Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-08-15
A NOVEL IDEA.
ME-. psokwaItsr's Plan for the Farmsr's
Reviewed.

Mx. Bsokwaiters Iihn Tor the fArm@FS
Reviewed.
The farmers village Is not so novel
G scheme, as q scheme. but 1t Is one
that has, we believe, never been de-
veloped in America TO an extent COM
meusurate with its advantages. Mr..
John w. Bookwalter has undertaken
10 put the idea in practical working.
and to that end has purchased a tract
OF 60 600 ceres in Nebraska. with the
Intention OF dividing it up into farms,
and renting or selling them to farmers
who are willing 10 enter into his
theories and benefit By them. There
seems to be nothing visionary IN the
Idea and the only very exceptional
feature Of it is that it is taken up by
enc man for the benefit of his fellows,
when 1t might easily be carried out by
q combination Of plans and forces on
the part of a number OF men who would
share equally in its advantages. Mr..
Bookwalter proposes to 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 II
they are SO inclined. In this way each
man can test the plan and need not
commit himself financially to its failure
/ or success unless he chooses TO do so.
I OF course there is no more liability to
/ failure under these conditions than In
any other farming enterprise. The
drawbacks would simply be those con-
dngeut upon all agricultural ventures.
Tho advantages, however, would be
/ lncalculable in the opportunity thus
/ given for the enjoyment OF the lighter
( and brighter things OF life. Farm life
| has its poetic side. but 1t is less APP
parent to the average farmer than to
! the rest OF the world, and it has not
been sufficiently strong element to
counterbalance the prosaio monotony
sad the isolation which repel so many
ambitious young spirits The posi-
hility of even degradation In the life
u farmer is sharply brought out by
namliu Garland in his stories Of
prairie life. The existence thus ex-
posed is Invested pitilessly enough OF
avery vestige of glamour that could
possibly cling TO it. The hopelessness
Of t'7 outlook for men and women
| who seem doomed to slow death OF
mind and soul is not accented one
whit too strongly. II Is well known
that the inmates OF insane asylums are
many OF them farmers wives, and the
nonotony OF their lives is the reason
generally assigned for this fact which
IL always a feature OF hospital statis-
tics. Bot the farmers village might we'll
be beneficial to others than to these
exceptionally unfortunate ones. The
most prosperous and wealthy farmer
would hardly forego the advantages OF
social intercourse for himself and his
family II it could be made available
without interfering with his occupa-
ton. Mr.. Bookwalters plan OF build
Ing the homes in group with the
farms surrounding them and reached
Sy good and direct roads, seems per-
iectly feasible and ought to be attract
I've TO young people starting out In life
TO whom the chief drawback to the
tsrm life Ia its loneliness. There ia
little doubt that the dread OF settling
into a "rutn and becoming mere ma
shines has had much to do with the
sending of young men and women into
cities rather than take up for them
selves the same lot that their fathers
and mothers have found tolerable.
The chance OF social existence oil
education for their children, and the
stimulous OF certain neighborly
emulation, would remove in a great
measure the objections to farming
which now present themselves TO young
people in the choice of life occupa-
don 1t ia hard to see why the plan
should not extend and lie realized by
many farming communities on their
own account and without the aid OF q
capitalist. St Paul Pioneer Press.