Show II I HOME TOWN B BUILDING IL I II I- I II In our last weeks week's issue we made the statement that the latest census reports show that the smaller towns of the West and Middle West are either stationary or decreasing in population on Illinois is a fair sample That state shows a decline of people in in Jl the rural districts district in the short space of ten years while on the theother theother theother other hand all aU of the larger cities increased increased in increased in- in creased in population at an astounding astounding astounding astound astound- ing rate During Daring the ten years covered by bythe bythe bythe the last official census Sanpete county county county coun coun- ty showed an increase of while in Salt Lake City alone the population population tion increased and the census of Ogden den showed an increase of These are far from encouraging but it the will make us free Every Every Ev Ev- ery ery business business si Ss and and J d pr professional ie i ai man man every scholar every teacher every Elvery laborer and every father and mother I is vitally in this subject and should study it from various an an- I an-I Reflection on the condition of the country suggests th the following following- i questions which are offered for the consideration of our readers 1st Why 1st-Why Why is it that many of our country towns are at a standstill or going backward and showing showing- a decrease decrease decrease de de- de- de crease of population during the past ten years regardless of the fact that many of them are located in infertile fertile agricultural districts II Why Why is business in a majority of the country towns stagnant stag or on the decline Why Why are the younger generation generation genera genera- tion of people seemingly anxious to break away from the country towns townsand townsand townsand and flock in great numbers to the larger cities What What effect if any does the trend of the country youth I have on the social commercial and industrial l interests of the country Ill I Id the reported exodus from the country towns to the larger cities now in greater reater volume o or more in evidence at this time than in former years and if so does it in fn your estimation estimation estimation esti esti- mation indicate a step forward or backward in the progress or healthy growth of f the nation Are Are the young youn people being driven to the larger larg-er cities through lack of commercial opportunity at home or or is their dislike for country life life attributable in in a lar large e measure to the suppression of wholesome amusement amusement amuse amuse- ment places and the lack of mental and physical recreation in inthe the smaller small er towns r The r foregoing g ing are w a t few questions perta pertaining to Home Town Building which will be discussed in this column column column col col- col- col and on which we invite correspondence corre corre- dence from our readers Understand Understand Understand Under Under- stand this discussion will be open to all Let us hear from you We recommend recommend recommend re re- re- re commend all of these questions as asgood asgood asgood good Jive live subjects for public speeches and debate |