172 
February 20, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FAliMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Pabliibcd weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York. 
Herbert W. Collingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon. Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. _ 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet and Mrs. E. T. Royle, Associate Editors. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8 s. (id., or 8*2 marks, or 10>2 francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates 50 cents per agate line—7 words. Discount for time 
orders. References required for advertisers unknown to 
us; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
"A SQUARE DEAL.” 
We believe that every advertisement in this paper is backed by a 
responsible person. But to make doubly sure we will make good any 
loss to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler 
advertising in our columns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect stibcribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee 
to adjust trifling differences between subscribers and honest, respon¬ 
sible advertisers. Neither will we be responsible for the debts of 
honest bankrupts sanctioned by the court*. Notice of the complaint 
must be sent to us within one month of the time of the transaction, 
and you must have mentioned The Rural New-Yorker when 
writing the advertiser. 
TEN WEEKS FOR 10 CENTS. 
In order to introduce The R. N.-Y. to progressive, 
intelligent farmers who do not now take it, we send it 
10 weeks for 10 cents for strictly introductory pur¬ 
poses. We depend on our old friends to make this 
known to neighbors and friends. 
» 
Tiie latest from the Ohio fertilizer scandal is that 
• 
the Smith Fertilizer Co. has come forward with the 
money to take out licenses for the sale of fertilizers. 
The object of this evidently is to call off any inves¬ 
tigation. This is all the more reason why the whole 
game should be dug out to the bottom. The facts 
have been covered up too long—out with them! 
* 
We ask a careful reading of the article by the 
probation officer on the first page. The problem 
of what to do with young criminals is a serious 
one. In the majority of cases a jail sentence ends 
tlicir usefulness. That is not always true, but the 
influences found in the average county jail will 
ruin hope and character in most young men. In 
1908 there were in Connecticut 1492 men probation¬ 
ers, 101 women, 793 boys and 74 girls. The pro¬ 
bation officers collected $.'1,344.32 in fines and $17,- 
187.27 jin probationers’ wages, and expended the 
same for the benefit of their families. 
* 
At all the larger fruit meetings this year there 
was a growing spirit of independence. The aver¬ 
age member wants to have more to say about the 
society, and the number of those who will get up 
and say it is increasing. It is a good spirit and 
a healthy sign. In the palmy political days of the 
old Department of Agriculture all the large State 
societies but one were pretty much "run” by De¬ 
partment politicians. In those happy days the average 
member was expected to listen to the programme 
and allow the "unseen powers” to- direct the society. 
We are getting away from that, and it is a good 
thing. 
* 
A synopsis of the report of the Country Life Com¬ 
mission will be found on the next page. We lack 
space this week to analyze it or give an extended 
review. The testimony from farmers was so con¬ 
vincing and overwhelmingly in favor of a parcels 
post that the President has at last put the matter 
squarely up to Congress.- That alone more than 
justifies the appointment of the Commission. Next 
in importance is the suggested investigation of the 
"middleman’s share.” From the first we have claimed 
that good will come out of any opportunity which 
is offered farmers to state their wants and their 
wrongs in their own way. 
* 
Not long since the “Virginia Society” had a din¬ 
ner in this city. The way the orators twined words 
around the Old Dominion was a caution. It is 
doubtful if a single Virginia apple was eaten or 
used for decorations. Virginia needs word pic¬ 
tures about her finest apples rather than about her 
"first families.” Again the “Sons of Vermont” got 
together at dinner and cracked up the history and 
great men of the bashful State. Not a word about 
Vermont apples—nor a taste of one, either. Neither 
Virginia nor Vermont can live on their past history. 
When their sons get together and have a chance, 
why do they not "talk apple” and help make a 
pleasant spot in future history? 
* 
The fruit banquet given by the Connecticut Pomo- 
logical Society was one of the great events of the 
Winter. The bill of fare was printed last week. 
Surely the good old apple had a chance there if 
it never did before. This feast was greatly en¬ 
joyed, and was far better than any programme of 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
speeches or papers could have been. It brought the 
people together in a friendly way, and made the 
best of feeling. Our Connecticut friends deserve 
great credit for starting this innovation. We pre¬ 
dict that it will become a regular feature at most 
of the fruit growers’ conventions. The Western 
New York and New York State Fruit Growers’ 
Associations might well have a three days’ meeting, 
adopt this fruit banquet, get rid of their “nominating 
committees,” and spend half of one day in the 
business of the society. 
* 
FARMERS AND PRIMARY NOMINATIONS. 
Last week, at Little Falls, the New York State 
Grange voted unanimously to support the direct 
primary nominations law. Sometimes the Grange 
permits politicians to represent it, and then its 
voice does not always ring true. When the mem¬ 
bers assert themselves and dominate the State con¬ 
vention the Grange can be relied upon to voice the 
real sentiments of New York farmers. It is clear 
to anyone who knows the feeling among country peo¬ 
ple that a large majority of our thinking farmers 
desire a primary election for selecting candidates. 
They are sick and tired of having a lot of third- 
class bosses stand between them and the Legislature. 
They never can get their real business issues into 
politics till they control the Legislature, and they 
never will do that until they can make their votes 
count in selecting candidates. The issue is so sim¬ 
ple and straight that everyone knows why Raines, 
Wadsworth, Barnes and the rest are making such 
a noise. These men know that sooner or later the 
country people will force them to support a primary 
law—j us t as they made them renominate Gov. 
Hughes. These men are simply playing for a com¬ 
promise, hoping to take the life out of the bill by 
amending it. There is the situation and the Grange, 
being close to the farmers, has sized it up. 
By some strange coincidence while the Grange was 
thus voicing the sentiment of working farmers one 
who should be fheir champion was throwing his 
influence against them. Jacob Gould Schurman, 
President of Cornell University, at Utica, scarcely 50 
miles from the Grange meeting, put himself on 
record as opposed to the primary. Now if there is 
any university on earth which ought to know what 
farmers desire and what they need it is Cornell. 
If any man should act as their champion in public 
places where they have no other it is Cornell’s 
president. Cornell owes its very existence to the 
old land grant fund—a sale of public lands given 
for agricultural education. We all remember how, 
a few years ago, the farmers of New York com¬ 
pelled the Legislature to give Cornell an agricultural 
college worthy of the university. At that time 
there were many who hesitated at first. During 
that campaign President Schurman went before the 
State Grange at Syracuse, and argued that the State 
should build up the college at Cornell. One hard- 
headed old farmer expressed the feeling of many 
at that time when he said, “Is this the real thing— 
or has he turned farmer for revenue only?” These 
men were won over by profuse promises of loyal 
support to agriculture in all its real needs. 
It would be hard to draw the line closer or to 
make a clearer issue than the one raised between 
the State Grange and Dr. Schurman. One repre¬ 
sents the voice of the real farmers—the other that 
of their educator and supposed champion. The 
Grange cannot rescind its resolution, because it 
is the truth and the organization must make the 
greatest fight of its life for primary nominations. 
Here is its opportunity to do the greatest possible 
service for New York farmers and prove that 
it is not dominated by politicians. As for Dr. 
Schurman, his very arguments as reported us show 
a lack of faith in the character and strength of 
purpose of country people. These arguments will be 
analyzed and answered. In a way it is a good 
thing to have these matters settled and know just 
where we stand. When we get down to rock bot¬ 
tom we shall find that it is doubtful if all the 
money and all the years spent upon “agricultural 
education” have developed one single public man 
who will really fight for the farmers. We can get 
words by the million and pamphlets by the carload, 
but when the call comes for some one to go on 
the cross if need be and fight with clear vision 
and patient courage for the “under dog” in politics 
everyone is busy developing some new system of 
education. The farmers of New York will win the 
primary election law, and when they understand 
how to use it they will change the history of the 
State. If those “leaders” who ought to stand up 
and take the blows refuse to do so the farmers 
will simply march past them and do their own 
leading. — 
You seem to think Xezv York with try the experi¬ 
ment of direct nominations? We do. We look for 
Gov. Hughes to recommend the measure, for the 
politicians to balk and for the people to drive tliem 
to it. — R. N.-Y. Dec. 26. 
The first two of these predictions have now been 
made good. We make the third one again. Go out 
among the people and listen to what they say, and 
you can come to no other conclusion. The politicians 
are doing a lot of talking now, but this thing will 
be decided by people who talk less but act more. 
Keep at them! 
* 
The State of New York has established three 
secondary schools of agriculture—at Canton, Alfred, 
and Morrisville. The object was to place these 
schools in different parts of the State—carrying 
them to the people. They are all young, and yet 
to be proved. No doubt there will be many calls 
from other localities for such schools, but they 
should not be started until these have been con¬ 
ducted long enough to see how they operate. If we 
are to have this form of agricultural education let 
it be done right. Make the system prove itself 
before the State becomes too deeply involved. Wait 
and see what these first three schools can do. 
* 
A case of some importance to fruit packers has 
just been decided under the pure food and drug 
law. A company doing business in Michigan went 
to Arkansas and canned a quantity of fruit. Ap¬ 
ples and blackberries grown in Arkansas were put 
in cans, carrying a label which stated that the 
goods were packed by a Michigan firm. The label 
did not state definitely that the fruit was packed 
in Michigan, but that the packer did business there. 
A seizure of 272 cases of these goods was made 
on the plea that they were misbranded. The judge 
held that the label would lead people to think the 
cans contained Michigan fruit, which has a superior 
reputation for quality. The’, fruit actually came 
from Arkansas, and it was misbranded when other¬ 
wise named. The judge ordered the goods to be 
properly branded and sold, but gave the packer 
a chance to pay the fine and give bond to brand 
the goods properly. This case establishes a princi¬ 
ple which is of great importance in the fruit busi¬ 
ness. Many growers have suffered by having their 
goods rebranded or misbranded. The plain facts 
are good enough for honest men. 
* 
A railroad in chains! That is what the people 
of Okeene, Okla., saw last week. The “Frisco” 
railroad has been slow about paying for losses and 
damages to freight. At this end of the country we 
sit around and talk or write while the railroad men 
“look it up.” There is more action in Oklahoma. 
A manufacturer of cement blocks had a loss claim 
of $19.75 against this railroad. There was a lot 
of fooling and dilly-dallying, which we all know 
so well. At last the manufacturer got a writ of 
execution. A freight train came along and backed 
cars on the siding to be loaded with chickens. The 
constable with the writ chained a couple of these 
cars right to the rails. But for holding up the 
United States mails the main track would have 
been chained up, too. It is reported that the “con¬ 
ductor pawed the earth,” but that frightened nobody. 
They held those cars chained to the track until 
the head men down the road instructed the local 
agent to pay the judgment of $19.75. That seems 
to be the way they do things out in the baby State. 
They certainly are not bashful as they are in Ver¬ 
mont. In the East the railroads and express com¬ 
panies have put chains on the people, but you will 
see them snap when we get a parcels post and 
learn how to use primary nominations. 
BREVITIES. 
A ‘‘chicken razer” must be a poultry sharp. 
Read the article on gape worms on page 177- 
The cost of keeping a boy will be figured next week. 
A new English insurance company offers to insure 
against insanity ! 
The white field bean evidently grows well on an acid 
soil. Lime does not help it as it does some other crops. 
Bringing up the question of ox teams and automobiles in 
Connecticut, we ai;e now told of a milkman who uses an 
ox team for delivering milk ! 
We are promised the story of a man who earned the 
money for his education by keeping bees. lie was not 
“stung” by the new education. 
A Massachusetts reader puis it this way ; “I am sure 
that I have a better garden, better horse, better cow, better 
house and, consequently, a better home from reading your 
paper.” 
A Scotchman announces a “new method of keeping fine 
fruits fresh.” He purposes to pick the fruit “in the 
height of the sun" and pack it in dry, granulated sugar. 
The sugar may be re-used ! 
