Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-08-03

Il
satisfied
Long and iolting are the rides OF
the farmer girl to town, but perched
beside father or brother on the high
seat Of the lumber wagon, the why
horse pattering over the dozen miles
or more she presents picture Of
conteDtment.
1t has has been held that the vast
influx of people from foreign lands
will ultimately be the cause of our
downfall morally and politically.
Those who hold this opinion say that
the immigrants who find their way to
our shores are as body ignorant, not
only OF the language of our country,
but also of the land OF their birth;
that they know nothing OF the civil or
political institutions of our nation
and care less. And that it is only
question Of time when we shall be
swept away by the tide of anarchy
and socialism which Is rising in our
republic
Those who advance such theories rs
this forget the marvellous power Of
assimilation which has always been
manifested by this country. From
the beginning we have had to deal
with peoples coming from the utter
most parts of the earth and taking up
their abode with rs, locating for the
most part in the rural districts Step
by step they have advanced until they
have lost their identity, swallowed up
in the grand flood Of American citi-
.zenship The State has felt no Jar.
either from their coming or from The
process of amalgamation The men
who came quarter Of century ago
are the farmers. the mechanics, and
the professional men They are hon
ored and respected rs citizens We
trust them because they have proven
themselves worthy OF our confidence
They have put away the crude notions
they ut first entertained and now,
recognising the fact that their inter
ests are identical with ours, they adj
nit chat our government is grounded
on the very bedrock Of sound princi-
pie. Mindful Of the privileges which
our country offers to all men alike,
they have entered with pride upon
the work of maintaining the doctrines
so dear to every true American heart
We have no way of forecasting the
future save by the light Of the past 50
we conclude that what is true Of these
men will be true OF those coming now
Sometimes We speak Of life in the
country rs lonely aad calculated to
make men scli-absorbed and narrow
minded. 1t is true that the love Of
aggregation is strong in the hearts of
men, driving them TO seek companions
ship somewhere. 1t is true also that
the isolation which once marked the |
life OF our rural communities is fast
disappearing. The time when it was
q days journey from neighbor to
ncighbor has long gone by The stage
coach has made its last trip as a !
means OF reaching distant parts Of the
country. If the country is crowding
into the city. the city is also pushing
its way out into the country. Steam
and electric railways send out vast
shuttle system threading the valleys
and bringing urban and rural peoples
into more intimate relationship athan
ever before This is having its effect
for the better upon the rural com
munties.
Among the most important acts Of
Congress touching the welfare of the
farmers are those which provide for
the establishment of institutions of
learning which are to give special at
tcntion to agriculture and the sciences
related to il; for the maintainance Of
agricultural experiment stations
which are devoted to The scientific
Investigations Of agricultural prob
lens; and for the elevations Of the
United States Department Of Agricul
70 \ Cabinet department. These are
the most important ones now at work
for the bettcrmcnt of agricultural
matters. for nothing can benefit the
farmer so much as knowledge OF the
best methods Of farming for the re-
gion in which he may live.
The Minneapolis College of Agricul-
ture has made the scientific study OF
farming a part OF the training OF its
Girl students With this purpose
fifty young women are entering upon
a course Of study particularly design
cd To render farm life attractive 1T
is believed that the boys can be kept
upon the farm if they find girls who
are trained to become farmers wives
The entire work OF the school is bent
70 the idea Of making farm home
the most attractive and interesting
place i'm the world.
'Therc always is a rising sun
And day is ever but begun.
Machinery lightenS the labor of the
farmer to a greater and greater extent
with the passing of every year lie
is now the gentleman farmer in a
sense not possible at any period in
the past New and scientific methods
enable him to produce larger results
TIM were known previously. The cost
of production has been reduced so
that he is able TO compete with the
poorly paid labor Of the world.
Farming is being reduced to an art
Ii is no longer looked upon Is i life Of
drudgerY. but rs an employment TO
which the most favored may we'll as
pire Many Of our most wealthy and
cultured citizens are proud to say
that they are the owners Of farms
which receive their constant attention
and which affords them no slight de-
gree Of happiness.
The home of the American farmer
is becoming more aud more comfort
able; instead of the log cabin stands
the convenient modern house furnish
Cd with the latest improved methods
of heating and sanitary arrangements.
In the face Of these statements
which are well reinforced by facts,
why should the fate of the American
farmer be matter for speculation?
While no mortal eye can accurately
foresee what the destiny of a nation
or any part 81 it viii be, we are just
as safe in saving that the farmer will