664 
Juno 18, 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER’S PAPER. 
A National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homes. 
Established 1800. 
Fubliihii) weekly by the ltural Piiblinhinu Company, 409 Pearl Street, New York, 
Herbert W. Collingwood. President and Editor, 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. K. T. Hoyle, Associate Editor. 
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known to neighbors and friends. 
* 
What are the facts about silage kept in concrete 
silos? It is claimed by some that there is usually 
more or less moldy silage close to the concrete. On 
page 622 Geo. E. Scott in comparing the different 
kinds of silos mentioned this spoiling as one objection 
to the solid concrete wall. What are the facts? Are 
these objections reasonable? We know no better way 
to find out than to ask readers to give us disinterested 
advice. When you find this spoiled silage is it due to 
the concrete, the method of packing in the corn or to 
the corn itself? 
* 
• 
On the next page will be found the first response 
to the call in that celebrated milk case. That case 
must be appealed and carried to the highest courts if 
need be. We have got to find out just what rights a 
dairyman has and how far the Board of Health can 
dictate to them. There are thousands of dairymen 
just as much interested in this as Mr. Bellows can be 
and they will all be better off if they will help make 
the fight. Mr. Putnam of Massachusetts puts it right. 
The R. N.-Y. will help, and we would like to have our 
dairy readers each contribute their mite to help appeal 
this case. 
* 
As we stated three weeks ago there is not likely to 
be any “oleo” legislation at this session of Congress. 
The agricultural committee will not report the bill 
removing the 10 cent tax. That is an advantage for 
the honest butter men. On the other hand an effort 
was made to extend the internal revenue laws so as 
to give the right to search premises for illegal “oleo." 
On a technicality this fair proposition was defeated 
and that is a partial victory for oleo. As we have 
stated, the demand for the tax repeal is probably a 
bluff on the part of the “oleo” men, for they can make 
more money at the business of illegal coloring. There 
the matter is likely to rest for the present 
* 
We cannot all find a place on the great reception 
committee which will welcome 1 heodore Roosevelt 
home. Thousands of country people will long for 
some opportunity of giving public expression to their 
admiration for the great American. As we stated 
last week New York people have a glorious chance to 
send a reception committee which will please Mr. 
Roosevelt as few other things could. We refer to the 
New York legislature which will be in special session 
to consider a primary nomination bill. Now if the 
voters of New York can compel the members of the 
legislature to go back to Albany and pass such a bill, 
they will give Mr. Roosevelt the most glorious illus¬ 
tration of the power of the common people ever seen 
since the ex-president himself compelled Congress to 
do its duty by appealing direct to the people. What 
finer reception could be given him than the spectacle 
of politicians compelled to do the peoples’ work? This 
can be done if men like you will exercise your privilege. 
* 
The railroad situation has come to a head. Under 
the old law the Interstate Commerce Commission could 
only review rates on complaint. The railroads made 
rates as they pleased and the Commission investigated 
them when shippers complained. Thus an excessive 
rate might run for months or years before it was 
changed. The hill now before Congress will give the 
Commission power to review or revise new rates 
before they go into effect. Under this law the rail¬ 
roads can file new rates but cannot enforce them 
until the Commission declares that they are reason¬ 
able. When the railroads saw that this new bill is 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
likely to become a law, the western roads combined 
and increased rates. The object evidently was to 
get these increased rates on file before the Commission 
received greater powers. It could then be argued 
that the Commission had no power to change these 
rates except under the old plan of review after com¬ 
plaint. It was a hold move hut the western shippers 
declined to be held up without a fight. They ap¬ 
pealed to the President and as a result an injunction 
was obtained which prevented the railroads from 
enforcing the new rates. This injunction was ob¬ 
tained under the Sherman anti-trust law on the plea 
that 25 of the railroads acted in concert. The result 
of this was a conference between President Taft and 
the railroad men which resulted in a trade or com¬ 
promise. The Government will withdraw its suit and 
the railroads will not file any advance in rates until 
after the new law is passed and in force. The effect 
of this agreement will be that all advances in rates 
will be reviewed by the Commission before they can 
become effective. Such increases will be attempted 
on the plea that railroad employees receive higher 
.wages and that expensive equipment is needed. The 
hill is now sure to pass and we believe it will put the 
railroad question in better shape than ever before. 
* 
When a great man takes a strong position on a 
matter of public importance the world should know 
all about it. It is of far greater moment to the world 
than the passing o. Halley’s comet. We therefore 
take great pleasure in stating that Hon. John Kean, 
of New Jersey, has announced his position on parcels 
post. One of our readers wrote asking Senator Kean 
how he stood on the subject and what persons or 
interests were preventing legislation. He received 
the following very strong letter in reply: 
Dear Sir:—I am in receipt of your letter of May 16 
relative to the establishment of a system of parcels post, 
the contents of which I have noted, and which I shall 
take pleasure in giving my careful consideration. Reply¬ 
ing to the closing paragraph of your letter as to what 
interests are opposed to the establishment of this parcels 
post system, I would say that the chief opponent seems 
to be tlie present deficit resulting from tbe conduct of the 
Tost Office Department. 
It certainly must require great courage for Mr. 
Kean actually to come up to the “careful considera¬ 
tion” point. The last nart of his letter might mean 
almost anything. It reads like a direct criticism of the 
Post Office Department. One of the best arguments 
for a parcels post is the conviction that it would in 
time wipe out the present deficit. It would surely 
give a great increase of business on the rural routes 
and there would be little or no increase of expenses 
since the wagons are now running with very light 
loads. We presume it is too much to expect Senator 
Kean to realize this while struggling hard with “care¬ 
ful consideration.” For some weeks past we have 
been asking some one to tel! us what John Kean has 
ever done for the people of New Jersey. This is the 
first answer we have yet received: 
“John Kean" has done for New Jersey just what he was 
elected to do: the people of New Jersey have voted for 
years for the “John Kean” brand of men, and they ought 
to take their medicine. J- a. b. 
No—the people of New Jersey have not voted for 
Mr. Kean. Let them once have a chance at him with 
direct election of Senators and see what will become 
of him. Jerseymen take their “medicine” in large 
doses, for under the present system of nominating 
members of the legislature it is probably harder to 
break up the “machine” in New Jersey than in any 
other State. However, most of us remember what 
was done to Senator Dryden—wait and see what hap¬ 
pens to Senator Kean. 
* 
During the Winter we received a letter from a New 
England woman who stated her case as follows She 
had four children and like most ambitious mothers 
was anxious that they should be educated. She was 
troubled because it was not in her power to send these 
children to college. She had been asked to raise $52 
in cash and join a chapter of the American Woman’s 
League. She cared nothing for the League and had no 
time to spend at a ’’Chapter House,” but had been told 
that by joining now she would be able to give her 
children a full education at a great “university” free 
of cost. She had pictured in her mind a great college 
to which she could send her children. The imposing 
“faculty” of this great institution appealed to her for 
she recognized names of men and women familiar to 
country people as leaders in agricultural thought. Had 
this woman invested $52 of toil stained or borrowed 
cash she would have done so entirely upon the alluring 
visions put before her by E. G. Lewis. The most con¬ 
vincing argument with her would have been the fact 
that these well-known people were connected with the 
“university” and had willingly given their names to 
be used as badges of respectability. This woman kept 
her money but there are no doubt many who, with 
hopes for their children, have gone into the scheme. 
And the most tempting bait for such women is the 
flourish of this remarkable “faculty.” Now read what 
these educators say on the next page. They have 
nothing to do with the “university,” their names are 
used entirely without their permission and they have 
simply been used to help attract money to a scheme 
which they do not endorse. 
* 
What are the chances for parcels post? We un¬ 
derstand that the postal committee of the House will 
do nothing except offer a bill reducing postage on 
fourth class matter from 16 to 12 cents a pound with 
a 11 pound limit. This is the rate we already have 
with most foreign countries. We understand that one 
American store already has 11,000 mail customers in 
Mexico. This committee is evidently afraid of the 
express companies and the railroads. They have re¬ 
ceived the most convincing proof that the people de¬ 
mand a fair parcels post, yet all they are willing to 
give is the same rate that foreigners enjoy when deal¬ 
ing with Americans. It would be discouraging if we 
did not realize how every little concession must be 
hammered out of Congress. It has required the most 
powerful pressure to induce Congress even to consider 
any reduction of postage. Several members of that 
committee should never be permitted to go back to 
Washington. We shall do our best to help keep them 
at home, and we shall stick to the parcels post propo¬ 
sition if it takes 20 ye?irs to bring it. 
* 
One of the most valuable publications on lime is 
bulletin No. 187 of the Virginia Experiment Station 
(Blacksburg). It contains much new matter, and is 
written so that any farmer can understand it. This is 
a good model for bulletin makers. It is timely be¬ 
cause there is no single agricultural question now 
more talked about than the use of lime. 1 his bulle¬ 
tin concludes that ground limestone is not as valuable 
pound for pound as burned lime but should be bought 
on the basis of 100 pounds ground lime to 56 of the 
burned. It thus becomes as we have stated, a matter 
of analysis and price. The bulletin also gives three 
methods of testing the soil to discover its need of 
lime. One is to take a quarter acre of level, uniform 
land. Handle the land as you usually do, but put on 
one-half of it, or % of an acre, 250 pounds of lime. 
Another test is made by planting ordina'ry garden 
beets on a small limed plot and more beets without 
liming. The beet is peculiarly sensitive to lime and 
will not make a good growth without it. Still 
another test is the use of blue litmus paper which we 
have often described. This sensible discussion of the 
lime question will help any farmer. 
* 
Isn't it about time to call a halt in the so-called cam¬ 
paign of “educating the farmer” while the transportation 
companies are advancing their freight and passenger 
rates? R- u. g. 
But who could make them halt by calling to them? 
One thing at least can be said for this railroad move¬ 
ment. It is not a charitable organization. Its pro¬ 
moters openly and frankly state that they are not 
trying to help the farmers except incidentally in con¬ 
nection with increased business for the railroads or 
cheaper food for city workmen. They do not appear 
to deny that if they and other middlemen keep up 
their rates or charges, cheaper food must mean cheap¬ 
er prices to farmers. There is no sentiment or phil¬ 
anthropy about it, but simply a hard business prop¬ 
osition in cold money and cold blood. And that is the 
chief reason why these schemes will not work out. 
These railroad operators are not home builders, and 
no permanent improvement in American farming is 
possible without country home building. These gen¬ 
tlemen have the undoubted right to spend their money 
in developing model farms and organizing schemes 
for “educating the agriculturist.” Thev do not seem 
to realize yet that there any such persons as farmers. 
They will find that out in good time. 
BREVITIES. 
Oh— what a Spring! 
This wet season ought to make a great cover crop year. 
Judge a farmer’s character by the fuel his wife must 
burn. 
And now they tell us that Speaker Cannon is an apple 
eater! 
It seems that an egg may start to incubate even before 
it is laid! 
That certainly is a great scheme of tarring seed corn by 
painting the ear with tar, drying and then shelling the 
corn. 
Theue is to be a great corn show at Worcester, Mass., 
on November 7-12 of this year. Come and see what corn 
the Yankees can produce. 
The latest new thing started about Abraham Lincoln is 
that he was very fond of apples! Sooner or later we 
touch the mainspring of human character. 
Now c-omes the water glass season of the egg. The thing 
to remember is that water glass cannot make an old egg 
young. The egg will fall off a little in freshness. There¬ 
fore the only safety is to put absolutely fresh eggs in the 
solution. To buy stale eggs and try to preserve them 
would surely invite disaster. 
