The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1899-01-11
MYSTERIES

The following paper was read by Mrs.
w. w. Stephens, of Salem, Indiana;
The advantages that surround life on a
farm are manifold and entirely too many
OF them are unappreciated. This fact
is brought forcibly to our minds when
we see with what Indifference, if not act
ual discomfort 80 many of our tillers Of the
soil and their families look upon their
surroundings. know that farmers are
accused of being calamity howlers' and
when we view what their efforts have
brought forth in the way of profits the
last few years it looks as if they would
be excusable for most any kind OF a
howl.
Farmers are not professional h0wlers
by any means, but the most patient,
loyal, law abiding class OF citizens in the
world, never INDUCING in riots, strikes
nor in any way trying to abruptly change
the current of affairs in any channel.
Perhaps one OF the most unappreciated
advantages they have for good, is that Of
numbers. With any concert of action at
all the farmers of this great country
could demand and secure anything OF
benefit they might desire. One trouble
has been we have had no organic alton.
The grange being the only thing OF the
kind that has stood the test of time and
proven itself to be the actual friend of
the farmer. 1t is through this organiza-
ton that we have secured the pure food
bill, the oleomargarine bill, inter COM
merce bill and many other beneficial bills
of which l know not. Our law makers
may be as Indifferent or as actually Grim
inally neglectful Of o II interests as they
are accused of being, but if they really
cared to know what we wanted that they
might serve us well, where can they go
to find out? Not of individuals nor of
neighborhoods for their wants have not
been defined nor measures taken to see
what we need. 1t seems as il everything
from the most beneficial occupation of
man down to the most pernicious have
their organizations, their heads, their
mouth piece to be at all times on guard
for their individual as we'll as collective
interests, except the farmer.
We have the liquor league and saloon
keepers association, out where is anything
like such an "apd" combination lis
true We occasionally. go spasmodically in
for temperance reform but have never
done anything startling yet.
The same is true of hundreds OF other
things. Farmers are constantly agitating
the subjects of combines, trusts AMI ex-
cessive taxation, but are not all these
things increasing and at the farmers ex-
pense IT'S useless for them TO say they
are helpless for they are not. Their en-
tire welfare is in their own hands and
this is an advantage that must not be
overlooked much longer or II will make
impractible many other advantages; but
its advantages are not by any means
solely political or financial.
The social advantages of grange are
one OF its most praiseworthy features.
Here husband, wife, sou and daughter, Of
proper age, can meet on an equal foot,
ing, forget fol. awhile the disadvantages
under which they labor and peer into
the possibilities oi.the future.
A farmer club is within reach OF all
farmers aud while its influence is not so
wide spread as the grange yet some Of ia
features are as good. have for five
years belonged 10 one Of these clubs
which meets once per month and has for
its sole aim the elevation and betterment
Of It's members, worldly, socially, hnan
cially and intellectually.
The subjects Of all papers and dis