The Coconino weekly sun., 1891-11-05
A NOVEL IDEA.
. MT. Bookwalter's Plan for ths Farmers
 Reviewed.

Reviewed.
 The farmers villags is not so novel scheme, as scheme, but it is one that has, we believe never been de- veloped in America to an extent com mensurate with its advantages. MT, John W. Bookwalter has undertaken to put the idea in practical working, and to that end has purchased tract of 60, 900 acres in Nebraska with the intention of dividing it up into farms. and renting or selling them to farmers who are willing to 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 one man for the benefit of his fellows, when 1t might easily be carried out by a 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 for 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 so inclined, In this way each man can test the plan and need not commit himself anc.ally to it's failure or success unless he chooses to do so. Of course there is no moro liability to failue under these conditions than in any other fa ming enterp ise. The d. awbaclxs would simply be those con tingent upon all agricultural ventures.
 The advantages however, would be incalculable in the opportunity thus given for the enjoyment of the lighter and brighter things of life. Farm lie has its poetic side, but it is less ap- parent to the average farmer than to the rest of the world, and it has not been a sufficiently strong element to counterbalance the pvosaic monotony and the isolation which repel so many ambitious young spirits. The pos l. bility of even degradation in the life of farmer is sharply brought out by Hamliu Garland in his stories of prairie life. The existence thus ex- posed is divested pitilessly enough of every vestige of glamour that could possibly cling to it. The hopele 5sness of the outlook for men and women who seem doomed to slow death of mind and soul is not accented one whit too strongly. It is well known that the inmates Of insane asylums are many of them farmers wives, and tho monotOny of their lives is the reason generally assigred for this fact which is always feature of hospital stats tics. But the farmers village might well be benefic al to others than to these exceptionally unfortunate ones. The most prosperous and wealthy farmer would hardly iorego the advantages of social intercourse for himself and his family if it could be made available without interfering with his occupa- tion. Mir. Bookwalters plan of bui d. ing the homes in a group. with the farms surrounding them and reached by good and direct roads, seems per fectly feasible and ought 10 be attract i've to young people starting out in life, to whom the chief d awback to the farm life is it's loneliness. There is little doubt that the dread of settling into 'Tut' and becoming mere ma ch nes has had much to do wi h the sending of young men and women into c ties rather than take up for them selves the same lot that their fathers and mcthers have found tolorable. The chance of a social existence, of 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 a life occupa- ton. It is hard to see why the plan should not extend and be realized by many farming communities on their own account and without the aid of capitalist. Paul Pioneer Press.