Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-12-15
FARMHOUSE INDUSTRIES !
A LEAGUE OF WOMEN TO CREATE A
MART FOR RURAL MANUFACTURES.

The League of Farmhouse Industries
and Domestic Manufactures is a new
idea in America. 1t owes it origin
perhaps more to the work of the Irish
League of Industries than anything
else, and the success of which was SO
wonderfully shown in Chicago at the
time of the worlds fair. And even
now the outcome of it all can still be
seen in the beautiful things of Irish
domestic industry shown in the shop
ping district. The fondness of q cul-
tured woman for Irish linen, Irish lace
or for anything distinctly French or
Italian is twice told tale, and the
craze of the Russian fashion is still
abroad in the land.
Why, then, in the face of all this
enthusiasm for foreign make, is there
nothing to show in return, for there
are American industries of domestic
nature. Hitherto these products of
the farmhouse and cottage are a source
of national wealth rather overlooked.
There is in the han6iwork of indi-
viduals an interest and attraction not
found in mechanical manufactures. 1t
is this interest which induces the
traveller to buy the peasant carvings of
Switzerland, the scarfs Of Rome, the
silk blankets of Italy and the home
spun and embroidered linens of Russia,
Sweden and Hungary The farm
houses of this country are scattered
over vast area, having every variety
Of soil and climate, and the opportu-
mites of varied and extensive domes-
tic manufactures are very great. Natur-
ally, therefore, the fostering and di-
recting Of such industries becomes of
interest and concern to every pro-
gressive American woman.
Organizations will in time be formed
in each city and community of the diff
ferent States, whose purposes will be
to create home industries adapted to
the locality, as well as to perfect any
existing industry and cultivate its
scope. 1t is really making a practical
use of knowledge gained through travel
and self-culture.
The blue and white industry Of
Deerfield, Mass, is an instance. This
is reproduction upon homespun linen
of the old crewel embroideries of col
onial times, and has given the farm
er's wife there an occupation for her
winter days. Much pleasure can be
derived from the such work, and it
brings in money where profits arc
small and money hardly earned. AL.
though the blue and white embroid-
cries have not been forced upon the
attention of the public, their sale is
constant and sustained. This enter
prise was started by few intelligent
and sympathetic women for the bene-
fit of large and widely scattered COM
munity, and has proved to be signal
success.
Just at this present time, if the
women members of every golf club,
whether in the East, West, North or
South, would undertake to interest
the women in the neighborhood near
or distant in the knitting of golf
waistcoats and stockings, a valuable
industry would be established, which
could be made more valuable by
adopting for them distinctive colors
and giving them distictive name.
Immediately q speciality of golf knit.
tings would be established for that
neighborhood, and if the wool could
be grown, spun and dyed in the same
locality, it would still further add to
the value OF the industry. The goods
could be ordered through the women
promoting the work, and in this way
every center Of demand would be put
in communication with center of sup
ply. Experience, taste and art can
always be brought to bear upon mex
perienced work to make it more at
tractive to the public. This and sho
intercourse between the producers
and the buyers would create an ever
increasing demand for homemade
manufactures.
If Navajo blankets and Alaskan
grass weavings can hold a deserved
place in commerce, it would seem that
the wider range of farmhouse produc-
tions should easily engage the atten.
ton of organized bodies of the women
in this country. In furtherance of
this project, such an organization has
been formed in the State of Illinois
and incorporated under the name of
tno hcdBu VI dT uuuOu56 Industries
and Domestic Manufactures, and is
located in Chicago, and success will
undoubtedly crown its efforts.
One other great object also of this
work is that farmers daughters may
find interesting work at home and not
feel that they must go to the crowded
city for employment. AS soon as pos
sible rooms will be opened to provide
market for the work, and merchants
have kindly offered to take any goods
for which there is a sale. In these
rooms will be posted the names and
addresses of those who do the differ
ent kinds of work, and there will be q
pamphlet of models of patterns for
quilts, rag carpets and such homely
work that all may copy. Subcommit-
tees will be formed in every small
town in the State with a local chair
man, who will look to the forwarding
of the work, and in due season teach
ers will be sent out from headquarters
10 1aalr oil