060 
September 14, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A national Weekly Journal for Cotintry and Suburban llomes 
Established iSSO 
Published weekly by the Rural Publishing Company, 409 Pearl St., New York 
Herbert W. Colli kg wood, President and Editor. 
Jour J. Dillok, 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 
8>£ marks, or 10J^ francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or hank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates 60 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 respon¬ 
sible person. But to make doubly sure we will make goou any loss to paid 
subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler advertising in our 
columns, and any such swindler will be publicly exposed. We protect sub¬ 
scribers against rogues, but we do not guarantee to adjust trifling differences 
betwcon subscribers and honest, responsible 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 within one month of the time of 
the transaction, and you must have mentioned The Rural New-Yorker 
when writing the advertiser. 
With incomplete returns the indications are as we 
write that all the amendments to the Ohio Constitution, 
except one, were carried. This one granted the right 
of suffrage to women. By a combination of ques¬ 
tionable elements with strong prejudices this amend¬ 
ment seems to have been badly beaten. We have 
not yet received details as to the exact reason for 
this defeat. We shall have them later. While Ohio 
women may have been denied the right to vote, they 
still have the write privilege and the power to talk. 
With the new form of controlling legislation they 
will yet win the right. 
* 
Before Winter closed in and stripped the trees 
we wanted our Western friends to see a typical 
country landscape in central New York. The pasture 
shown on our first page is in Tompkins Co. There 
are thousands of similar locations where river and 
wood make a beautiful and restful spot—in fact, the 
lake regions of New York compare well, in this re¬ 
spect, with any of the world’s famous country sec¬ 
tions. It is a goodly land. Go through it during 
harvest time as the sun is setting, and it seems like 
a very “land of corn and wine.” The New York De¬ 
partment of Agriculture has just issued a beautiful 
pamphlet on the “Agricultural Advantages of New 
York.” Do not imagine that these beautiful river 
views are to be found in abandoned or “unoccupied” 
farms. These are more likely to be at the top of 
some rocky hill. Such farms as are here pictured 
cost good money—and are worth it. 
* 
All through the world’s history progress has been 
made by mixing the people up. When people live 
apart they become narrow and unprogressive. They 
may read and study good books, but that better part 
of education is denied them—the study of human 
nature. If we will stop for a moment to think we 
shall see how much of real education consists in talk¬ 
ing with others and obtaining opinions. All educa¬ 
tion is the concentration of opinions. Anything 
which mixes people up by bringing them together 
makes for education and progress. Thus the auto¬ 
mobile is proving one of the most efficient aids to 
agricultural education. It has more than doubled 
the size of agricultural meetings—particularly those 
held in Summer. It has multiplied the area which 
may be covered by such a meeting by 10. This 
bringing people rapidly together where they may dis¬ 
cuss matters face to face has been of untold value in 
spreading farm education. 
* 
The It. N.-Y. seems to discuss all the Presidential candi¬ 
dates freely. We would like to know who you are work¬ 
ing for, anyway. J- s. b. 
Pennsylvania. 
We are working for readers of The R. N.-Y. 
In a somewhat less direct way we are working for 
what we consider the best interests of the American 
farmer. We put farmers in a class by themselves, 
and claim that they need definite -and special legisla¬ 
tion. We may he criticized for taking this position, 
but we can stand that—and answer it. Not one of 
the political “platforms” offers the farmer what we 
think lie should have. How can they do so when a 
political “platform” must be a compromise between 
the conservative and the radical elements of a party? 
Not one of the candidates seems really to know what 
the farmers need and want. Mr. Taft does not seem 
to care, for we should judge that he does not believe 
that farmers as a class need legislation distinct from 
that which other classes need. Mr. Wilson and Mr. 
Roosevelt are making special pleas to farmers—some 
of them, it seems to us, far outside of the remedies 
which go with political power. For example, a revival 
of the Country Life Commission will not pay mort¬ 
gages, secure drainage loans or hold up commission 
robbers. Nor will a “prompt revision of the tariff” 
do those things or relieve farmers of pressing trou¬ 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
bles. We shall discuss the candidates impartially, 
and criticize what seems to us off the track in their 
appeals to farmers in order that they may not forget 
our four-sided platform: 
1. Agricultural credits—liquid farm capital. 
2. A fair parcels post—transportation. 
3. A Federal “blue sky” law—investment security. 
4. A Federal commission law—business protection. 
We intend to keep at this so that no matter who is 
elected he will know that these four things must have 
the real thing in “careful consideration.” 
* 
History is being made so fast now that a moving 
picture machine can hardly keep up with it. For 
years we have advocated a number of public meas¬ 
ures which we felt could be classed as political rights 
of the American farmer. We have seen these things 
run the long gauntlet of ridicule, sneer, abuse, bluff 
and threat on the part of politicians and privileged 
interests. We have seen this change to sullen silence 
and then to perfunctory agreement. Now comes the 
beginning of the real thing. The new Progressive 
party in their State Convention at Syracuse, N. Y., 
adopted the following in their platform: 
FARM AND COUNTRY LIFE. 
We advocate State or national legislation as follows : 
1— The repeal of the so-called Canadian reciprocity act. 
2— An agricultural survey of the State, so that in each 
locality there may be available to each farmer adequate 
data as to soils, farm management, seed supply, market 
facilities, transportation methods, crop prospects and the 
like. 
3— State supervision of commission merchants and brok¬ 
ers to prevent loss to shippers through insolvency or fraud. 
4— A system of agricultural credit for drainage and lake 
improvement. 
5— Such change in statute and fundamental laws as will 
permit drainage of farm lands by means of compulsory 
process against the owners of contiguous lands. 
6— The rapid extension of the parcels post service. 
The mere statement of this “platform” does not 
mean that these things are surely to be done. The 
French peasants went to dancing and feasting when 
the Bastile fell, as they thought Liberty came out of 
the blood and tears of centuries with flowers in her 
hand and Peace for a partner. We make no such 
mistake, and have no such illusions. We shall have 
just what we make these parties do for us, and no 
more. The thing to thank the good Lord for is that 
at last these definite farm issues have been forced to 
a front rank. It does not make so much difference 
who puts them through—the big shoulder of the 
farmer must provide the motive power. 
* 
Dr. H. W. Wiley claims to have found a “joker” 
in the new law designed to shut off the drug and 
“cure” fakes. This law was an amendment to the 
pure food laws. The courts decided that under the 
old law all the Government could do was to see that 
the drugs used in these “cures” were pure. It could 
not stop the manufacturer from making ridiculous 
or false “claims” for their remedies. The amend¬ 
ment was supposed to give such power to the Gov¬ 
ernment. 
“The amendment,” said Dr. Wiley, “relates to state¬ 
ments on the labels of medicine, especially the so-called 
patent or proprietary remedies, providing that claims as 
to curative effects shall not be false and fraudulent. It 
is always more difficult to secure conviction if you have 
to prove two separate crimes rather than one. I do not 
know the exact difference between what is false and 
what is fraudulent, but it is fair to presume that Con¬ 
gress had in mind some distinct difference between them. 
Therefore it is evident that Congress did not intend to 
punish an offender for false claims alone or for fraudulent 
claims alone. The alertness of the lawyers and the learn¬ 
ing of the court will be spent in trying to distinguish 
between these two classes of offenses rather than in 
bringing the offender to justice.” 
That is probably a fair sample of what we call a 
“joker.” The plain intention was to choke off the 
miserable fakes who attempt to coin money out of 
the hopes and fears of their victims. Some smart 
lawyer has probably tied it up so that instead of put¬ 
ting the brand on the faker he can wear diamonds 
while the lawyers chase this joker around the court. 
* 
We fear that Mr. Roosevelt in his efforts to con¬ 
vince the farmers has been led astray by the “two 
blades of grass” gentlemen. Speaking to the Vermont 
farmers last week, he told how the average yield of 
corn and wheat has fallen off: 
Now, every farmer knows that an 80-bushel corn crop 
will make more net profit in one year than a 50-bushel 
average in four years. Well, one bushel an acre increase 
on all improved agricultural land in the United States 
would mean that there would be 12,500 extra trains of 
50 cars each needed to transport it. Mind you, this in¬ 
crease could be obtained while at the same time increas¬ 
ing the permanent value of the land, as the experience of 
Germany, France and Denmark has shown. 
• Now, many of these farmers are wiser than Presi¬ 
dential candidates think. If one farmer, or a few 
farmers, were to grow 80 bushels, while the resit 
grew 50, the 80-bushel men would be in clover. If 
everyone increased to 80 bushels the farmers who 
make their living at selling corn would be in quite 
another condition. It has all been figured out many 
times. The owners of these 12,500 trains would 
charge as much as ever for hauling a bushel of corn, 
while with the increased production the price would 
fall, so that the 80 bushels would bring the farmer 
less money than the 50. Why does not Mr. Roosevelt 
talk this same way to manufacturers? By all means 
urge them to make 80 shoes or shirts or stoves or 
suits of clothes, where 50 were made before. These 
things are all necessities and increasing their produc¬ 
tion will cheapen their cost and make everyone hap¬ 
pier—that is, if the argument regarding corn is cor¬ 
rect. 
* 
Well, we are to have a trial of parcels post. The 
law is not satisfactory, and as proposed caused a 
great injustice to printers and business men who sell 
by catalogues. Congress was finally determined to do 
something, and so made the Bourne bill, with some 
amendments, a law. The business will start January 
1. Parcels up to 11 pounds in weight and with a 
combined length and girth of 72 inches will be car¬ 
ried through the mails on what is called the zone 
system of figuring rates, which are classified as 
follows: 
Above four ounces rates are by the pound or fraction 
thereof, and varying with distance as follows: 
Each 
First Additional 
Eleven 
Pound. 
Pound. 
Pounds. 
Rural route and 
city delivery. .05 
.01 
.15 
50-mile zone .. 
.05 
.03 
.35 
150-mile zone .. 
.06 
.04 
.46 
300-mile zone .. 
.07 
.05 
.57 
600-mile zone . . 
.08 
.06 
.68 
1000-mile zone . . 
.07 
.70 
1400-mile zone . . 
.10 
.00 
1.00 
1800-mile zone .. 
.11 
.10 
1.11 
Over 1800 miles. 
.12 
.12 
1.32 
Thus you can 
mail on your rural 
route 11 
pounds 
in one package for 15 cents. 50 miles for 35 or 300 
miles for 57 cents, etc. Under our present system 
ordinary merchandise would cost for 11 pounds $1.76 
at any of these distances and would be put into three 
packages. This hill is highly praised in some quar¬ 
ters and bitterly condemned in others. No one can 
tell how it will work until it is given a fair triafl. 
From the first, through these long years of fighting 
for a parcels post, we have advised taking the best 
we could get and joining to make it a success. Our 
country people should now make it their business to 
patronize this parcels post in every possible way. 
Make it a success financially if possible from the 
start. That will enable us to compel Congress to 
change or improve it later when we find just what 
we need. It will also give us the power to secure 
other needed legislation. 
* 
In his speech to the Pennsylvania farmers at Will¬ 
iam’s Grove, Gov. Wilson is reported as saying: 
It Is practically impossible for the farmer to borrow 
money on the kind of securities ordinarily demanded at 
the banks. It does not serve his purpose to borrow it 
for the short periods insisted upon by most bankers. He 
needs, rather, long credits, and he needs them on his 
own kind of security. He can't be mortgaging his farm 
every time be needs a little money. 
That is the most sensible statement of the proposi¬ 
tion we have yet seen credited to a public man. It 
tells the whole story in a few words. We intend to 
keep right after this thing, so that, no matter who 
is elected, the people will demand action. All the 
platforms discuss agricultural credits. 
* 
Two weeks ago we showed how the dairy laws of 
New York may work ruin or injustice to a farmer. 
Now we have a case under the so-called game laws 
which, in principle, is even worse. On page 946 we 
see how Mr. Juckett was fined $25 for catching two 
otters which, without question, had destroyed $25 
worth of his ducks. The so-called “permit” which 
the counsel of the Conservation Commission refers 
to is about the finest sample of legal farce we have 
yet heard of. We hope this case will be fought to 
the limit. We do not believe the game laws protect 
the otter anyway, and, in any event, it is high time 
this matter was settled. Let us not give up the right 
to protect - our property without a fight, at least. 
BREVITIES. 
Hard cider—soft head ! 
Right now is the time to begin selecting the corn seed. 
Until the ground freezes up we talk cover crops 
with rye. 
The cow that goes into the Winter so thin will eat up 
a hay stack and swallow a bin. 
The way to cure “cold feet” is to stamp on your in¬ 
clination to ruu away from your duty. 
About too late for Hairy vetch seeding. Should have 
been in before. 
