The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-01-19
aBEAuIlEYlNe Farm HOMES y


ADDRESS o. President Joshua wheeler
Before she State Board oRAgrAeuAsure
az Topeka, en- Thursday
There has been an opinion for 8 long
period of time that the farmer was 3
man uncouth in person, uncultivated. |
in his habits, in his home
and its surroundings; clodhopper duh |
in intellect, untitled for any other Vo-
cation. There may be some truth in |
this opinion, yet there is nothing in |
agricultural pursuits to make man
dull or novice. Exposed as the farm
er is to the elements, he cannot in his
person be as trim as the merchant or the
professional man. Circumstances may
compel him to 1--we in rude home. The
pioneers in the states of Ohio and In
diana were compelled to live in log
cabins of rude structure. The labor
necessary to clear the forest gave them
but little time for home adornments.
The settlers of the western prairies
were obliged to live in shanties, in
western Kansas they have to live in
dug outs, the labor necessary to open
up the farm even on the prairie gave
but little opportunity to beautify the
home. These persons ought not to be
censuTed.
The men and women that have the
courage to brave the trials of pioneer
life, to make for themselves a home,
deserve sympathy and respect. They
are part of the bone and sinew of the
nation; have done more than
any other class to open up
and develop the great west,
HA &c hot 10
habits, born of necessity, will become
fixed, so that the opportunities for
culture and refinement will not be inns
proved. The fact must be admitted
that the western farms and farm
homes in their surroundings are not as
neat and orderly as those of the east.
We once came from New York to Kan
sas City by way of the Hudson River
and New York Central Railroads. We
could but note the ncatneSS of the
farms and the tasty surroundings OF
the farm homes. All the way from
New York to Buffalo, as we crossed
over into Canada, the change in this
respect was great. AS we came from
st. Louis to Kansas City we could but
observe the difference between the
farm homes of the Hudson and
those of the Missouri valley. Probably
many of the people of the west are SO
to change that they can never adorn or
| beautify their homes. The beautiful
rural homes of the English nobility are
| the work of a long period of time. BY
their law of entail their estates have
descended from father to son for many
generations. The sturdy oak and beech
that adorn their parks are the growth
of centuries. With the facilities of the
present age much can be done to beau
1 fhnh n n foEu with NJ
paratively little time and means, and
no time or money can be
more profitably expended. II
by more thorough application ouI
| farming operations could be made
more profitable, our farm homes made
more attractive, would there be the
same inclination for farmers sons to
leave the farm and crowd into the
cities, overcrowding the professions
| leaving the homes and lands of theii
| fathers to fall into the hands of strang-
ers and aliens? The farm home should
| be the most attractive place on earth
| 1t need not be built of granite or mar
BILE; it need not be adorned with rare
paintings or costly statuary; 1t car
have home comforts without Any Of
| these.
Back of this home question there is
a national question, for the home Is the
| Ud0lS Vi Vic ndllNlAs O11OW IAO - HOORAN
that love their homes, and take pride
in making them beautiful, and l vii
show you a patriotic people. There l:
nothing that a man will defend 81
braVely as his home. In this age o.
literature the farm home should have
its books and periodicals so that its in
mates can be informed of the events o
the times. Horace Greeley once saiC
''that farmer should take at leas
1 frpinI
an agricultural paper and the count.
paper where he lives" and we wOulC
add good political paper. The farme
ought TO be well posted in polltlca
matters. so as to exercise the franchise
intelligently, and not be the mere too
OF blatant demagOgues.
Nature gives it pure air, dew ant
sunshine, singing birds, waving field
of corn and grain, bursting buds AM
bending fruits, and 1t should be adorne'
with brilliant and fragrant flowers
Flora's gifts are free to all. She scat
tiers them in the valley, on the noun
J tain side and hill top, and profusely o
the prairieS of the west. The rose Wi
bloom as freely on the rustic bower O
the poor man as the tasty arbor OF tn
rich; will unfold its buds, give its frS
GRANGE in the poor mans cottage a
freely as in the rich mans palace.
dIl Oul hdklSdS HOuCO hCAO OAOo OOol
titled what a grand state we shout
have. How attractive to all that com
within her borders. 1t would be the bes
advertisement the state has eve
: made-be worth more to her in dollar
. and cents than all the boOms MANI
featured by syndicates. In naturs
scenery our state is unequalled by an
( prairie state of the west. In spots fC
4 beautiful homes nature has done he
: best in her grassy knobs and sum
, slopes. They need but the touch {
i taste and genius to make them lOvel.
= The refining and moral influence of til
beautiful, happy home can hardly
overestimated. The hallowed men
1 cries of such a childhood home wi
: cling to us through all our after-lif
AS we dwell upon them we can joi
: with heart and soul in the old nations
!, anthem, Home, Sweet Home-N
s place like home"