The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-04-09
roWa coRREsPoNDENCE.
CARL. Iowa, March Both, 1874


Perhaps the best part OF our corr
respendence is its infrequeney. We
have had no terrible murders, robber-
les orUther endemic horrors to chron-
icle of Adair. Onr county seems
bent on perservering in orderly be-
havior in the midst of a country sadly
given to misrule and speculation. You
may readily infer, Mr.. Editor, that
none of our people are likely TO be
heard of as big guns in Congress. And
their inability to allow their con-
sciences to undergo all of the modifi-
cations necessary to the attainment of
that tame in these times of political
degeneracy, is, doubtless, in the judge
ment of honest men the best part of
their ineapacities.
Times are dull here now, owing to
the scarcity of money, but considera-
BILE improvements have been projected
for the coming season, and from all
the informa ON obtained. large
number of ne farms will broken
out; and th er IS nave
many incompie, . ans I 4n We
rnent begun that y, al be carried On to-
wards completion. The West is in.
tensly worldly. For the things of
this Mundane sphere they feel the
deepest solicitude. but for the things
of the Celestial, they manifest no ex-
treme self-denials.
The weather the past winter has
been very mild and pleasant. We have
not had more than week of mud.
There has been some days that the
wind blew icy from the north west;
but there is one thing 1 do believe
that in our dry bracing atmosphere a
person can stand ten degrees more
cold in Iowa than in Ohio and not
feel the effects any more.
Our State Horticultural Society
has appointed the Doth day of April
as .ARBoE DAY for the State the de-
sign and plan of which is TO encourage
forestry, by offering premiums to
those who on that day plant the larg-
est number of trees, or sow the great
est bresdth of ground in tree produc-
ing seeds and nuts. There are twen-
ty one premiums offered, ranging
from four to thirty dollars. 1t is de-
sirable that the citizens of the entire
State will enter heartily into the spirit
| = 9 tb;c -, 4.-1-i,a a., Aim bor Sc co2Pcfa
in many parts, and the question OF
/ fuel and lumber is likely to be a SER
/ ious one in the future. It has already
been demonstrated from reliable data
that tree culture is pecuniariIy profita-
BILE, in fact, no other agricultural in
dustry gives such excellent profits in
i a decade of years. The utility OF
these timber plantations is becoming
more generally appreciated. Besides
their uses as. fuel and fencing they
breake the winter winds and mitigate
their severity, and the ornamental
features they impart to our prairies
can be properly appreciated only by
those who have perambulated tree
less country. But if you wish to see
a country Justly entitled to be called
E'beautiful," come to Iowa, Mr.. Editor
in Summer, when the groves surround
ing our domicils are dressed in living
| green" and the valleys and hills are
decked in all the luxurience of this
faYoring climate and soil, when roses
and other floral bedeckings vast in
kind and of every color rise out o
Ifmitless beds OF, ,verdure. Surround
ed by such landscape and invigorat-
ed by the charm aud healthful breezes
for a few weeks, you would return to
your sanctum with renewed strength
to battle against corruption and hy-
pocracy in high places.
In our last atter to the PRfss Wi
asked for g d teacher. Ye were
fortunate anc one ctaan o
fine qualifical4o. - ! as - ana
teacher. We ems ed his service fol
three months at $4,000 per month
ana at the end of that time secured
him for another month, his patrons
paying half the last months wages
out of their own funds. Mainly
through his efforts a literary society
was organized in our district which
| was largely attended all winter. and
afforded us pleasurable and profitable
diversion.
The United Brethren had two series
of revivals here and gained some ac.
cessions to their church. That there
may be cleansing of the spirit we
may infer from the cleansing processes
of nature, as well as from scripture
but we most heartily disappEoVe O
those extreme and unnatural spasmS
of religious excitement. We have :
profound belief that religion is mat
ter of principle and sober conviction
and not of artificial emotions. That
they are instrumental in performing &
cleansing work is not evidenced by
loose living and fragrant sins. VIZ
would not question the motives o
men in this matter, but it is an ovi
that is the parent of infide!ity ant
skepticism, and needs discountenane'
ing.
| The Grangers are fiourishing finely
and on the increase. The surface
gleanings of an outsider form no Re
liable data upon which to base the
pecuniary gains to the producers aris.
4 ing out the manipulations of the order
SO far. A casual glance shows then
to be meager. But there may be fal
greater possibilities in the future
All honor and hopeful words to good
intentions. The transportation ques'
tion is one that will need sound judge
ment and far seeing and astute gener.
alship to grapple with successfully.