‘Jbt RURAL NEW-YORKER 
1437 
The National Election 
A S the political campaign came to a close it was 
generally expected that President Coolidge 
would be re-elected. There were few who expected 
such a “landslide” as actually occurred. The Presi¬ 
dent has not only a tremendous majority in the Elec¬ 
toral College, but an overwhelming majority in the 
popular vote. The American people accept the will 
of the majority in good spirit, and when that will is 
expressed in double italics there can be no question 
about it. All must now admit that the American 
people knew just what they were doing. They have 
expressed their full confidence in President Coolidge, 
and given him a mandate to go on and work out his 
plans for the future. 
The New York Times, which opposed Mr. Coolidge 
all through the campaign, probably expresses the 
wishes of most reasonable people: 
The hope of the country is that Mr. Coolidge, after 
the mandate given him yesterday in his own name, will 
hereafter be every inch a President. No one will expect 
to see him boast or bluster, but in his quiet way the peo¬ 
ple will desire him to assume the full right and pow¬ 
ers of leadership. With the great honor done him a 
great responsibility has been laid upon him. That he 
may rise fully level with it and make of his adminis¬ 
tration a positive source of good for the United States, 
and of courage and help in solving those world prob¬ 
lems from which this nation cannot shake itself apart, 
will be the earnest wish today of all patriotic Amer¬ 
icans. 
It is our opinion that the character and ability of 
President Coolidge will grow and impress themselves 
more and more upon the people as time goes on. We 
have been led too much to believe that reforms and 
improvements in legislation and government life can 
only be brought about through loud yelling and the 
application of a club or pitchfork. We believe that 
the silent, undemonstrative man in the White House 
will finally show us that noise and fierce battle are 
not the only means of accomplishing things. As for 
the future alignment of political parties as a result 
of this election, we have been told on good authority 
that the chief aim of Senator Ha Follette was to de¬ 
stroy the Democratic party as at present organ¬ 
ized, and compel it to join forces with the radical 
elements always found in political life. Mr. Bryan 
attempted that some years ago. The design is to 
drive the Republicans into a conservative or reac¬ 
tionary party, with the Democrats and Labor 
party leading the radicals. Up to this time such 
plans have failed through the refusal of the farmers 
to unite contentedly with the union labor men. As 
judged by this election the Democratic party has 
sunk to a new level of political strength, quite as 
fully discredited as it was for some years following 
the Civil War. It must evidently take up some 
stronger or more appealing issue than criticism of 
others in order to attract younger voters. 
The Explanation of a Spread 
Would you give 11 s your views as to the spread be¬ 
tween the $1.93 per cwt. which the Dairymen’s League 
paid us for our September milk, and the $2.60 which 
the dealer paid the League for the same milk? Flush 
seems to be out of the question at this time as the Bor¬ 
den’s Company, as well as Jansen Dairy Company, both 
pool buyers, have been buying milk from non-pool plants 
in this section, and I can see no reason for getting less 
than butter and cheese prices when most of the milk is 
going into the fluid market. pooler. 
Broome C'o., N. Y. 
HE dealers did not pay $2.60 for all pooled milk. 
The report for September in the League News 
of October 24, had a typographical error in Class 2A 
item. This corrected, the payments in the different 
classes at published prices are as follows: 
Cwt. 
Price 
Value 
lass 
1 . 
972,292.21 
X 
$2.60 = 
$2,527,959.74 
tt 
2A . 
304,037.70 
X 
2.00 = 
460.807.40 
a 
2B .... 
71.415.62 
X 
2.05 = 
146.402.02 
u 
2C .... 
19.673.29, 
X 
2.05 = 
40,330.24 
a 
3 . 
238 893.45 
X 
1.55 = 
370,284.84 
u 
4A .... 
12.3,407.64 
X 
1.245 = 
153.642.50 
a 
4B .... 
44,755.44 
X 
1.3S5 = 
61,986.28 
$3,761,413.02 
Gross price $1.93 as reported for 1,700,841 
cwt. 3,282,623.80 
$478,789.22 
This item of $478,789.22 is not accounted for in the 
report, but it is explained as due to cuts in the price 
of Class 1 milk to meet competition. This loss 
amounts to 28.1 cents per cwt. of all pooled milk. 
In addition to the 28.1 cents not accounted for in the 
September reports, deductions of 18.5 cents were re¬ 
ported, making a total of 46.6 cents. The cash pay¬ 
ment was $1,745, leaving 38.9 cents per cwt. to ac¬ 
count for because of the lower price paid for Classes 
2, 3 and 4. 
With the multiple price plan it is not possible to 
account with any degree of accuracy for the losses 
on the manufactured milk below the liquid price. 
Some groups may in times of flush milk have more 
surplus than others. Figured month after month in 
this way, however, the difference shown in the fig¬ 
ures corresponds approximately to the extra price 
paid by the other groups over the League price. This 
is just what would be expected. The League’s de¬ 
ductions reported and unaccounted for run about 50 
cents per cwt. per month. The other groups have an 
expense of only about 1 cent per cwt., and some less. 
The difference in returns is therefore substantially 
the difference in expense. 
The Farm Bureau Under Fire 
T HE following news item has appeared in West¬ 
ern New York papers: 
Canandaigua, Oct. 30. — With the signatures of sev¬ 
eral hundreds of farmers attached, it is said, a petition 
was presented to the Ontario County Board of Super¬ 
visors today at the regular monthly session of that 
board, asking for the immediate discontinuation of the 
Ontario County Farm Bureau and the Ontario County 
Home Bureau and the Junior Project department of the 
Farm Bureau. 
The petition was addressed to each individual member 
of the Board of Supervisors, and states that only a 
small percentage of the farmers of the county belong to 
the Farm Bureau, but that the bureau and other bu¬ 
reaus add heavily to the tax burden of the county with¬ 
out giving any adequate return and, in fact, benefit only 
a small portion of the farmers of the county, while all 
the farmers, as well as all other property owners of the 
county, have to bear the expense of conducting the bu¬ 
reaus. The petition states that the abolition of these 
bureaus would be, not a backward, but a forward step. 
The petition was tabled on motion of Supervisor J. 
Lewis Salisbury of Phelps, and a public hearing will be 
held at the Court House on Tuesday afternoon, Novem¬ 
ber 11, at 2 o’clock, when those for and against the 
proposition to do away with the bureau will be heard. 
We have known for some time that there is con¬ 
siderable opposition to the Farm Bureau in Ontario 
and several adjoining counties. This seems to be the 
first definitely expressed opposition. The plan of 
calling for an open hearing to discuss the question is 
a good one. We favor these frank and open discus¬ 
sions of public matters as they concern farmers. 
There has been too much of this attempt to show 
that the opinions of a few leaders represent the real 
desires of the rank and file of farm ers. The Farm 
Bureau of New York lost its great oppot < unity last 
Winter in the battle over ihe rnra' school bill. Most 
of its officers persisted in misrepresenting the voice 
of the plain country peopi§. Of course they knew 
that the great majority of rural people'were opposed 
to the bill. Real leaders would never have attempt¬ 
ed to jam a bill of this sort upon an unwilling peo¬ 
ple. True leadership might have effected a fair 
compromise which would have started school im¬ 
provement on its way without causing a revolution. 
As a result the Farm Bureau now is represented by 
a group of leaders who have no army back of them. 
They have little opportunity of gathering and train¬ 
ing another army. All this is to be deeply regretted, 
for there is great need of just such a fighting organ¬ 
ization as the Farm Bureau ought to be. The farm¬ 
ers of New York recognize the need of strong and 
courageous leadership. They are ready to fight for 
their rights, but they have the instinct to know when 
they are being misrepresented and unwisely led. 
School Men Discuss Educational Policies 
The District Superintendents of Schools of the .State 
of New York, in their annual meeting held in Albany 
October 14 to 16, gave much consideration to better 
supervision in the schools, and some thought to admin¬ 
istration and general educational policies. Among the 
recommendations endorsed by the State Association are 
the following: 
1. That the Department of Education at Albany call 
conferences of the school men of the State for che pur¬ 
pose of discussing with, them the best educational pol¬ 
icies to be followed. 
2. That more of the cost of educating the children of 
the State be paid by the State and less by the local 
school districts. 
3. That the quota of $3 on each $1,000 that a dis¬ 
trict is assessed under $100,000, be raised to $5. 
4. That taxation for school purposes be equalized 
throughout the State. 
5. That the motor vehicle law be amended to exempt 
farm children attending high schools from “18 years of 
age” requirement, as provided under the law recently 
in effect, October 1, 1924. 
6. That the McGinnies bill, which v/ould give State 
aid on new school buildings and repairs to old ones, be 
x’eintroduced, with an amendment that will include the 
debts standing against buildings already erected. 
7. That the Board of Regents be asked to rescind its 
recent action which prevents the smaller high schools 
of the State from giving subjects or examinations in ad¬ 
vance of their registration. 
8. That changes in the education law should be made 
only gradually and with the consent of the people. 
Among the other resolutions of less general interest 
was one thanking President John B. McManus, Coop- 
erstown, N. Y., for the splendid services he has ren¬ 
dered. In Rochester in January, 1921, the Association 
of District Spperintendents, after listening for about 
two hours to Geo. A. Works, chairman of the Commit¬ 
tee of Twenty-one, which time was taken in outlining 
the plans of this committee, passed resolutions as fol¬ 
lows : 
Briefly (1) That the association was proud of the 
vast impi-ovement in the rural schools during the pre¬ 
vious 10 years. 
2. That no school should be closed except on a ma¬ 
jority vote of the district. 
3. That changes for the betterment of the schools 
should come gradually and with the consent of the peo¬ 
ple themselves. 
4. That the course of study should not fit boys and 
girls for the farms, but to take their places in any field- 
of endeavor. 
5. That equalization of taxes for school purposes be 
brought about by giving more State aid to weaker dis¬ 
tricts. m. C. 
Pit Storage for Potatoes 
T HIS year there have been quite a number of 
questions about keeping potatoes in pits out¬ 
doors. Formerly this plan was carried on quite ex¬ 
tensively. It was quite common to see these pit 
mounds on farms where good crops of potatoes were 
handled. Of late year’s the plan has mostly been 
given up, except for seed potatoes. In the larger 
potato growing districts there are usually good 
storage houses. Those who care to try it will find 
the following advice from New England sound: 
In regard to storing potatoes in the field, I think this 
is not now practiced to any extent in this section. I 
did it some years ago with seed potatoes. We selected 
a dry spot, set some boards (about 10 in. wide) on 
edge and about 4 ft. apart. Between these we piled up 
our potatoes in a long A-shaped pile. We covered this 
with about _1 ft. of straw and then covered with at 
least .6 in. of dirt. After this layer froze we put on an 
additional layer of straw and then another layer of dirt. 
If well put up the pile will not freeze into the potatoes, 
and the tubers will not sprout until very late in the 
Spring. But do not let anyone try it unless he makes 
sure that the layei’s of straw and dirt are carefully 
put on in uniform layers. It is a good way to keep 
seed potatoes if trouble is experienced with early Spring 
sprouting. 
Protective Associations in Wisconsin 
Recent articles in your paper, which told how people 
from the cities make themselves at home on the prop¬ 
erty and with the property of the country dweller, were 
very interesting to me. ns we have had similar experi¬ 
ences with ill,, city neighbors, in many towns of our 
county, as also in towns in neighboring counties, the 
people have got together and formed what, the 
protective associations. They have a constitution and 
by-laws, elect a president, vice-president, secretary ind 
treasurer; they also have three of their members r.-iom 
mended by the association and sworn in as deputy sher¬ 
iffs, so they can be called any time to assist a farmer in 
protecting his property. They have the “No Trespass¬ 
ing” signs, which are made by the association, which are 
posted on the farms, two to every 40 acres. 
If a person finds a trespasser he ordex-s him off, and 
he is also asked to pay a fine of $5; if the deputy 
sheriff has to be called, he must have his fee of $1 for 
his ti’ouble. If the trespasser refuses to leave the prem¬ 
ises or pay his fine, he is arrested and taken to the 
countyseat for trial ; then the fine is doubled, it then be¬ 
ing $10 and costs. 
These trespassers from the cities do not realize that 
they are committing a, crime; they don’t know it is 
stealing when they go on the farmer’s premises and take 
things. They have always supposed that anything that 
grows wild belongs to the fellow that gets there first; 
hickorynuts, hazelnuts, walnuts and butternuts; mush¬ 
rooms, grapes, elderberries, wild plums and raspberries, 
and after they have helped themselves to these things 
growing wild, for a few years, they become accustomed 
to taking things that don’t belong to them, and if they 
can slip up on an apple tree that is hidden from the 
house by the barn, or behind a hill, they will fill a Hour 
sack with apples and carry it away with a clear con¬ 
science, as long as they think no one has seen them. 
They will also take potatoes and sweet corn, and even a 
chicken, if they can get away with it, but I really be¬ 
lieve they know they are stealing when they take the 
chicken. 
Four cattle in pasture were shot and killed last year 
in this town by careless hunters, roaming through wood- 
lots in search of rabbits or squirrels; one of these cattle 
was ours, xx purebred heifer coming two, that would have 
freshened in a few weeks. 
When these city pilferers pick grapes or bittersweet 
they use no care not to injure the vines, that they may 
live to bear another yeai-, but pull the vine dowu, break¬ 
ing and destroying it—any way’to harvest the present 
crop and get away with it the quickest. Only in rare 
cases do they ask the owner for the privilege of gather¬ 
ing the crop he has grown on the land he is paying 
taxes on. Often gates are left opon, thus allowing stock 
to stray on roadside, or into growing crops. They often 
bring a lunch with them, and will start a little camp 
fire, with small sticks gathered in the woodlot, and then 
they fail to put out the fire before they leave it. It 
smolders and seems to have gone out, but later a rising 
wind coaxes it to a blaze, dead grasses and leaves feed 
the flame, it spreads, catches in half-rotten logs or 
stumps, and at last is running wild through the timber 
lot; then the owner, with neighbors, hauls water arid 
works for hours to put out the fire the hunter has 
thoughtlessly kindled. 
These trespassers tear down woodpiles to get a rab¬ 
bit which has taken refuge there, but they never take 
time to re-pile the wood; later, when the farmer goes to 
the woodlot for a load of wood he can dig it out of the 
snow if it happens to be the Winter season. There are 
many people who come to the woods, in all seasons, 
called there by their love for Nature and the great out¬ 
doors. In Summer they love to see the wild flowers, 
the woodland birds; some of them never visit our homes, 
but are only to be found in woods or thicket. These 
people do no harm, only taking away with them a bou¬ 
quet of wild flowers, a reminder of days of long ago. 
Wisconsin. 0 , l, M. 
