiting for your action. But by the time your sons reach man’s estate opporunity will have marched on—and into the waiting embrace of other communities, - That is, unless you act now, and to some purpose. One hand may not raise a stone, hut many hands make light work of the heaviest burdens. . <r-' . . There are many hands in your community—hands capable of performing wonderful feats in community building. Perhaps yours are two of those hands. But what are the many hands doing? Are they pushing-—shoving—boost-ing to the front? Or are they pulling—dragging—retarding the growth of your community and your people? What are 'your hands doing, brother?