324 
March 11, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1850. 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 409 Pearl Street, New Vork. 
Herbert W. Oollingwood, President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Hoyle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union, $2.04, equal to 
8s. 6d., or S's marks, or lO'u francs. Remit in money order, 
express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates 60 cents per agate line—7 words. Discount for timi 
orders. References required for advertisers unknown to 
us; and cr.sh irust 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 ourcolumns, and any such swindler will be publicly ex¬ 
posed. We protect subcribers 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 courts. Notice of the complaint 
must be sent to us w ithin 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. 
* 
The other side of that company horse deal is given 
on page 328 . We are pleased to give Mr. Otto a 
chance to tell his side of the story. We also have the 
statement of one who for some years acted as selling 
agent for these horse companies. One thing is sure— 
before we get done every reader of The R. N.-Y. will 
know most of the ins and outs of this horse business. 
If they then want to buy shares in horses it is their 
privilege to do so. They do it with their eyes open. 
* 
In the New York Legislature Assembly bill No. 279 
is intended to amend the vinegar law so that farm- 
made vinegar containing “two per centum of solids and 
sufficient alcohol to develop the required amount of 
acetic acid” shall not be deemed adulterated. As 
originally worded the amendment contained the words 
“made by a farmer.” It was feared that this might 
be considered “class legislation” and hence unconsti¬ 
tutional, so these words are cut out. This amendment 
ought to pass. 
* 
Plant corn! Plant corn! Plant corn! Every year 
we start up that war cry. It is a good one to use. 
This year we want to go back or behind of the plant¬ 
ing and advise testing the seed. Take it ear by ear if 
possible, shell off a few kernels and test them so you 
can identify thfc ear by the way the kernels grow. You 
will find a lot of dead corn. That is the deadest sort 
of 'dead capital for your cornfield. In all these prize 
yields you notice they had, first of all, a full stand, 
even if they had to transplant. It may make a differ¬ 
ence of 20 per cent of a stand to test out the dead 
ones before you begin. 
* 
The United States Senate voted 54 to 33 in favor of 
popular choice of United States Senators. This de¬ 
feated the proposed amendment, since a two-thirds 
vote was needed. The most striking thing about this 
vote was the way eastern Senators voted. New Eng¬ 
land has 12 Senators; 10 of them voted against popu¬ 
lar election—one Senator being absent. Both Senators 
from New York and both from Pennsylvania voted 
no. In view of their record not one of these men 
could be elected by popular vote. Here in New York 
we are having a fine illustration of the way Senators 
are selected to serve the people at Washington! The 
caucus nominee of the Democrats, Mr. Sheehan, wants 
another caucus so as to let the party decide. Let him 
ask to leave it to the people at a popular primary. He 
knows better than to do that! The Republicans are 
worse off than the Democrats in the way of a candi¬ 
date, for they are actually voting for Senator Cliaun- 
cey M. Depew. He is thoroughly discredited already, 
while Mr. Sheehan is a new man at least. 
* 
Last year what was known as the Lupton bill was 
introduced into the New York Legislature. The ob¬ 
ject of this bill was to control the operations of com¬ 
mission men who receive and sell farm produce. These 
commission men were to be licensed and were also 
required to give bonds for $10,000. Their business 
was to be opened for inspection and the bond was to 
protect shippers who were cheated or misused. The 
bill failed. It was first killed in a committee. Then 
when amended and introduced again there was no time 
to discuss it. This year two bills have been introduced 
by Mr. Collin. You will find the substance of them 
printed on page 329. We would like to see them 
both passed, but frankly, in the present condition of 
affairs at Albany, it does not seem likely that they 
can be both put through. We advise concentrating our 
«THE RURAL? NEW-YORKER 
forces back of No. 590 . We are more likely to get 
this one and, under it, the Commissioner of Agricul¬ 
ture can get for us just the information we need. At 
Poughkeepsie the Eastern New York Fruit Growers 
resolved to pass this bill and will make a demonstra¬ 
tion at Albany favoring it. Let all farmers fall in 
and help pass the bill. Write at once to your mem¬ 
bers of the Legislature and ask them to support 
Assembly bill No. 590 ! 
* 
CANADIAN “RECIPROCITY.” 
No. 4 . 
We could fill several issues of The R. N.-Y. with 
letters from farmers who discuss “reciprocity.” They 
are practically all one way. Almost without exception 
free traders and protectionists unite in condemning 
this so-called trade agreement. On January 1 a very 
large majority of our farmers were in favor of lower 
tariffs, with a fair chance for all. They now see 
that the very interests which they have made strong 
are willing to offer up the rights of the farmer as 
a sacrifice to keep the consumers quiet. That is a 
blunt way of stating it, but it is the way our farmers 
feel, and aside from any consideration of the tariff 
this awakening over “reciprocity” is the most hopeful 
thing that has happened to farmers in many years. 
It has come like a shock, but it shows them that 
they will be mere playthings in the political game 
just so long as they do the political drudgery for 
any party which is dominated by corporation lawyers 
and “special privilege.” They must now see that 
they never can be free until they have the power to 
defend their rights. 
Should the proposed “reciprocity” go through as 
planned, American farm history will repeat itself. 
From the first it has been a system of farm robbery. 
The settlers on the Atlantic coast got what they could 
from the soil and then left it, going west for stronger 
and cheaper land. Shortly after the Revolution parts 
of New England were nearly depopulated when Ohio 
was opened. Again and again as new territory was 
opened the Eastern States have suffered loss of value 
and population through competition from free land. 
All this has led to the most wasteful form of farm¬ 
ing. Iowa actually lost population in the last decade. 
Missouri and other nearby States also lost in their 
farm or rural counties, a large share of the farm 
population going direct to western Canada—taking 
their money with them. With the tariff removed on 
farm products the trickling stream of immigration 
away from this country will swell to a flood. The 
man in Alberta or Saskatchewan will be as near the 
wheat or cattle market as he who lives in Iowa or 
Kansas, yet the former can find land at $20 even 
superior to that for which the latter must pay $ 150 . 
Yet with free trade the products of the two farms 
meet on equal terms. Again the Canadian farmer 
finds a government ready to lend him money for drain¬ 
age or to build railroads and storehouses which be¬ 
long to the people. The American farmer, on the 
other hand, must pay higher rent and taxes and finds 
that money, transportation and storage are controlled 
by monopolies! 
Nor will the consumers in town and city be better 
off. Under the terms of “reciprocity” while grain and 
meat are brought in free, there yet remains a tariff 
on the forms of such food which the people eat. The 
monopoly of preparing and handling such food will 
still remain and that monopoly is what is now re¬ 
sponsible for the high cost of living. For some years 
to come such food as Canada can send us will be 
used like a club through the scare of “free trade” to 
force down the price paid the American farmer. We 
all know what happens when every few years foreign 
potatoes come here in large numbers. These imports 
may not be two per cent of our crop, yet the 
knowledge that they are coming is so manipulated that 
wholesale prices fall, while retail prices are not cut. 
Under our present system of distribution, and handling 
“reciprocity” will simply give the middlemen a better 
chance to play both ends of the game. We believe 
that the farmers of this country are ready for a fair 
revision of the tariff. But for this attempt to rob 
them they would probably have been willing to let 
their so-called “leaders” go ahead and revise it. Now 
we rejoice to say they will do their best to halter 
these leaders and tie them right up to the rack. Let 
us next see how they can do it. 
* 
As our readers know, the railroads have been trying 
to increase their rates for carrying freight. They 
argued that greater income was needed in order to pay 
expenses, make needed improvements, raise wages and 
pay fair income on their stocks and bonds. A few 
years ago the railroads could have gone ahead', put up 
rates to suit themselves and held up the people until 
through a slow and long-drawn-out process the courts 
decided whether these rates are just or not. Last year 
Congress passed a new law giving the Interstate Com¬ 
merce Commission new powers. Now the railroads 
cannot enforce higher rates until the Commission 
overhauls them and decides whether such increase is 
fair. As soon as this law passed the railroads jumped 
up their rates, and a fierce argument has been going 
on as to whether such increase was necessary to the 
railroads or fair to the public. The Commission has 
just decided against the railroads. There will be no 
increase—we think on the other hand there will be a 
cut in some of the rates now enforced. This action 
cuts off $ 60 , 000,000 in revenue which the railroads 
wanted—but saves all of it to the shippers. During 
the investigation the Commission overhauled the prices 
paid for stocks and bonds of all the railroads, and 
what these securities represented in true value. In 
view of the facts thus obtained we have little thought 
that the railroads will try to appeal from this decision! 
This outcome is another argument for a fair tariff 
commission, for which we have argued for years. 
Such a commission would never have favored the 
one-sided agreement with Canada which President 
Taft calls “reciprocity.” This railroad decision is the 
most hopeful thing in railroad transportation that this 
country has seen in years. 
* 
Gov. Baldwin, of Connecticut, is proving himself as 
sound and well flavored as New England’s favorite 
apple. He bids fair to prove the best Governor Con¬ 
necticut has had since early war times. Last week he 
nominated our old friend J. H. Hale for Railroad 
Commissioner. In asking Mr. Hale to accept, the 
Governor said: 
7 desire to put a Republican on the board who is a 
man of energy, independence and good judgment, not 
a place hunter, but one zvho has made good in his own 
affairs!” 
Sail in and find us a better description of the type 
of men needed' to fill public office. When you get 
tired of hunting for it take a rest and then find a man 
who sizes up to it better than J. H. Hale does! Hale- 
represents the soil and the best that grows in it, and 
it is like going back to the days when New England 
was a nation-maker to select farm-raised boys for 
public office. 
* 
We have waited patiently for some intimation from 
Mr. H. C. C. Taylor that those Guernsey cows will be 
retested. We have seen nothing on the subject ex¬ 
cept the following from the New England Homestead: 
The suggestion that Missy of the Glen be required to 
duplicate the record is hardly fair to Mr. Taylor. Breed¬ 
ers well know that in establishing these high records 
animals are driven almost to the breaking point. Their 
permanent welfare is practically forfeited for the tem¬ 
porary gain. Missy of the Glen may be able to “come 
back” and she may not. The question of accuracy of the 
first record should not depend upon that condition. * If 
Mr. Taylor was able to breed an animal of so high merit, 
he should be able to duplicate the effort. Look to the 
man and not this particular animal for future vindica¬ 
tion. The dairy world will watch, with interest the future 
records of this herd. They are likely to be good ones, as 
Mr. Taylor, i*f not Missy of the Glen, will be likely to 
“come back.” 
We certainly hope he will, but a record made in 
the future by some calf now in Mr. Taylor’s barn will 
not wash away the brand made by the Supreme Court 
injunction. It is claimed that Missy of the Glen 
gave milk containing nearly nine per cent of butter 
fat with less than 18 per cent solids. Her claimed 
record is based upon such abnormal milk. Now 
granting that the cow cannot “come back” and again 
give 14,591 pounds of milk in a year, can she give one 
pound or 10 pound or 100 pounds which will show nine 
per cent of fat? That would be good evidence. We 
suggest that Mr. Taylor have the cow fed in any way 
he likes—then turn her over to reliable dairymen and 
let them milk her and sample the milk. We do not 
understand that the amount of milk is questioned. The 
quality is questioned, and if Missy does not feel like 
“coming back” the entire distance let her stand where 
she is and give up some of that nine per cent milk! 
BREVITIES. 
“Our billion dollar industry” is the way the hen men 
talk. 
Next week we shall show how interest in playing check¬ 
ers led to a model farmers’ institute. 
The simplest rule for fattening stock appears to be: 
“Keep the system open and feed eornmeal.” 
Next week you will find full and detailed information 
about sowing and feeding rape as hog and sheep pas¬ 
ture. It is well worth “the price of a year's subscription.” 
Bear this in mind. In the Spring after a wet Winter 
the soil is like a bottle containing a good supply of water. 
The thing to do is to keep that water bottled up. This we 
can do by keeping the surface soil stirred up and thus 
prevent evaporation. 
We often hear of men going about on “traveling insti¬ 
tutes,” or institutes on wheels. It is new to send a 
cow along as an institute speaker, yet the cow Missouri 
Chief Josephine, from the Missouri Agricultural College, 
will be carried on a special train so that people may see 
what a champion looks like. 
