Litchfield enquirer., 1879-11-13
COOPERATIVE FARMING.
MHwAUKEa, MIL, ] October 24th, 1879. 1

October 24th, 1878.
 En. Enq.-It will be objected that cooper ative farming cannot be made practicable. Let us see. At present, the very term farming is synonymous with drudgery, loneliness, and des- olation. It is this lonely labor that makes it al systems were evolved. New experiments should first be made on small scale. Associ- ated farm work is not new idea, but so far the attempts have been made on scale of too large proportions These proportions would be all right if they had been arrived at by de- grees, beginning at the beginning, which would be with perhaps not more than two families Let these first families be relatives, or semi relatives either by blood or marriage. A little, simple constitution should be adopted for their government. In each case the special conditions would shape and form the constitu- tion. All the members of the families, over eighteen years of age, both male and female, should be. members of the association. In large bodies the majority rules, in small bod ies itshould require the consent of three-fourths or two-thirds. 7--
 This, furthermore, lends legislative attrac- tions to agriculture. Much of the present restless ambition to go to Congress would find satisfaction at the beautiful little home In all these charming rural associations, where doubts arise, the legislative decision should be final In this respect the Grange lodges have been productive of increased enlightenment through the broad country. One of the best and most enlightened features of the Grange is, that it admits the wives and daugh- ters to membership, and bestows on them eve ry right possessed by the men. Men who are so narrow minded as to be opposed to woman's rights, do not yield to this readily, but the light beats into them at last.
 The people are honest enough, but the sys- tens are faulty. The worst human being de- lights in pleasure more than pain, and in mu- tual pleasure. Men would not, under better social rules,' be as black as our systems have made them. '.- "-.i
 At present the farmers son desires above everything else, city life. This should not and need not be- As nature is superior to art, 90 the country is superior to the city. The country is sparsely settled, the city is over- crowded. How shall this unbalanced condi- ton be capitalized The cities have salt enough to partially save them, but their surplus pop ulation is mass of corruption How shall this worse than useless surplusage be utilized At present it cannot do as well as it should.
 The competitive system is great cause of this increasing sefishness. Competition must be superseded Dy operation. This change for the better is but the question of continu- cd process of the general education. It can- not be adopted without investigation. ''The more the nlerrier" applies with additional force to farming, and many hands make light work" should find it's very strongest applica- ton to the heavy labor of farming Absolute liberty cannot be, till no man, woman or child child shall want for food, clothing or shelter.' Hlreling life dwarfs character.
 Something like associative agricultural en- tcrprises will become necessity to relieve farm-life of it's intolerable monotony. At present, each small farmer exhausts half his resources in reduplicating all the tools and im- plements that might be used by himself and a dozen others in common. Farming needs the !nind force that cannot be fully developed out. side of the stimulating influences of associa- ton. Young people, in this age of books and newspapers, have the social feelings strongly but the requisite opportunities for their development are impossible, through tine present isolated and fragmentary system of farming.
 A change is required to secure the most en- joyable life away from the crowded centres
 The over-crowded city tenement, and the life of the Texas ranchman, are equally demor- alixing. Some new system to balance these extremes has become necessity E. w. B.
 HALLELUJAH JAoK's ARGUMENT. forty- miner from the Upper part of the county, who had so much forty rod aboard that he was oblivious to the customs of civilized society, dropped into saloon in neighboring town the other day. and by way of diversion pulled put his revolver and sent bullet crashing into the wood-box. A peace officer, who by some lnaccountable means happened to be in the vicinity, heard the report, and peering through the screen to see that there was no danger in- side, entered the door and went up to Hallelu- jah Jack, who stood there, careessly toying with the weapon he had just fired.
 ''Come, Jack, put her away and don't bang around here any more," said MT. Policeman.
 "Why not ?" tersely queried the pioneer.
 "BecauSe it's against the law to shoot to