276 
February 16, 1924 
The Rural New-Yorker 
THE BUSINESS FARMER'S PAPER 
A National Weekly Jouriiul for Country and Suburban Homes 
Established tsao 
Published weekly by (he Kural Publishing Comjiany, 383 11 e«t 30tb Street, New 1 orb 
HERBERT W. Collingwooij, President and Editor. 
John J. Dillon, Treasurer and General Manager. 
Wm F Dillon, Secretary. Mrs. E. T. Royle, Associate Editor. 
L. H. Murphy, Circulation Manager.__ 
SUBSCRIPTION : ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
To foreign countries in the Universal Postal Union. $2.04. Remit in money 
order, express order, personal check or bank draft. 
Entered at New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. 
Advertising rates. $1.00 per agate line—7 words. 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. 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 advertisers or misleading advertisements in our columns, and any 
such swindler will be publicly exposed. We are also often called upon 
to adjust differences or mistakes 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. We protect subscribers against rogues, but we will not 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 to identify it, you should mention Thk Rural New- 
Yorker when writing the advertiser. 
O N’ Jan. 31 there was held at Syracuse, N. Y., a 
school conference which will take rank as one 
of the most remarkable gatherings of farmers ever 
held in the State. It witnessed one of the most dra¬ 
matic incidents yet recorded in the battle over the 
school bill. Mrs. F. Gates, a member of the Commit¬ 
tee of Twenty-one, sat in the audience and was in¬ 
vited to speak. There had been some criticism of 
the committee and it was felt that she should be 
given a chance to reply. It cannot he said that she 
made a strong presentment of her ease, but after she 
finished a number of questions were asked. The fol¬ 
lowing dialogue represents a part t»f it as nearly as 
the exact words can be recorded: 
Mr. Collingwood: Mr. Chairman, may I have the 
privilege of asking this lady a question? 
Both the chairman and Mrs. Gates consented. 
Mr. Collingwood: 1 do not wish to be impertinent, 
and I will say that I have respect for the committee. I 
do not think they have been wise or right in their ac¬ 
tions, but I think they are honest and well-meaning. 
Someone back of this bill did not act fairly with the 
people, and that is why they do not have the confidence 
of farmers. They evidently made Gov. Smith believe 
that the original "bill would, as he is reported to desire, 
close the one-room rural sclioolhouses ! That seems to 
be admitted. They took advantage of the abnormal con¬ 
dition in the Legislature and attempted to push that bill 
through, well knowing that farmers did not understand 
it, and did not want it. We regard it as a clear case of 
trying to put something over on the farmers. Now, as 
a member of that committee, will you kindly tell this 
audience why you tried to take advantage of us in that 
Mrs. Gates: The farmers of yew York Slate re¬ 
minded us of a sick child who refuses to take its medi¬ 
cine! li e intended to force the hill right down the 
necks of these farmers! 
If these are not the exact words used by Mrs. 
Gates the 350 people who heard her will testify that 
this is a fair expression of her meaning. She was 
evidently nervous and angry, and perhaps said more 
than she intended, but her statement was accepted 
by the audience as fully representing her feelings. 
Under the circumstances it was the most damaging 
statement ever made by the proponents of the school 
bill. We cannot think that all the members of the 
committee share that sentiment, yet the fact remains 
that someone attempted to force that bill through, 
knowing just what it would do and also knowing 
that farmers did not understand it. In view of this 
admission we ask in all fairness how farmers can be 
expected to have confidence in the smooth and hon¬ 
ied words of those who tell them the amended bill 
is such a sweet and innocent document! • 
* 
I have been asked to grow cotton plants in our green¬ 
house for the trade. Can you tell me what kind is best 
suited for such culture, and where I can procure the 
seed? People seem to want them for a novelty to plant 
in their gardens. J.W. 
Lakewood, N. J. 
W E have used Early Tompkins and Early King. 
Both grow freely and have produced a little 
lint as far north as Bergen Co., X. J. These plants, 
handled as you suggest, will prove an interesting 
novelty, and the experience will, we believe, lead to 
results beyond our present comprehension. We fully 
believe that the time will come when superior va¬ 
rieties of cotton will be grown successfully as far 
north as Philadelphia. The scientists will help in 
this by developing varieties with a shorter season of 
growth, and practical men will work out new meth¬ 
ods of culture. Stranger things than this have been 
worked out before. Every man who plays with cot¬ 
ton culture in New Jersey today is a pioneer, helping 
to turn today’s play into a profitable work for to¬ 
morrow. 
I MMEDIATELY following the announcement of the 
sale of the Empire Dairy Company to the Dairy¬ 
men’s League Co-operative Association an injunction 
suit was started by F. W. Fisk Company, Inc of 
New York to restrain the Empire Company from the 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
sale of its business. It seems that the Fisk Com¬ 
pany had a five years’ contract, and right of renewal 
for five years more, with the Empire Company for 
the sale of its condensed and evaporated milk. The 
suit was to protect this contract which the Fisk Com¬ 
pany value at .$1,000,000. The order restraining the 
sale was put over for some days and then adjusted 
out of court. Through the settlement the Fisk Com¬ 
pany retains the Empire Dairy Company title to its 
condensed and evaporated milk trade, and it is said 
received a substantial cash settlement besides. 
The suit brought out the information that the 
Borden Company is a party to the deal: that com¬ 
pany takes the city plants and the distribution part 
of the business, while the League takes the country 
plants. 
* 
E seem to have trouble in making clear to our 
women readers the facts about property rela¬ 
tions between husband and wife. Many wives seem 
to think that on the death of the husband without a 
legal will, the property would at once pass automat¬ 
ically into the hands of the wife. That is not so. If 
there is no will the wife would he legally entitled to 
her dower rights, usually one-third of the property, 
and no more. It sometimes happens that the other 
heirs will waive their rights and let the wife take all, 
but this is not usual. The point for a woman to 
understand is that unless her husband makes a will 
definitely leaving her certain property which he now 
holds in his own name, she can legally claim only hex- 
dower right. Much trouble and disappointment 
would be saved if the husband would make a will 
definitely providing for the wife. 
* 
DOCUMENT on the proposed school law has 
just been issued signed by S. L. Strivings, 
Mabel G. Feint, D. J. Carter, T. E. Cross and Enos 
Lee. These excellent people are supposed to repre¬ 
sent the various farm organizations of the State, aud 
they are said to be appointed “for the one purpose 
of putting before the people an explanation without 
any propaganda of the chief points of the i-ural 
school bill.” Their px-oduction is about like what 
one would expect if Mr. Edward Bok, his secretary 
and the winner of the Bok prize started out to pre- 
pare an essay on peace. Our first question would 
be, who appointed them? How much did the rank 
and file of the farm organizations have to do with 
their appointment? We claim to have made the 
most careful census of these farm organizations 
ever made in the State, and we assert that there is 
only one such oi-ganization that would give a ma¬ 
jority vote for the school bill! Whom do these worthy 
people represent—except themselves? We think the 
document is quite typical of most of the arguments 
in favor of the bill. It puts the burden of proof 
upon the negative. The usual argument for the bill 
is a statement of what it will do, unsupported by any 
definite facts to show where the principle has proved 
a success. We think the people will hardly be satis¬ 
fied with this mild statement. They will ask, Mow 
do you prove it? Is there any place on the earth 
where such a plan has worked out to the satisfaction 
of farmers? Are you giving us a theory or have you 
definite facts as proof? Do you expect us simply to 
take the word of visiting experts in making such a 
radical change? Where is your proof? We are in¬ 
terested in this, since we have spent much time in¬ 
vestigating the matter in Western States where 
something of the pi-oposed plan has been tried. The 
R. X.-Y. lias thousands of readers in these Western 
States, and they have given us their opinions freely. 
There is little in their experience to prove the theory 
advanced by these school men. Where is your proof? 
* 
T HE oil scandals at Washington have shocked the 
country. They show us new methods of ob¬ 
taining "graft,” and involve new men who were 
thought to be above i*eproacli. Both parties are in¬ 
volved so far as the politics of it may he considered. 
Both Republicans and Democrats have proceeded to 
oil up their finances. They seem to be caught with 
oil on their fingers. There is no use judging such 
men in advance. We believe the majority of the 
American people have confidence in President Cool- 
idge at this crisis. We believe he will do what is 
right, and do it in aif orderly and legal manner. He 
has a great opportunity to show what he stands for, 
and we believe that he will rise to it. 
—^HE HON. JOHN ARTHUR BROOKS is a mem¬ 
ber of the New York Legislature from Madison 
County. In our judgment he needs rather special 
attention from the country people of Madison County 
on account of his position on the school bill. He is 
sending out a foi-m letter in which he straddles on 
the question, and yet incloses arguments supported 
by friends of the bill. Here is a chance for good 
work by the country people of Madison County. 
Tell Mi*. Brooks what you think. You can reach him 
at the Assembly Chamber, Albany, N. Y. 
T HE anti-daylight savers of New York are closely 
watching a city home rule bill now before the 
Legislature. They want a clause inserted in that 
bill insisting that the State Legislature shall have 
sole power to set a uniform standard of time for the 
entire State. As it is now, while the Legislature has 
voted against daylight saving, many cities disregard 
the law on the theory that their local ordinances 
may supersede the State law. Such a clause as is 
here mentioned ought to put a stop to that. 
A WOMAN iu New York City has applied for an 
allowance of $ 20,000 a year for the mainten¬ 
ance of a 17-year-old boy. He now has $15,000 a 
year. Among the items mentioned as necessities are 
$3,300 per 5 -ear for clothes; auto, $3,500; pocket 
money aud amusements, $ 1 , 000 , and board for dogs, 
$420. If this 17-year-old boy could be put out at 
work and held to it so he would be forced to work 
or stop eating he might amount to something. As it 
is, it is doubtful if bis $ 20,000 a year will make him 
worth five cents for the business of handling his 
two and a half millions which will come to him at 
21. With that amount of money to help finance de¬ 
serving tenants and hired men in New York, we 
would guarantee to change the history of the State. 
It is doubtful if this $20,000 boy will leave anything 
on the pages of history except a greasy thumbmark. 
* 
I think the article in Feb. 2 issue, “Sound Sense from 
a Rural School Teacher” tops the market. I have five 
children; three of them attend a rural school. They 
have a very fine teacher. She is first-class, and I am 
going to school with my children to finish my education. 
I do not feel the least bit embarrassed. The school chil¬ 
dren are glad to see me come, for I am one of them. 
This would be impossible with a consolidated school. 
1 am for the little white sc-hoolhouse, where Old Glory 
flies on the pole. a country mother. 
F OR many reasons we regard this as the finest 
and most pathetic letter we have had in all this 
school discussion. We have heard of a man who was 
denied an 5 ’ real childhood, and who grew up to gray 
hairs without knowing what it means to play. At 
50 years, or over, some distant relative left him a 
large sum of money. Yet the money could not make 
this man happy, because something had dropped out 
of life— the ability to play. He found happiness by 
going out with children and learning to pla 5 ’—catch¬ 
ing the sunlight of life after entering the shadow of 
the years. This country mother is led by much the 
same urge. We call it a wonderful thing for the 
woman and for the school. TT’e must do it ourselves! 
Here is a woman who seems to stand at the top of 
achievement in school improvement. 
Brevities 
Which is greater—your tax bill or your gasoline 
bill? 
The date of a will is not a material part thereof, and 
the will may therefore be held to be valid although it 
has no date, or if it has a wrong date. 
The combination of colors on the New York State 
auto plates this year is a bad one. It is almost impos¬ 
sible to distinguish between the gray and white on 
swiftly moving cars. 
When there is trouble over Billy or Sally at school, 
there may be a division of responsibility. The fault 
may rest with the teacher, the children, or with you. 
Do not neglect to investigate the third party here 
named. 
This is the way one American farmer on the New 
York hills puts it: “We want to keep for a while yet 
our little red sehoolhouses; we want to beautify them. 
We don’t like to be deprived of our very last rights by 
the white-collar brigade of the city.” 
Can a man over 70 years qualify as justice of the 
peace? Article 6. Section 12, of the Constitution of the 
State of New York provides that no person shall hold 
the office of judge of any court longer than until and 
including the last day of December next after he shall 
be 70 years of age. but the Court of Appeals has held 
that this age limit does not apply to justices of the 
peace. 
Let us call the attention of some of our educators to 
the following, taken from the Saturday Evening Post: 
"It is a nice thing to have beautiful roads. It may be a 
good thing to have very luxurious sehoolhouses. Such 
sehoolhouses create in children a demand for better 
homes, better clothing and better food. But if the pri¬ 
mary object of over-luxurious sehoolhouses is to create 
such a demand, why shouldn’t these sehoolhouses be 
provided by the manufacturers of these goods instead 
of by the residents of the community? In the last an¬ 
alysis we and our children are better off only as we are 
happier, not as we have more goods, but as we have 
better ideals. We all know that our children are no 
happier than we were when the principal factors in our 
education were the woodbox and the cornfield.” 
