St. Clair County Democrat
Osceola, Missouri
4 February 1915

Magnolia Springs:
Mrs. E.A. Andrews is on the sick list this week.

Albert Dark spent Saturday night with his uncle, A.M. Sims.

Amy and Gertie Hopkins visited at the home of A.M. Sims last Tuesday.

Mrs. John Fisk and Mrs. Hampton of Kansas City spent Thursday with Mrs. J.W. Payton.

Mr. and Mrs. G.P. Treaster are rejoicing over the arrival of a 9 pound girl born the 25th of this month.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Patterson of Roscoe spent Sunday last with the latter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Starner.

Mr. and Mrs. Bert Baker returned home Saturday after a few days visit with Mrs. Baker's mother, Mrs. J. Kelly near Lowry City.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Daniels were called to Kansas City last week by the serious illness of the latter's mother, Mrs. Will Moore.

Mrs. Edith Scott and children of Southern California are visiting at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. Starner. This is her first visit in ten years to her old home.

Rookins Items:
We are having some bad weather the last few days.

Wheat is looking very bad at this time in this community.

John and Archie Eilerman have moved their sawmill from Mr. Frances' farm near Birdson, to R.A. Shryers.

Jim Francis has purchased a new barn near Birdsong from A.J. Baker.

Bob Elkins is preparing to build a new house.

Albert Baker has purchased a farm near Siebert, Colorado which he expects to move to some time in August.

Frank Ellerman of Rookins reports good trade.

Haynes and son made a business trip to Osceola Monday.

Mr. and Mrs. Young of Polk County is visiting their son near Rookins.

Melvin Woody made a business trip to Clinton last week.

Fred Ellerman of Pittsburg, Kans., is visiting his parents near Rookins.

Willie Eilerman went to Clay county to visit his brother, Charley.

Perry Gilbert spent Sunday with his cousin near Rookins.

Miss Adah Baker and Bessie Baker spent the day Monday with Misses Lizzie and Maud Harvey.

Greenwood school is getting along nicely.

We understand that Charley Witt and Earl Hanes are going to move to Fort Scott, Kans., in a short time.

The Rural Press
The Local Paper a Most Useful Agency on the Farm - The Press, Pulpit and School a Trinity of Influence That Must Be Utilized in Building Agriculture.
By Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers' Caton

A broad campaign of publicity on the subject of rural life is needed in this state today to bring the problems of the farmers to the forefront. The city problems are blazoned upon the front pages of the metropolitan dailies and echoed in the country press, but the troubles of the farmers are seldom told, except by those who seek to profit by the story, and the glitter of the package oft times obscures the substance. A searching investigation into the needs of the farmers will reveal many inherent defects in our economic system that can be easily remedied when properly understood and illuminated by the power of the press.
The rural press, the pulpit and the school are a trinity of powerful influences that the farmers must utilize to their fullest capacity before he can occupy a commanding position in public affairs. These gigantic agencies are organized in every rural community and only await the patronage and cooperation of the farmers to fully develop their energy and usefulness. They are local forces working for the best interests of their respective communities. Their work is to build and their object is to serve. They prosper only through the development and prosperity of the community.
Every farmer in this state should subscribe for the local paper, as well as farm periodicals and such other publications as he may find profitable, but he should by all means subscribe for his local paper, and no home should be without it. The local paper is part of the community life and the editor understands the farmer's problems. It is the local press that will study the local problems and through its columns deal with subjects of most vital importance to local life of the community.

The Power of Advertising.
The influence of advertising is clearly visible in the homes and habits of the farmers, and the advertising columns of the press are making their imprint upon the lives of our people. The farmer possesses the things that are best advertised.
The farmer is entitled to all the advantages and deserves all the luxuries of life. We need more art, science and useful facilities on the farms, and many homes and farms are well balanced in this respect, but the advertiser can render a service by teaching the advantages of modern equipment throughout the columns of the rural press.

The farmers are in need of personal leadership. They have political leaders, but they need local industrial community and educational leaders.

Machinery's Wondrous Power.
It is said that it requires the strength of twelve men to be equal to one horsepower. It would require 840,000 men to produce as much energy as the 70,000 horsepower developed by the turbine machinery in a big Atlantic steamship. If the men worked on an eight-hour shift, it would require 2,520,000 men to drive the vessel across the ocean. The power of two and a half million of men is concentrated in one engine.

Saved From Disgrace.
Little Bob had disobeyed a charge laid upon him by his busy mother and was threatened with having to go to school in untidy clothing. The lad took the matter bravely, but when unexpected events mitigated the just sentence his lips quivered. "'I'm so glad I won't have to wear those torn trousers to school, mother"', he explained, "'because I don't want the rest of the fellows to think I'm a preglected child."'

Children and Cattle.
It is peculiar that a man who owns a bunch of cattle will go out to look at them every few days, but not once during the whole year will you catch him at the schoolhouse where his children are getting their education. - Kansas Phoenix

Its Industries Changed.
Valenciennea is no longer a lace-making town, engineering, iron and steel foundries and coal mining having taken its place, and the last table of occupations at Valenciennea showed that only 15 people in the town were employed on textiles of any kind. Its neighbor, St. Quentin, has taken its place. Where real Valenciennea is made I do not know, for St. Quentin claims only to make imitation valenciennea. - Boston Transcript