The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-07-25
CARELESS TOM ON VARIOUS
SUBJECTS.

DEAR AUNT JENNIE:-Although I
have been working hard all day and
am very tired, I must chat while with
you for it seems that we Of the circle
have treated you rather shabbily of
late. Let us come oftener, friend Chat
terers, and let's have a three column
chat each week. I can't blame Aunt
Jennie for getting tired of calling the
roll for she keeps a standing invitation
at the head Of the column and as she
visits all Of us once q week, we should
call upon her once a month, when
possible.
I notice we have no special subject
up for discussion just at this time.
Some one has asked that we write upon
Imperialism or Expansion. LIST me
say that I do not believe that the
United States should have bought the
Philippines. This country is known as
the . aited States of America but as
some n wittily suggests We are TO-
the UNITED States of America, The
West Indies, Hawaii, and the Philip
pines" If the FlLipinos are capable Of
self government, then we ought to
Withdraw and let them manage their
own affairs for we are committed to
the principle that "a government de
rives it's just powers from the consent
Of the governed" If on the other hand
the FIlipinos are not capable self
government then we have no business
with them, for other great prinCi
pie of government to which we are
committed is that ''among the inal-
ienable rights with which all men are
endowed by their Creator are life.
liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness. "
I submit, therefore, that if the FIlipinos
have not these rights they are not
adapted to u republican system Of
government but belong rather to old
world monarchies with colonial sys
TENS. I hold therefore that we should
dispose of the islands as speedy as pos
sible. II Tafy or anyone else wishes
to discuss this question, let US hear
from him.
l have en- Dyed very much the letters
from the Chatterers describing their
neighborhoods. "a PIamondon's was
especially good, as was also Manly's
and Sjxty's. Will not Sixty write
again and tell US more of his early ex-
periences3 / am sure they would be
intensely interesting. l suggest that
we continue to write OF the scenery of
our neighborhoods and also write of
local history, and the tales and tradi
tions Of our respective o Alities. Many
OF US, nc doubt, can relate interesting
stories which we have heard from the
lips of our grandfathers and grand
mothers, and the scenes of which are
near us-stories Of Revolutionary,
Mexican, or Civil War times, slavery,
or Ku-klux ~days-and perhaps some
stories of colonial days
l have also been much interested in
the article Our Neighbors, the B rds'
which has 1st been concluded in The
Progressive Farmer Who of the Chat
terers are interested in the lives and
habits of our birds, insects and wild
ANIMAL? / think we neglect them
entirely to much. In this connection
I wish to say that no Chatterer inter
terested in bird life a afJr to be
without Bulletin No IA of the North
Carolina Experiment s alton, emitted
80 anthology of N nth Carolina" An
o5her most valuable bulletin for stu.
dents of plant life is No. $50, entitled
Medicinal Plants of North Carolina"
It you wish to learn about our birds
and plants and are willing to study in
order to learn, drop a postal to the
director N @. Experiment Station,
Raleigh, N. O., and you car secure a
copy of either or both Of these bulle
tins free of charge.
AS for which are the happier the
ignorant or the educ 36edQ | think that
is a rather singular question for dis
cussion among people here in the da IN
of the twentieth century. Fifty Three
discusses that question ably. For my
part l think God was right when he
inspired Solomon to say that Wisdom
is the principal thing, therefore get
vision" OF course, education is not
wisdom, but we cannot be truly wise
without education. God wouldn't
have studded the heavens with etars,
nor underlaid the earth's surface with