©70 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FA EMEU'S FA FEE. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homci. 
Established 18!>0. 
Fubllthcd weekly by the Hural rublUhing Company, toll IVarl Htrrrt, New York. 
Herbert W. Oollinowood, President and Editor, 
•John J. DiLLON.Treasuror and Ueueral Manager. 
WM. F. DiluiN, Secretary. 
Dr. Walter Van Fleet and Mrs. E. T. Roylk, Associate Editors. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04. equal to 
8s. Od., or S'a marks, or 10*a francs. Remit in money ordor, 
express ordor, personal check or hank draft. 
Entered at Now York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rntes 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.” 
Wo believe that every advertisement in this paper is hnckod by a 
responsible person. But to make doubly sure wo will make good any 
loss to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler 
advertising in onreolumns, and any such swindler will l>e publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect suberibers against rogues, but wedo not guarantee 
to adjust trifling differences between subscribers and honest, respon¬ 
sible advertisers. Neither will wo be responsible for the debts of 
honest, bankrupts sanctioned by the courts. Notice of the coinplaiut 
must be sent to us within one mouth of the time of the transaction, 
nnd 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. 
* 
Mr. Prince, on page 974, brings up the question of 
live stock exhibits at county fairs. While there arc 
arguments on both sides we think Mr. Prince makes 
a good case for home exhibits. There ought to be 
more animals shown by local exhibitors. The “edu¬ 
cational” feature in the show of stock carried around 
the circuit from one fair to another amounts to little. 
There would be far greater chance for education in 
the study of cattle, sheep or other animals which 
farmers in the county must live with and work with. 
There should be more special premiums for home¬ 
bred stock. 
* 
It needs to be repeated that the railroads of this 
country make their own rates. When, on complaint, 
such rates are proved to he unreasonable, the Inter- 
State Commerce Commission can correct them. On 
(page 9G2 we give the record of several more cases 
where this has been done and a refund secured. 
If you think a railroad or other carrier has charged 
you an excessive rate, it is your duty to obtain proof 
and all the facts and submit them to the commission. 
Where the shipment is entirely within one State the 
commission cannot help you, but when a State line 
is crossed they will have authority. When Congress 
meets we must all work to obtain greater powers for 
the commission. 
* 
It looks as if prices for potatoes this year will 
again depend on foreign imports. Last year the 
German potatoes were delivered in New York duty 
paid, at a little over one cent per pound. This and 
a trifle higher figure settled the price paid for Amer¬ 
ican-grown potatoes. While these brought more than 
the foreign, the latter controlled the market. This 
year, as soon as the price reaches $2 in New York, 
we look for heavy imports to begin. The price at 
which these foreign potatoes arc sold injures the 
American farmer by bringing his price down, while 
the consumer benefits little. The retail price any¬ 
where within 100 miles of the seaboard remains much 
the same. The profit is made by the dealers and im¬ 
porters who are able to buy cheaply. If the tariff 
makers had really wanted to “protect” farmers they 
would have doubled the duty on potatoes. 
* 
In 1745 began the final war between the French 
in Canada and the English colonists. In Canada 
there were at the time about 55,000 people. Of the 
English, scattered along the coast there were more 
than a million. Yet the contest was far from unequal. 
In f."\ct if the French government had given even 
ordinary support to its colony Canada would not 
have been conquered. The difference between the 
two systems of government was striking. In Canada 
there was an autocratic government. Whenever 
the Canadian was called to arms lie obeyed at. once 
without argument or question of authority. lie did 
just what he was told to do with the utmost con¬ 
fidence in his superior. On the other hand, the 
English colonics were split into little petty govern¬ 
ments, each jealous of its powers and distrusting 
all the others. They could not agree upon any 
definite policy, they would not raise money to aid 
their neighbors and would not submit to the au¬ 
thority of any men, however able. The command 
was usually given to some “committee” of people 
who knew little about fighting. Their very habits of 
independence and love of freedom were a dis¬ 
advantage to them in an attempt to co-operate. 
Thus Canada, with her small, compact and wcll- 
THK RURAL NEW-YORKER 
drilled army, outnumbered 20 to one, was able to 
prolong the contest for years. The time finally 
came when the English faced a danger so great that 
they were forced to forget their difference and com¬ 
bine for one final, mighty struggle. In reading the 
history of this long contest we are reminded of the 
struggle for a fairer share of the consumer’s dollar, 
waged between the farmers and the organized in¬ 
terests. Like the English colonists, the farmers arc 
greatly superior to their opponents in numbers and 
resources. Yet, for much the same reason which 
divided these colonists, the farmers have been un¬ 
able to unite. Thus the smaller, compact organiza¬ 
tion which is opposed to them has the advantage. 
We are confident that history will repeat itself in 
full, and that our farmers will yet learn how to 
combine for mutual protection. 
* 
Three weeks ago we mentioned a case where a 
large orchard of peach trees proved untrue to name. 
The grower sued the nurseryman for damages and 
attempted to prove his loss by giving the value of 
good four-year-old trees. The judge threw out this 
testimony and permitted a verdict of the original 
cost of the trees and no more. He did this because 
the nurseryman claimed that his contract simply 
hound him to replace the trees if fruiting proved 
them untrue. We now print the clause in the con¬ 
tract on which the judge based this decision: 
“Any stock zvhich docs not prove to be true to 
name as labeled is to be replaced free, or purchase 
price refunded, and all stock to be delivered in a 
thrifty and healthy condition .” 
An appeal has been taken to a higher court. We 
print the above and urge our readers to read their 
contracts carefully before signing them. If the 
judgment in this case is sustained there would he no 
legal help if you sign such a paper. 
* 
President Taft is in favor of postal savings banks. 
The arguments in favor of those hanks have been 
given many times. In thousands of localities there 
are no safe institutions for saving. In consequence, 
people hoard their money—keeping it out of circula¬ 
tion. This hoarded cash is often stolen outright, or 
what is just as had, taken by fakers and frauds in 
exchange for bogus stocks or “shares.” If the people 
had a chance to hank with the government, a large 
share of this money would come out of hiding places 
into circulation. The people would take greater in¬ 
terest in the government if it became their hanker. 
One of the greatest benefits from postal savings banks 
would he in saving to the country millions that are 
now handled by so-called “private banks” for immi¬ 
grants. These “bankers” are interested in sending 
this money hack to Europe. They get it because the 
immigrant does not know whom he can trust with his 
savings. He would trust the government, and would 
put his money into postal’’ banks, and it would then 
remain in this country. w 
* 
We have had many letters about the farmers’ in¬ 
stitutes. They ran all the way from unstinted praise 
to violent abuse. There lias been some useful criti¬ 
cism and some good suggestion. Briefly summed up, 
we conclude that farmers do not want essays, ora¬ 
tions or long “papers.” They prefer off-hand talks, 
very simple and direct, with the privilege of breaking 
in at any point for a discussion. There is some com¬ 
plaint that the “question box” is often “doctored”; 
that is, pet questions answered and hard ones ignored. 
That is why farmers do not like long papers or es¬ 
says. They like direct dealing with the speaker. 
Many of our correspondents say that the best part of 
the institute is after adjournment, when the people 
can surround the speaker and talk informally. We 
should say that interest in the institute is growing. 
Farmers want to make it useful—as close to a good 
farm school as they can get it. We believe that 
Commissioner Pearson and his associates understand 
what is needed. While in the nature of things they 
cannot do it all at once, we believe the New York 
institutes this year will he better than ever before. 
* ^ 
The great New England fruit show in Boston last 
week did more than gather a great collection of 
apples. Our conviction is that there never was before 
in this country a finer display of business fruit. Men 
who have seen the apple shows on the Pacific coast 
said that for color and quality these New England 
apples were superior. As a demonstration of what 
Yankee orchards can produce, the show was 
astonishing, and the effect upon business will he per¬ 
manent. For the first time in its history the Boston 
Chamber of Commerce gave a dinner to agriculture. 
Bankers, brokers and business men learned for the 
first time that a new business has come to New Eng¬ 
land. Boston is now a large exporter of fruit. Even 
to-day the exports of apples are larger than those of 
November (!, 
any other natural product of New England. It is 
now only a question of time when the value of ex¬ 
ported apples from Boston will he greater than those 
of any manufactured product. We stated 10 years 
ago that the orchards which are to supply Europe 
with business apples in the future will he located on 
the New England hillsides. Massachusetts has 
gained fame and reputation from her whaling and 
fishing industries, yet those are small things compared 
with the scarlet stream of Baldwin apples which will, 
in future years, run down the valleys from the hills 
to Boston. That fruit show marked a new epoch 
in history, for the apple crop is to give new value 
to land that has been out of business since the West 
cheapened the cost of bread and meat. California 
is known as the Golden State, yet the. gold taken 
from her mines cuts a small figure beside the value 
of her fruit crop. So it will be with New England. 
Nature has provided the ideal conditions for growing 
the Baldwin apple and given Boston a harbor for 
export shipment. The fruit show will convince 
capital that there is money in this business, and 
farmers are learning how. There never was a time 
in the history of New England when the outlook for 
farming was brighter than now. Anything that makes 
rural life in that section richer and better will help 
the entire country. “Comfort me with apples,” said 
Solomon. Yankecland is to have some of the same 
comfort. 
* 
Suppose you could call a convention of people who 
have honestly tried to fight business evil and public 
abuse or crime. After they became acquainted so 
they could talk freely you would find that they all 
had the same story to tell. So long as they discussed 
“graft” or crime in general terms they were ap¬ 
plauded. Every rascal who was working some fake 
scheme and the respectable people who profited in¬ 
directly by it, were loud in praise of such “fearless 
policy.” It was all very nice, yet somehow there were 
no results. Since exposure of the crime amounted to 
little, an experiment was made in exposing the 
criminal high up in social or political circles. Ask 
any man who has tried that experiment and sec what 
happened. 
“UNDIGNIFIED ” ! ! 
“YELLOW JOURNALISM”! ! 
“PLAYING TO THE GALLERIES”! ! 
“UNSAFE GUIDE FOR THE PEOPLE” ! ! 
These arc mild compliments compared with the 
epithets hurled at the man who hits a faker so that 
the world knows where the blow falls. And who 
do these remarks come from? Usually from emi¬ 
nently respectable people, leaders in business and with 
very honorable reputation. They will wish you God¬ 
speed just as long as you attack the general principle 
of faking. It is quite a different form of speed for 
you when you name the faker and chase him until 
his disguise is stripped off. We have found this true 
in dozens of cases, and the experience has made con¬ 
viction doubly sure. There is no way of making 
headway against evil until you unmask the evil-doer. 
Back of every fake scheme there is a faker. He 
represents the germ of it, and until the germ is ex¬ 
posed the evil will live. We do not see how anyone 
can serve the public faithfully and not expose the 
faker behind the fake. We do not hear any complaint 
from the people who have been injured by the faker. 
Somehow we have gained the impression that a farm 
paper ought to be conducted in the interests of its 
readers—especially those who look to it for protec¬ 
tion. 
BREVITIES. 
Tiib Japaucsc are growing apples—$1,500,000 last year. 
Auk we growling about taxes? Think of Japan. The 
total direct taxes last year for all purposes reached $22 
per head of population! 
We arc glad to learn that the Ohio Horticultural So¬ 
ciety is growing fast. The membership has more than 
doubled during the past year. 
There Is a report that the Department of Agriculture 
is to isstic a farmer's account hook. There will he a 
bulletin soon on keeping farm records, with a simple plan 
for farm accounting. That is the basis for the report. 
If you have a robber scheme, don’t try to work It on 
the farmers, says the Atchison tllobe. The farmers have 
been worked so much that they have at last caught on. 
Try your scheme on the wise men; the wise men are 
easily worked. 
Each year at about this time Florida cabbage growers 
want to know about the Northern crop. If it is light, they 
consider it a good risk to plant cabbage, planning for 
Winter delivery. When the Northern crop is large, this 
planting will not pay. 
Questions regarding siock-feeding come in increasing 
numbers. The grain problem is harder than ever this 
season. We shall take special pains to ligurc out these 
questions, but wo want all to understand that such advice 
must be suggestive rather than conclusive. 
