The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-05-19
THE HOUSEHOLD.
!. NJ. s.

lngmen ana farmers throughout the cOun-
try, and is no doubt earnestly and thor
oughly read by the several heads Of their
households. In most Of them however,
the ,corking icOmen and children outnum-
Der the working men and while the sub
jeets treated Of by the ADVOCATE may be
Of Just as much Importance to them, they
do not, as a rule, understand them as well,
or take the same interest i'll their discus
sion that men do. To the tired mother
and housekeeper the daily recurring ques
ton what shall we have for dinner, and
how shall it be cooked y seem of much
more pressing importance than even the
settlement Of the vexed currency question,
and our questions Of public policy are not
usually so treated by writers as to make
them very fascinating study for the
younger members OF the family and to
these the ADVOCATE is lacking in that van
rlety which would make it an equally vel
come visitor to each member Of the house
hold.
In families where the latter is able and
lcilIing to take several papers and maya
zines, this want is not so much felt, but
there are many farmers aud workingmen
whose circumstances will not admit of
much outlay for reading matter, and many
others, who, though able, cannot see its
necessity, and are therefore unwilling to
spend money freely for this purpose.
To such as those where, perhaps, the AID
voCATE is the only newspaper taken, 1t Is
desirable that its contents should embrace
something Of interest and value to all !;
and as one step in this direction our
Household Department is instituted, to be
followed, it is designed, by other improve
ments and additions, until, besides the
continued discussion Of those questions
that are Of such vital moment to the labor
interests Of the country, the ADVOCATE will
be able to present its readers with such a
variety Of reading matter as to entitle 1t
to rank III all respects as first class fam
lily newspaper, as well as what it has always
been, an earnest and faithful advocate Of
the rights Of the industrial classes.
We hope TO make this department me-
dunn for the exchange Of ideas among the
lady readers Of the ADVOCATE M on all sub
jects connected with home interests, and
wish each one to consider this an especial
invitation, addressed to her personally,
to contribute for this column. Letters up
on household economy, home adornm, Mt,
the cultivation Of flowers, recipes for
cooking, or any other Of the thousand aud
one things with which womans time and
thoughts are occupied and whose discussion
will be of benefit to the home circle. The
usefulness Of this department will depend
greatly upon the aid and encouragement
II may receive IN JnIs way.
To our sisters Of the Grange who under.
stand 50 well the benefits Of co operation,
that corner stone Of our order, we appeal
especially, for their co-operat on with us
in this undertaking. Not only will letters
upon household matters be acceptable, but
such as relate to grange doiDgs, or that
vii i'll any way tend to advance the inter-
ests Of the order, will find here welcome,
and an appropriate place, and We believe
that much good to the oranges Of the State
could be made to grow out of it could our
invitation be generally responded to. Those
enemies of the grange. who at the start,
predicted for 1t very brief existence, are
already rejoicing over what seems to them
the fulhllment of their prophecy. They
believe the grange dead, for they look in
vain through most of our public prints for
any record Of its doings, and their belief
is not without some foundation. Many of
our oranges are dead, and many others
might as well be, SO far as any useful re-
suit Of their vitality are discoverable,
while those that are still strong and vigor-
Gus, whose members are reaping the Oene-
fits of an intelligent and active co-opera-
ton, and whose example, if it could DO
held up to their views, would stimulate
the weaker ones to renewed life and &C
tivity, fail to make their good influence
felt upon others, for want Of, or because
they do not use as they should, the only
medium Of communication between them,
the newspaper.
Much has been said, and truthfully, of
the benefits conferred upon woman by the
grange, but she has to a great extent,
failed to peap the full measure of those
benefits, and for the same reason, the want
of a medium for the full and free inter
change Of her thoughts and ideas.
Sisters. we offer you in these columns,
an opportunity for such interchange of
thought, wherein giving your ideas upon all
minds, tighten the labor Of our hands, or
make our homes purer and happier, you
may, while improving yourselves, benefit
large circle of readers, and perhaps
arouse in some lukewarm Patron, q re-
newed interest in the progress Of his or
her grange, from which may be dated
revival of its vitality and usefulness This
is an object worthy Of SEINE effort, and
work in which you may very properly ell
gage and whatever measure Of success
attends it, will reward those engaged in it,
in the pleasure and improvement which
they will derive from the work, and we
shall confidently look for an early and en-
couraglng response from many Of our read
ers to our invitation.
All communications for this department
may be addressed to Mrs. S. M. Smith
Kewanee, Ill.