Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-08-01
A NOVEL IDEA.


asr. BookwaItsr's Plan for tho Farmers
Reviewed.
The farmers village is not 50 novel
Q scheme, as a scheme, but it Is one
shat has. We believe, never been de-
veloped in America TO an extent com
nensulate with its advantages Mr.,
John W. Bookwalter has undertaken
70 put tho idea in practical working,
and 10 that end has purchased "a tract
OF 60 0Jy cores in Nebraska, with the
Intention Of dividing II up into farms,
and renting or selling them 10 farmers
who are willing 10 enter into his
theories and benefit by them. There
seems TO be nothing visionary .n the
sdea and the only very exceptional
feature OF it Is that &c Is taken up by
enc man for tho benefit Of bis fellows.
whom "a might easily be carried ou' by
3 combination OF plans and forces on
The yart of anumher OF men who would
share equally b it's advantages Mr..
Bookwaiter proposes 10 build homes
Tor those who are not able to buy them
and allow them TO pay rent until such
time as they can become the owners If
they are 30 inclined. In this way each
man can test the plan and need not
commit himself financially 90 IT, failure
or success unless he chooses 10 90 80.
or course there is no more liability TO
failure under these conditions than In
any other farming enterprise The
drawbacks would simply be those con-
nngeut upon all agricultural ventures.
Tho advantages however, would DO
inculculablo in the opportunity thus
given for the enjoyment Of the lighter
and brighter things Of life. Farm life
has its poetic side, but It Is loss ap-
parent TO the average farmer than 10
Che rest Of tho world, and IL has not
been "a sufficiently strong element to
souuterbalance tho prosaio mouotony
and the isolation which rcpel so many
ambitious young spirits. The posi-
bility of even degradation in tho life
Of a farmer is sharply brought out by
Hamliu Garland in his stories Of
prairie life, The existence thus eX-
posed is Invested piJilossly enough Of
avery vestige Of glamour that could
possibly cling TO 10. The hopelessuess
Of q outlook for men and women
who -aGm doomed to slow death of
mind and soul Is not accented one
whit too strongly. IL is well known
shat tho inmates Of insane asylums ire
many OF them farmers wiyos, and the
monotony OF their lives Is the reason
generally assigned for this fact which
Is always o feature OF hospital statis-
alc- But tho farmers village might well
be beneficial to others than TO these
exceptionally unfortunate ones. The
most prosperous and wealthy farmer
would hardly forogo the advantages OF
socinl intercourse for himself and his
family il it could be made available
without interfering with his occupa-
tion. Mr. BooiwaItcr'- plan OF build
Ing the homes IN group with the
farms surrounding them and reached
BY good and direct roads, seems per-
fectly feasible and ought to be attract
I've to young people starting out In life
70 whom tho chief drawback 10 the
farm life is its loneliness, There Is
little doubt that the dread Of settling
into "rut' aud becoming mare ma
shines has had mitch to do wi h the
sending OF young men aud women into
citie- rather than take up for them-
selves tho same lot that their fathers
and mothors have found toierable.
Tho chance OF a social existence, OF
education for their children, aud the
stimulous OF u certain neighhOrly
emulation, would remove in great
measure tho objections to farming
which now present themselves TO young
people in the choice Of life ocoupa-
don. II is hard to see why the plan
should not extend and bo realized by
many ming communities on their
own account and without the aid OF
capitalist Paul Pioneer Press,