ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN^S ASSOCTATION. 87 



a little harder to pay more taxes to support the successful 

 scramblers for office. 



It is said the farmer's wife does not want to help her hus- 

 band in politics. Perhaps she does not, but give her the 

 chance. I know some farmers also who are too selfish to do 

 dutj as citizens. Time makes different demands and we 

 change our ideas to suit circumstances. A mother who had 

 sent out to her country a large family of good citizens was 

 asked her opinion about woman's suffrage. "I used to think 

 nothing about it, but the more I think of it, the more I feel 

 it my dnij to cast my ballot, if I have the chance." This 

 mother struck the key-note of citizenship. Duty is what the 

 country calls for from its citizens through the ballot, and 

 often am I wondering how indifferent is the farmer to this 

 duty. He is intelligent about the needs of his country, and 

 I should say in the vanguard of thought for his country's good. 

 He knows that he is as repsonsible as any other man for the 

 condition of his country. Yet, so often will he stand quietly 

 back and let political machinery do the work that under our 

 present form of government belongs to him to do. This neglect 

 furnishes capital for the so-called politicians. Give the farm- 

 er's wife a chance to help him to do his duty in this direction. 

 Give her a chance to help settle the money question. It would 

 be done while the nations are looking around for that com- 

 mittee. The result would be "honest money," but it would 

 most likely be gold and silver. 



Let her have her say about protecting home industries 

 and competition with the markets of other nations; for the 

 evil political conditions affecting the finances of farmers the 

 past years, from whatever causes they spring, have borne 

 most heavily on the farmer's wife and has given her ample 

 cause to think. 



One of the saddest things that darkens this beautiful 

 earth for the farmer's wife is the licensed saloon — the saloon 

 that is supposed to help pay the taxes of the towns and cities. 

 Hard earnings, comfort, peace and all that makes life worth 

 living, lies buried there for many a hopeless farmer's wife. 

 Please give her the chance to help bury the saloon down deep, 

 for her husband never will alone. Let her have every oppor- 



