160 
Ghe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
TUB BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
K National Weekly Journal for Country and Suburban IIoniCK 
Established isso 
Pnbllsbrd irrrkly by thr Raral rtibliKblne: Company, 333 West 80th Street, Nm Tork 
Hebbkkt W. Colungwood, President and Editor. 
Jon.v J. Dillon, Tre,'i5urer and General Manafter. 
AVm. F. Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Royle, Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreipn countries in the Universal Postal Union, S2.01, equal to 8s. 6d., or 
8)4 marks, or IOV4 francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, peisonal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York I’ost Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertisinpr rates. 75 cents per aprate line—7 Avords. References required for 
advci lisers unknown to US ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL” 
TVe believe that every advertisement in this paper is backed by a respon- 
■Ible person. We use every possible precaution and admit the advertising of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly sure, we will make good any loss 
to paid subscribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible advertisera or misleading advertisements in our colunms, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exposed. We are also often called upon 
to adjust diffei-ences or mistakes between our subscribers and honest, 
responsible houses, whether advertiseis or not. We willingly use our good 
offices to this end, but such cages should not be confused with dishonest 
transactions. We protect subscriliers against rogues, but we will not be 
reeimnsible 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 to identify it, you should mention The Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
Give Us Men ! 
Oh. give ibs men with visions clear; 
With rugged hearts, who know no fear, 
Who fight for truth, whate’er their fate; 
The men. O Lord, to make a State. 
(Ireat men of prescience, brave and bold; 
Unshaken by the lure of gold; 
Too manly to procrastinate; 
The men, O Lord, to make a State. 
(Jod-gifted men—of wisdom, power; 
In storm, the oak; in .sunshine, flower; 
Too lofty far to cherish hate; 
The men, () Lord, to make a State. 
^len who can stand upon the earth; 
Who trust in Him of lowly birth 
Uirmly for right, nor hesitati'; 
The men, () I.ord. to make a State. 
— Hoscoe Puings in Home ('liib Bulletin. 
* 
NL of. our reader.s says lie wrote to Albany 
about this niarketiiig question and received in 
reply reports of three’ investigation committees! 
‘•//’n hut nil',-' he .says. “What can he dune to 
stop such a flood of it ichen ice need cold com¬ 
mon sense?" 
We might refer him to I'aragrajih 4, Section 54, 
of flic New York ronservatioii law. 
“Unpiloted hot air balloons. No unpiloted hot air 
balloon shall be .sent up in any f.re town or in a town 
ad.iacent thereto.” 
We shall have many such balloons before this 
question is settled. (Jet ready for them and spot 
them for ju.st what they are. 
* 
W HILE the Federal Land liank system is be¬ 
ing ideveloped throughout the country, it 
might he well for the people of the State of New 
York to realize that they have a Land Bank system 
in this State alread.v established and doing busines.s. 
The bonds of the T.and Bank of the State of New 
York sell readily at 4i^% and there is a ready 
demand for them. In other words, all the money 
needed for farm or home mortgages is now avail¬ 
able in the i^tate of New York, and the system is 
much more flexible and much more easily organized 
locally than in the Fedei-al system. This is no 
criticism whatever of the Federal sy.stem, but it 
is a simple fact that the New York sy.stem is more 
flexible and larger amounts can he loaned on prop¬ 
erty than can in any case be secured through a 
Federal loan hank. Every day brings letters from 
farmers who want to obtain a “government loan.” 
I.et them investigate the merits of the State bank. 
* 
The Consumors’ League made a great fu.ss in Syra¬ 
cuse because the farmers were getting a good price for 
eggs, but did not say a word because dry goods and all 
other commodities were just as high in proportion. 
The Pomona Grange at its meeting there took up the 
matter and said the farmer could boycott the city 
stores and send to Chicago and New York for goods, 
just as well as buy them in Syracuse, and several peo¬ 
ple, farmers, wrote articles in protest, and the matter 
was dropped in the dailies when they realized that 
the farmer understood it. The farmer could just as 
well say. “We won’t buy any more shoes till the price 
is lowered.” Why must the farmer sell below cost and 
take what is offered, and the maker of shoes and so on 
set his own price? MRS. j. B. 
OB years we have advised our readers to make 
use of the daily and weekly papers whenever 
they need a hearing. Country people are usually 
the best patrons these papers have. In most of 
our small and medium-sized cities these papers 
could hardly live without their country circulation. 
In spite of this, for some unexplained reason, the 
sympathies of these papers are usually with their 
advertisers and city readers. There ai’e some 
notable exceptions, hut, as a rule, the farmei’S mu.st 
unite and fight for recognition. We have long 
advi.sed our farmers to make a business of putting 
their desires and their thoughts before the city 
people. Do not be .satisfied with the weak and 
perfunctory “news,” but go I'ight in with sound 
thought and fearless statement of what you con¬ 
sider the rights of country people. These papers 
will, in time, be compelled to print .such letters, 
and the city people will gain new respect and 
interest for farm matters. We need the help of the 
better cla.ss of city people. We should not an¬ 
tagonize them. They are our customers and should 
be our friends. Go right into the newspapers and 
make the public realize that there is such a thing 
as clear, honest, logical country thought. 
♦ 
“ North Dakota Politics” in New York 
In reading your paper I see, from time to time, ref¬ 
erences to what the farmers of North Dakota have 
done. As a new sub.scriber, and unfamiliar with this, 
will you tell me what these North Dakota farmers did, 
and w’hat it has to do with the situation in New York? 
J. w. B. 
ITH pleasure! North Dakota is an agricul¬ 
tural State—nearly 70 per cent, of the people 
being engaged in farming. The chief exports and 
.sources of income are wheat and other grain, live 
stock and farm products. Politically the State was 
.strongly Bepublican. Government fell into the 
hands of a “ring” of corrupt politicians who pro¬ 
ceeded to rob and exploit the people. It was “le¬ 
galized robbery” made possible by legislation— 
plausible and harmless on its face, but carrying a 
“joker” which gave all the advantage to the grain 
dealers, railroads and others who handled what the 
farmers produced. The farmers w^re in a vast nia- 
joi-ity, but so unorganized and scattered that they 
were powerless. At last the farmers aroused and 
Avent to the Legislature with a fair statement of 
Avhat they Avanted. The political bosses felt so se¬ 
cure that they told the farmers to “Go home and 
slop the hogs" These politicians argued that the 
fai-niers might groAvl a little, but Avould ahvays end 
uj) by voting their .straight party ticket. Instead of 
that the farmers Avent home and organized. Men 
took their houses or their cars and Avent from farm 
to farm, talking and obtaining pledges. The poli¬ 
ticians hooted at them, but the farmers kept right 
on, and in less than 18 months obtained full control 
of the machinery of the Bepublican party, and 
elected a full State ticket of farmers or men pledged 
to farm reforms. As a result there is noAV being 
developed the greatest experiment in popular gov¬ 
ernment that the past century has seen. Could the 
.same thing happen in New York? Yes, and it xcill 
happen if the politicians do not stop their stupid 
folly. For years a political revolution has been 
smouldering among the NeAA' York farmers. The 
politicians haA’e been able to confrol it because they 
avoided any direct farm issue by “inA-estigating” or 
talking “education” or party politics. The Avork 
done by the Foods and Markets Department has at 
last made a direct and clear issue. The farmers 
Avant this Dejiartment continued with a fair apiiro- 
jiriation to AA’ork Avith. The politicians as usual, 
want more investigation and reorganizing. They 
may he a little more reserved in public than those 
North Dakota bosses, hut they have the same thing 
ill mind. They AA’ant these farmers to go home and 
keep quiet! They are too late. The situation has 
got aAAay from them. They have created the one 
Ihing needful. We can tell them now before they 
start that if they Avipe out this department they 
Avill face a revolt Avhich Avill make that North Da¬ 
kota campaign look like a gentle breeze. And they 
kuoAv it too! So do thousands of farmers knoAv it. 
This is the Avay they talk ; 
You are making the grancle.st fight in the interests of 
the farmers of any paper planted in this counti’y to¬ 
day and against otlds that seem almost insurmountable; 
but you Avill win out as sure as little apples grow. The 
farmers of this country ought to stand by you with 
their sub.scriptions to a man. The milk trust alone 
is a mighty horde to contend with, but I hope to see 
you “smite them hip and thigh,” and in the end', DaAud- 
like. come off victorious. You have a gigantic fight 
on up at Albany, and I hope you will win, and Avin 
everything from start to finish. F. E. milholland. 
We realize the size of the fight and Ave also 
realize the size of the farmer’s boot Avhen Be 
once fairly starts at kicking. He has started! If 
the politicians do not believe it we can refer them 
to a number of men Avho thought the farmers would 
not fight—and noAV know better! 
* 
I SEE that under the proposed new dog law if a 
dog is found worrying or chasing sheep he may be 
.shot by anyone. Now, as a dog owner, what Avould 
you do if somebody shot your valuable dog for killing 
a $5 sheep? S. B. 
E Avould haA’e to prove the case against the 
■dog. If the dog did kill or worry the sheep, 
we .should conclude that he was like the saloon busi¬ 
ness—“Avith no legal or moral right to exi.st”—at 
least, Avhile at large We have men who claim that 
all dogs, no matter how Avell bred, are naturally 
inclined to attack and destroy sheep Avhen they get 
the chance. We do not believe it, and we knoAV of 
February 3, 1917. 
many dogs that would fight for the sheep or die 
for them, df need be. We hear from men who say 
they believe in killing all stray dogs, but their own 
dogs are so superior and useful that they should 
be exempt from any high license fee. There never 
was an effective laAV which was not worked out 
as a compromi.se. We must all give up something 
and practice some sort of self-denial in order to 
give re.spect and poAver to a law. The sheep busi¬ 
ness is worth more to the State than the dog 
bu.siness. No one ever heard of a sheep killing a 
dog; while there is clear, unquestioned evidence that 
dogs kill sheep. A dog has no more right to wander 
OA’er the neighborhood, unrestrained and hungry, 
than a hog, a horse or a coav has to enter the corn¬ 
field or garden and destroy property. The dog has 
his rights, but they are home rights, and if a dog 
is kept where he belongs he need not suffer under 
this laAA’. Some men commit crimes which the 
public must pay for, and all property OAvners must 
help pay the damage. This will continue until 
honest men get rid of the criminals. In much the 
.same way the honest dogs must pay for the damage 
done by the criminal dogs until the latter are 
wiped out 
* 
T he Farm Bureau Agent of Albany Co., N. Y.. 
reports a sale.sman at Avork among the farmers 
.selling “speltz” or “Emmer” for seed at $2.25 a 
bu.shel. Big stories are told about this grain, but 
in this latitude it Avill not giA’e as much feed as 
either oats or barley. We have tried it and dis¬ 
carded it as not .suited to this Eastern country. It 
is ea.sy to tell big .stories about a new forage crop 
Avhen you are trjung to sell the seed but live stock 
Avill not find that the big stories make a good bal¬ 
anced ration. Do not pay any such prices for 
speltz. You cannot .spell profit that Avay. 
* 
T he Supreme Court has decided that the West¬ 
ern “Blue Sky” laAvs are constitutional, and 
may he enforced. These laAA’s prohibit the sale of 
bonds or other securities in companies Avhich the 
State insj^ector considers unsound or un.safe. The 
name came from a statement that such concerns 
Avere trying to sell stock based on “blue sky. strong 
Avind and clear AA’ater!” We believe such legisla¬ 
tion is justified, and Ave do not believe it Avill inter¬ 
fere Avitli or injure any legitimate husines.s. We 
think the State is as vA’ell justified in throAving out 
the bogus investments as it is in condemning bogus 
fertilizeus feeds or human, food. These “Blue 
Sky”.laAA’s hai’e been adopted in 29 States. The 
laAvs Avere attacked by many bankers and brokers 
on the ground that they might injure honest biusi- 
uess by putting arbitrary poAver in the hands of 
.some department head, and that some or many 
propositions Avlthout assets Avould liA’e and prosper 
if they could obtain capital from the public. To 
this the Supreme Court replies: 
The statutes burden honest business, it is true, but 
burden it only that under its forms dishonest busines.s 
may not be done. Exjiense may thereby be caused and 
inconvenience, but to arrest the power of the State by 
such considerations Avould make it impotent to di.s- 
charge its functions. It costs something to be gov¬ 
erned. 
We .shall all agree to that la.st proposition, and 
the criminal and bogus games are re.sponsible for 
the cost. 
* 
L ess than six months ago Ave Avere challenged to 
take up the sheep problem and try to interest 
people in it. It surely looks as if aao had it going 
already. Take it from us. sheep raising— AAlith 
Sweet clover for pasture—Avill become once more 
one of the big industries of New York State. The 
spirit of the business Avent to the dogs. They have 
worried, but not killed it. Noav it Avill come back 
and prosper. 
Brevities 
Take time to be kind! 
Noav tell the truth about the egg yield in this 
Aveather. 
It requires some skill to feed the frozen silage prop¬ 
erly. 
It is claimed that scabby potatoe.s are usually more 
“mealy” or of higher quality than clean tubers. But 
who will buy them? 
A TON of lime on clover Avill run the wallet over; a 
ton of lime on grass Avill make things come to pass; a 
ton of lime on ’taters will make them second-raters. 
The N. .1. Experiment Station has a small quantity 
of resistant cabbage seed for distribution in that State. 
This seed is free from the disease known as “Yellows” 
and trials are wanted in soils where the disease is 
knoAvn to exist. 
What does all this new interest in taking up gov¬ 
ernment land mean! Among other questions we are 
asked if a person under 21 years can make a home¬ 
stead entry. No—not unless he is the actual head of 
a family Avith someone dependent on him for support. 
