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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
December 2 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S l‘A PER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homei. 
Established 1850. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, Editor. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet, 1 
H. E. Van Deman, ^Associates. 
Mrs. E. T. Royle, ) 
Joun J. Dillon, Business Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, 12.04, equal to 
8 s. 6d., or 8*4 marks, or 10*4 francs. 
ADVERTISING RATES. 
Thirty cents per agate line (14 lines to the inch). Yearly orders 
of 10 or more lines, and 1,000-line orders, 25 cents per line. 
Reading Notices, ending with "Adv.," 75 cents per 
count line. Absolutely One Price Only. 
Advertisements inserted only for responsible and honorable houses 
We must have copy one week before the date of issue. 
Name and address of sender, and what the remittance is for, 
should appear in every letter. 
Remittances may be made in money order, express order, 
personal check or bank draft. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
409 Pearl Street, New York. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1899. 
We hope that our friends will take a look at the 
premiums offered for clubs of subscriptions this week 
on following pages. The articles offered are all good 
value, and will pay handsomely for the time spent in 
looking up the club. Getting subscriptions for The 
R. N.-Y. this month will not be a difficult task. 
Everyone who learns about the new rose distribution 
will wish one, and the paper will, besides, be sent 
until January 1, 1901. This is the month for the 
work. We will furnish samples, and pictures of the 
rose on fine coated paper, to anyone who asks for 
them. 
* 
A new and unostentatious swindle, which seems 
likely to extend through country districts, is reported 
from Massachusetts. A man drives about in a buggy 
or runabout, with a barrel of alleged kerosene, which 
he sells at a rate two or three cents a gallon lower 
than the market price. This suggests an important 
saving, since the benevolent and philanthropic oil 
trust continues to raise prices, but the purchasers 
discover, when they try to light their lamps, that this 
cheap fluid is nothing but water! Perhaps, some 
day, science will teach us how to use water for illu¬ 
minating purposes, but at present this particular 
rogue is not supplying a satisfactory substitute. 
* 
The meeting of the New York State Dairymen’s As¬ 
sociation, which opens at Cortland December 14, will 
be a notable affair. There never has been such a de¬ 
mand for exhibition space, and notable dairymen 
from all over the country will be present. The an¬ 
nounced programme is a good one, but this is not all, 
for the informal conferences and discussions will be 
helpful and 'inspiring. The dairy business is very 
promising just now. Prices are good, and there is 
reason to expect fair returns for the next few years. 
The high prices paid for beef will have more influence 
on dairy production than many farmers realize, for 
hundreds of dairy herds will be bred back to beef. It 
is human nature to run with the crowd, and with the 
favorable dairy outlook there should be a great meet¬ 
ing at Cortland. 
* 
Secretary Gage, of the United States Treasury, 
has just issued a call for the purchase and retirement 
of something over $25,000,000 Government bonds of 
series that expire in 1904 and 1907. This is done to 
relieve the “stringency” of money in and about Wall 
street. Where speculation has been going on at a 
feverish and highly inflated rate for many months. 
The charge for collection of country checks by the 
New York Clearing House banks has also been a po¬ 
tent factor in driving away money to other centers. 
It is explained that the National Treasury now has a 
large surplus, and something like $2,000,000 will 
eventually be saved in interest by calling in these 
bonds several years before their legal termination. 
This 'is all very well, if it were not for the fact that 
the present surplus was practically created by the 
sale of bonds, a few months ago, that will draw in¬ 
terest for 30 years from their date of issue, but the 
main point is that a cry for more money from the 
speculative centers is at once heeded, and the accu¬ 
mulations of National taxation placed at once at the 
disposal of the non-producing money handlers. Our 
complicated system of currency, created and con¬ 
ducted for the benefit of the banking and stock-job¬ 
bing interests of the country, whose policy is to keep 
the medium of exchange contracted to the narrowest 
possible limits, always works real hardship and dis¬ 
crimination upon the farmers and laborers—the true 
producers! Even in this year of booming prosperity 
for commercial interests, many a well-conducted 
farm, stored with an abundance of everything that 
can be produced by intelligent labor, is hampered by 
the necessity of converting the surplus products into 
money at “stringency” prices in order to buy ma¬ 
terials later at “expansion” prices. It is hard to see 
any justice in this. The greatest industry of the 
country, that produces 70 per cent of wealth of the 
whole country, and 69 per cent of all our exports, is 
not heard when it raises the cry of scarce money, but 
let a little clique of “financiers,” who have been over¬ 
speculating, call for a release of the Nation’s surplus, 
and the Treasury’s cashbox is at once opened to buy 
gold bonds back at a substantial premium. 
♦ 
The viscosity of air was discovered by Hiram 
Maxim, whose automatic gun has made his name ter¬ 
rible. He was engaged in studying the efficiency of 
various shapes of propeller blades, to use in his con¬ 
templated airship, and found that the theoretical 
form did not do so much pushing as would another. 
The apparent error was accounted for on the suppo¬ 
sition that the gaseous mixture we call air had 'in 
slight degree viscosity, or stickiness. We all know 
the saying, “Slow as molasses in January,” but 
haven’t commonly thought that any molasses quality 
could be found in a sou’wester; nor in a springtime 
rain storm. Such is the fact, however, as may be seen 
by some notes on another page. Professor Carpen¬ 
ter’s remark helps us to understand why the soil 
fills up with water in late Fall and stays full till the 
heats of Summer are upon us. It is full of suggestive¬ 
ness. 
* 
There is a great outcry just now in the New York 
papers over the “Franklin Syndicate.” One W. F. 
Miller organized a scheme for investing money, and 
offered, in some cases, 520 per cent profit on invest¬ 
ments. Money came pouring in from all quarters, and 
it is estimated that Miller now has over $4,000,000 in 
deposits. This money came in small amounts, and 
chiefly from hard-working people, who were tempted 
by the great promises to invest their little savings. 
The best financiers in the city say that Miller cannot 
possibly carry out his plans, and that investors are 
sure to lose, yet the money still comes. Many banks 
have refused to handle the funds of the “Syndicate,” 
but Miller has not yet done anything that justifies the 
authorities in taking any steps. The bubble is sure 
to burst soon, but it shows several things very clear¬ 
ly. There is a vast amount of idle money in the 
country. Much of it is in old stockings, or carried 
about concealed in the clothing of its owners. These 
individual sums are small, but put together they 
represent millions. They are work-stamped dollars— 
well stained with sw T eat. The owmers have not found 
any safe and easy way of investing their money, and 
thus they fall victims to some rascal whose conscience 
has been absorbed away. All these things make 
plainer than ever the great need of postal savings 
banks, Where poor people may invest their little sav¬ 
ings at a fair interest and feel sure that their money 
is safe. The latest report is that Miller has finally 
been indicted on the charge of obtaining money under 
false pretences. This will end the scheme, and end 
the dreams of his victims, too. The “financier” has 
disappeared. 
* 
The New York State Breeders’ Association will 
meet at Rochester December 5-7. This will be one of 
the most important meetings of stockmen that has 
ever been held in the State. Aside from the general 
programme, the question of tuberculosis will be thor¬ 
oughly discussed. After discussing the subject, the 
Association will take action to secure legislation rela¬ 
tive to the treatment of the disease. Hon. D. P. Wit¬ 
ter, who is chairman of the committee, now investi¬ 
gating this disease, will be at the meeting, to state 
what his committee has done. After hearing all sides, 
the Association will decide on a definite policy, and 
inform Mr. Witter just what its members desire. New 
York State breeders will understand the vast import¬ 
ance to them of a fair and conservative law regard¬ 
ing tuberculosis. If the scientific and medical men 
are permitted to have their way unchecked, the 
breeders of the State may suffer severely through un¬ 
just and useless legislation. It follows, therefore, 
tbat if the breeders expect fair treatment from the 
Legislature, they must keep together so as to make a 
forcible and fair demand. They will get nothing un¬ 
less they demand it, and make that demand as an 
organization. The Breeders’ Association gives them 
an opportunity to go before the Legislature as an or¬ 
ganized, powerful body. In this way they will obtain 
recognition that they could not obtain in any other 
way. The officers of the Stock Breeders’ Association 
should have backing enough to enable them to stop 
the passage of any bill that would be detrimental to 
live stock interests. It follows, therefore, that every 
stockman in the State should fall In line at once, and 
put his shoulder to the wheel, behind the president 
of the Association. It is, of course, impossible for all 
stockmen personally to attend this meeting, but every 
single one of them should join the Association and 
contribute the membership fee to pay legitimate ex¬ 
penses. This membership fee is $1, and should be 
paid to the treasurer, F. A. Converse, of Woodville, 
N. Y. The R. N.-Y. does not hesitate to urge all 
stockowners to back up this Association, for it has 
a worthy object in view, and cannot accomplish its 
purpose unless it be thoroughly backed up With sym¬ 
pathy and dollars by those Whom it endeavors to 
serve. 
* 
Are farmeis really able this year to pay higher 
prices for needed goods? Are they more prosperous 
than in former years? Our own correspondence does 
not Indicate such a condition, though it must be said 
that many farmers are more inclined to talk of their 
losses than of their profits. It is very easy to esti¬ 
mate what an average farmer ought to have received 
as income from the farm, but these estimates are no 
more reliable than any other good guess. The re¬ 
turns from our own farm do not show that figuring 
on the average prices and crops reported by the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture is safe or reliable for the in¬ 
dividual farmer. Taken as a whole, we think that the 
condition of the average American farmer has im¬ 
proved, but to say that he is willing or able to plunge 
in and buy whatever is offered him is a mistake. He 
will be more conservative than before about buying, 
and will confine his dealings largely to necessary- 
goods. He will study more than ever before to learn 
just what is necessary. 
* 
BREVITIES. 
The lion-hearted Dewey found an empire o’er the seas; 
He gave it to Americans—and then, 
The whole great Yankee Nation straightway fell upon 
its knees, 
And worshipped him—the worthiest of men. 
The noble-hearted Dewey, why, he thought their words 
were true, 
He thought they really meant just what they said; 
He took the house they gave him—though his words of 
thanks were few, 
His gratitude was in his heart and head. 
The loving-hearted Dewey thought to make his new¬ 
found bride 
A present—he had nothing else to share 
Except his home—he gave it—then the fickle people cried 
Hot curses—calling back their petty share. 
Oh, simple-hearted Dewey! ’tis like iron in your soul; 
This thin lip-service is a fickle thing; 
They gave their paltry dollars, but demanded better toll, 
For every gift was fastened to a string. 
Oh, royal-hearted Dewey! never mind the yelping curs. 
The friends who know your real worth are true, 
Their love will lift you higher—past the insults and the 
slurs— 
America is loyal still to you. 
Whine is a mocker. 
Don’t trifle with trifling matters. 
Now or never for the Fall plowing. 
Wash the pig’s dishes now and then. 
Some minds are loath to make a growth. 
He makes a mess who runs his business by guess. 
It requires a good speaker to fatten a slim crowd. 
A poor farm may be cheap dirt, a good one may be 
dirt cheap. 
The large productions of a small mind are of mighty 
poor quality. 
Give something besides time to Destiny—part of your¬ 
self, for example. 
Florida strawberries are in the market at $1.25 a pint. 
As for us, we still eat Greening apples. 
You will notice that we hear very little about sugar- 
beet culture now. 
Why be satisfied with “the lesser of the evils’’ when it 
is always possible to take the good? 
A bill introduced in the German parliament would 
send to jail all who tried to foment a strike. It failed. 
One rural philosopher says that no man should be per¬ 
mitted to vote until he has sense enough to shut a gate. 
The only man who never desires to swerve from the 
straight and narrow path is the professional tightrope 
walker. 
We have Crimson clover, rape and cow-pea cranks— 
now we desire to meet a vetch crank. Are there any 
present? 
When you find it necessary to economize, do you begin 
by cutting down your wife’s expenses, or your own? Is 
it tobacco or calico? 
The giant puts his shoulder to the wheel and helps the 
panting horses pull the wagon from the mud. The dwarf 
connot do this, but he can drive the horses or—grease 
the wheel. 
Prof. Chittenden testified, before the Congressional 
committee now investigating food adulteration, that 
water was the most frequent adulterant of whisky. A 
consistent Prohibitionist would add that whisky is the 
most dangerous adulterant of good water. 
California growers of Citrus fruits have already or¬ 
ganized to fight the Jamaica reciprocity treaty, and they 
are inviting Florida growers to join them. They say 
that if Jamaica is given special privileges, it will be the 
entering wedge lor other countries, thus ruining the 
Citrus interests of California, Florida, and Louisiana. 
