1322 
IShe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BVfllXESS FARMER'S RARER 
A National cekly Journal for Country and Suburban Homos 
Established iSM 
Pnbibbrd nrokly by the Rnral PiibliKhiDfr Company, 333 West SOth Street, New fork 
Herbert W. Coixis'owood, I’resident and Editor. 
Joil.v J. Dillo.s, Troi'-surer and General .Manager. 
Wm. F. Diixo.v, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Royle, .Associate Editor. 
SUBSCRIPTION: ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
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marks, or francs. Remit in money order, express 
order, personal check or bank draft. 
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Advertising rates, 75 cents per agate lino—7 words. References required for 
advertisers unknown to us ; and cash must accompany transient orders. 
“A SQUARE DEAL” 
AVe believe that every advertisement In this paper is backed by a respon¬ 
sible pei-son. We use every possible precaution and a<lmit the advertising of 
reliable houses only. But to make doubly sure, wo will make good any lo.ss 
to ^id subwribers sustained by trusting any deliberate swindler, irrespon¬ 
sible advertisers or misleading advertisements in our columns, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exposed. Wo are also often called upon 
to adjust dilferences or mismkes between our subscribers and honest, 
responsible houses, whether advertisers or not. We willingly use our good 
offices to this end, but such cases should not be confused with dishonest 
transactions. AVe protect subscribers against rogues, but we will not bo 
res|X)nsible for the debts of honest bankrujjts sanctioned by the courts. 
Notice of the complaint must bo sent to us within one month of the time of 
the transaction, and to identify it, you should niention The Rl'ral New- 
Yorker when wiiting the advertiser. 
M il W. ,T. kittle, secretary of the Milk Pro¬ 
ducers' As.sociation at Chicaffo, tells us of the 
milk situation on page The milk jiroducer 
receives a guarantee from the Food Administrator. 
While some members of the association are pleased 
at this outcome, many others are discouraged, and 
are selling entii’e herds at auction. Sales of cows 
through Wisconsin and Northern Illinois are said 
to he heavier than ever before. 
* 
W lIllN does SAveet clover cease to be knoAAii :is 
a “Aveed?” That’s a good question, because Ave 
find that many of our people Avill not .seed this clover 
becjiuse they have been told it “i-uns Avild and becomes 
a troublesome Aveed." Noav Red clover is a Aveed 
when it comes up in a cornfield and interferes with 
the crop. We have .seen Avheat and rye in a straw¬ 
berry field ]>laying the part of Aveeds. When SAveet 
clover seed is mixed Avith Alfalfa seed it becomes a 
weed, and if it is permitted to run aAvay from u.seful 
cultiA'ation Ave see hoAV it might become a nuisance. 
When cut off AVith a scythe or moAAer, or ]>l0Aved 
under, the SAveet clover ends its days as a nuisance 
and becomes a noted character. A Aveed is ‘ a plant 
out of place.” When Sweet clover once finds the 
right spot on a cow's tongue it graduates right out 
of the weed's class. 
D elaware CIU'NTY, N. Y.. sends j. Clark 
Nesbitt to the Legislature as a farmer candi- 
diite. Now Ave must have at leiist 49 more farmers 
nominated and elected in the same AA'a.v. There are 
other farmers elected this year, but most of them 
Avill feel obliged to support their party first of all. 
The trouble Avith that is that the politicians can 
decide 'that a bill which is against the interests of 
farmers is a party measure, and Avhen that is done 
the member risks his political life if he remains 
true to farm interests. That is Avhy Ave must have 
at least 50 men pledged to put farm interests above 
any party politics. The way to get such men is to 
select them early and by non-partisan committees, 
and put them through the primaries as Avas done for 
Mr. Nesbitt. Begin now and organize for next year. 
We shall only get our hands cut off if Ave keep on 
fooling with the old party machinery. 
♦ 
'‘!My native coimtr.A'—thee ! 
Land of the noble free.” 
LL sing! We can hardly expect that the man 
Avho tells the story of his day's Avork on page 
l.'l.T'l Avill occupy a front seat in the choir. This 
man is an American by pedigree and residence. Ilis 
ancestors fought in every Avar Avhich helped make 
us or maintain us as a free country They also 
played a leading part in peace. This man lives in 
NeAv England, Avhere, if anyAvhere, an American 
ought to have American rights. Yet he is being 
driven away from his home and farm by thieves and 
foreigner!?—Avith little, if any, legal protection. Can 
this be in America, or luive Ave slid back into history 
—back to the condition of society Avhich drove this 
man’s ancestors out of Europe seeking the plain, 
common rights of man. The truth seems to be thiit 
some sections of Ncav England, in the haste. to 
exploit manufacturing at the expense of farming, 
have introduced more foreign blood and habits than 
they can absorb. Noav comes the penalty for neglect¬ 
ing and degrading farming at the expense of other 
industries. Our political leaders may hate to 
admit it, but the foundation of American society and 
American strength is built upon the farm home. 
When farming is degraded and exploited the entire 
country Avill feel the effect of it. When those thieves 
came on this farm the farmer was trying out a neAV 
tractor. He had been convinced that Noav England 
farming demands up-to-date methods. But all the 
neAV methods under the sun will never save a com¬ 
munity Avhere the spirit or soul of farming has 
been broken. 
* 
T here win be a new note in the celebration of 
Thanksgiving this year. In these modern times 
the idea of Thanksgiving has drifted far from its 
original purpo.se. Originally a day of fasting and 
prayer, it has become a time of feasting and fun. 
For several years the I’ilgrims at Plymouth had 
very little to be thankful for except that they hail 
saA’ed their lives and held their feeble place on this 
continent. Thus they fasted rather than feasted 
until prosperity came to them and they had material 
evidence of divine merej' to he thankful for. It has 
silAvays seemeil strange to us that this local Noav 
England celebration should have been accepted by 
the entire country. That is, the co\intry has ac¬ 
cepted the feasting and rather boastful character of 
the day. It is uoav to be seen Avhether the country 
also accepts the sadder and sterner thought which 
alAvays underlies the real NeAA* * England observance. 
Many of us Avill be reminded this year of the celebra¬ 
tion of Thanksgiving during the Civil War. No 
one could be thankful that AA'ar had laid its hand 
upon the country, or that death or duty had taken 
loved ones aAvaj-. No one could be thankful for that, 
yet in every heart—on lonely mountain farm or in 
croAvded city—there Avas something of .sublime joy 
in the thought that life could offer some great sacri¬ 
fice to the country. In those days men and women 
had a higher concejition of the meaning of that 
Avord “country'’ than is common today. What this 
ii.ition needs above all things is to have that old 
thought put into the hearts of the common people. 
We shall keep up the old spirit of the day. It is no 
time for idle feasting or expensiA'e entertainments, 
but there should be the old family reunions, the old 
memories and the old beautiful A’oyage back to 
childhood Avith the little ones. In the trying days 
that are coming Ave shall need all the joy, all the 
comfort, all the hajipy memories that life can give 
us to sustain us in the terrible struggle Avhich lies 
ahead. 
* 
H 1:RBERT C. hoover, the Federal food direc- 
toi‘, has appointed our old acquaintance, E. G. 
LeAvis, as food director of the State of California. 
It is reported that the appointment Avas made be¬ 
cause it Avas believed Mr. LeAvis had an influence 
Avith Avomen. and Avould be able to induce them to 
conserve food. 
Mr. LoAvis has had some experience in driving 
AVomen to save. In his operations at St. Louis he 
devised in all, big and little, about tAvo dozen fake 
schemes, and it is estimated that he collected all told 
more than ten million dollars on them. It aauis largely 
collected from poor Avomen. Mr. LeAvis, hoAvever, 
Avas not particular about the ,sex or condition of his 
victims. Inspired by iiromises made by LeAvis, 
Avomen Avorked at the Ava.shtub and sent their savings 
in installments to LeAvis. Small legacies of other 
Avomen Avent the same way. Provisions for crippled 
children and the jiensions of old soldiers SAvelled the 
LcAvis bank account. He, hoAvever, made no dis¬ 
criminations. The farmer and his hired man, the 
cultured AA'oman and her domestic, Lhe husiness men 
and their clerks, all yi(*l(led to the l.eAvis ea.sy riches 
promises. 
'I’he Post Gflice Department issued fraud orders 
against him. The Secretary of State closed a bank 
he used to gather other people’s money. The grand 
jury brought seA-eriil indictments against him, and 
liiit him on tri:il on a charge of fraud. He escaped 
conviction by a disagreement of the jury, but the 
record Avas one no honest man Avould covet. The 
R. N.-Y’’. exposed the character of the schemes and 
Avhen the relic of his effects Avere put in the equity 
court the Federal judge is.sued the most scathing 
dberee on the I.eAvis methods. The victims Avere 
many and AA’idely distributed. Some of them haA'e 
been conserving food ever since, because I.eAvis got 
the saA'ings of their liA'es, and their liest days Avere 
]Aast. Others Avore out their last days in distress and 
liassed aAVjiy to the peace beyond. [Mr. Hoover got 
the right man to teach Avomen to conserve food in 
California. The LeAvis victims save from necessity. 
* 
N ew YORK Avomen are now entitled to the ballot. 
The amendment granting them suffrage AA'as 
carried by a big majority. We predicte<l a great 
vote for them all through the dairy section, Avhere 
during last year’s “milk strike” the avou. fully 
liroved their right to the ballot. For mar years 
the dairy busine.ss AA'as able to live only Jirough 
the underpaid labor of women and children, and the 
business could not have endured but for the heroic 
Avork of the Avomen. This right to vote has been 
honestly and fairly earned. ’Phe Avomen may be 
November 17, 1917 
trusted with the ballot. They will not handle it 
as a doll, but will regard it as the emblem of a duty, 
and the State Avill be better for this election day's 
Avork. On .lanuary 1 somewhere near l,.SO0,O()O 
women will become voters. As betAveen the political 
parties we doubt if this will make much difference, 
but in questions iiiA'olA'ing a moral issue or any ti’ue 
social reform the result Avill be quick and clear, 
* ' 
T he milk situation has materially changed in 
this city. Instead of the surplus complaint of 
heretofore, we iioaa’ have .a short supply. Consump¬ 
tion is still reduced, but production has fallen off. 
Cold storms and high prices of feed are having their 
effect. Official investigations and food administra¬ 
tors and propaganda may have helped, too. We 
haA'e had nearly a dozen milk iiwestigations in the 
last year, and another is booked for next Aveek. The 
only suggestion that has come from them is a 
demand for a reduction of the producer’s price. The 
firm refusal of the directors of the Dairymen's 
I.eague to make any reduction, Avas a merited re¬ 
buke. The position is justified, also, in the present 
shortage of milk. All of the producers. hoAvever. 
are not yet getting the uniform price. The present 
agreement does not protect all jiroducers alike. This 
error must be corrected in the next contract if the 
League is to endure. The error of protecting some 
and abandoning other members of the organization 
must be connected. The sooner Ave do it the better. 
* 
I T seems that this effort to abuse and discredit 
the farmer is AvorldAvide. It is not confined to this 
country. In England much the same abuse has heen 
printed. The farmers have heen called slackers and 
coAvards and misers as they have been in this 
country. While here no leading public man has 
come to their defense in England the Prime Minister, 
Lloyd George, has inihlicly denounceil such attacks. 
In a recent speech to English farmers, Mr, George 
thanked them and said: 
“I need hardly say that not only have I no sympathy 
Avith the abuse vA-hidi has been poured upon the" fjirmer, 
but I deprecate it in the strongest possible manner. It 
is mischievous to the last degree, and it is not true. 
After all, those people^ aa’Iio have been delivering these 
ill-considered and pernicious attacks do not realize the 
jireeariousness of the farmer’s bu.siness. * * * * 
Instead of attacking the farmer, I think that pure 
justice demands that there should be a recognition on 
the part of the community, and I noAV give it as the 
head of the Government—a recognition Avhich amounts 
to gratitude to the farmer—for the Avay in Avhich he has 
put his sturdy back into the business, and helped us to 
retrieve AA’hat AA’as undoubtedly a rather dismal position. 
I thank him from the bottom of my heart on behalf of 
the GoA’ernment of this country—and I A’enture to say 
that I am speaking the minds of the vast majority of 
the people in this country for his help in sa\’ing the 
situation.” 
Exactly the same may be said of the American 
farmer. Yet who stands ready to give him credit? 
The bankers and the railroads have been publicly 
thanked, but Avhat public man has had the vision 
and the plain sense of gratitude shoAvn by the 
English Prime Minister to give farmers public 
recognition? Most of our public men seem to think 
the farmer is some sort of unintelligent slave, to be 
driven or abused into doing the Avork Avhich he Avill 
gladly do as a duty if giA'en anything like a square 
deal. 
Brevities 
Many a hog fails through lack of bone-forming fo(jd. 
GIa'c them ashes and charcoal. 
Noav it i.s claimed that the English sparroAV destroys 
cabbage Avorms. Gan anyone jirove it? 
Tell us what you think of the ncAv school hnv in 
New York. 
Stand up to take your medicine. It does not taste 
better that Avay, but it does more good. 
Ip any of you have been in the habit of making 
Ghristmas presents of gold coins you sh ' brvak the 
habit this year. The Goveniment has deemed to “con¬ 
serve” its gold and Avill issue no neAV coins. 
lE you try to store vegetables or fruit this Winbu- 
look out for the A’entilation. There must be some chance 
for the gas to Avork off or decay Avill be prompt. A 
square little box of Avood or a line of tile running up 
out of the pit or cellar Avill do. 
Some people make a pit of concrete, put the vege¬ 
tables in and leaA’e the concrete uncovered. That is a 
sure way to invite .Tack Frost to walk right in to freeze 
the contents. The concrete top or sides should be cov¬ 
ered by a thick layer of soil or some sort of air space. 
The human mind is somcAvliat like a vegetable cellar. 
It must have some form of ventilator to let off the air 
made thick or heavy by too much thinking about your- 
.self. This ventilator is usually some harmless hobby 
Avhich lets a man craAvl away h’om himself. 
The Post-Standard of Syracuse reports that cider 
apples in the vicinity of that city are almost unobtain¬ 
able, and that the production of cider for vinegar Avill 
be cut down nearly 95 per cent. The largest cider man¬ 
ufacturer in Onondaga County is quoted as saying that 
instead of his usual jiroduction of 5,000 barrels of cider 
he won’t make .500 this year, and other makers corrobo¬ 
rate his statements as to the scarcity of cider apples 
offered for sale. 
