Mower County transcript., 1904-03-09
LOCAL !! FARMERS /; | !. |: |. !
INSTITUTE. 4 ] | I !:
Another Entaausasstsc neeting Good
AtteRdance and Great Interest
Next neeting Friday, 7arch Is.

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Another local farmers institute was
held in the court room Wednesday with
a large attendance and much interest
shown. The subjects were practical
and the discussion was generally par
tieipated }in. u o. FuTlong, chairman,
G. K. King, secretary. .s..s...
4. E. Crane spoke on @Greater
Economy IN Managing the Farm" He
showed in prar ical way many Of the
items Of wastage on farms as ordinarily
conducted and claimed that proper
economy and maaag cement would many
times make the difference Between
running at a profit or at a loss.
Or. WI. HNhster stated that his
experience during the past Is years was
that stock raising was more profitable
than selling grain. He feeds all his
grain to his stock and makes money
by it. He has also made+money from
honey and sheep. He made over $500
out of his bees. :e.sE,,,s,E
l.. French opened up the subject of
County, State and National Organiza-
ton. He advised the organization of
farmers, not for the purpose of beating
others but for mutual protection. Every:
other class of men is organized except
the farmers. The hardware men have
organized and fix the price of every
thing sold. So with the grocers. In.
Kansas the farmers are so strongly or
ganized that if any farmer has a note
to pay and cannot promptly, the others
carry him until he can sell at the right
price. They ship their own stock say
ing thousands of dollars. S,s.%$& %zE:
On motion, it was voted that the
farmers of Mower county organize
'compactly for mutual: help and protee-5
tion. The following committe was
appointed to make necessary arrange
ments to organize: DR.. w. L. Hollister,
John Christgau, c.: Proeschel, r. e.
Crane, L. French, Whit Watkins, A.
w. Edison, A. O. Dinsmoor, G. A.
butcher, Abe Newell, A. Hotson, Elmer
Loucks, Fred Christgau, J. H. Ault-
father, F. J. Hill, G.. w. King, W. III.
Spencer, John Rahilly, R. E. Shepherd,
T. A. Reilly. This subject was warm
ly discussed by several.
F. w. Kimball of this city then read
the following practical paper on "Good
Roads,"
Good Roads.
1t seems to be assumed that know
something about good roads while as
a matter of fact, I probably know as
little about the make and maintain
ance as any one in the county, but of
few things of which I am certain I
will speak. We can never have good
roads cheaply maintained until we
have different road laws. The roads
should be put under the supervision
of live intelligent man known to
have good ideas of road making, who
will expend the money to the best
advantage. The tax should be assess
ed and collected in coin of the realm
and not be worked out through lot of
neighborhood picnics devoted mainly
to political discussion and swapping of
stories. It seems to me that if the
people of any one county desire such
laws, and would elect their represent
atiVes on such an issue, that it might
not be hard to get a local option law
passed, by. which said county or any
other county could by vote, adopt
such law. And I am sure that once
any county adopts such law then and
forever !, is the neighborhood picnic
doomed. Now what can we do to inn
prove the roads under the present
laws and through the neighborhood
picnics. 5t t.>. S# ss.4. H
I think a grievours wrong has been
done in many places by trying to
break up and grade up the high
prairie grounds, when the travel is
not heavy. The old ruts when worn
taking up but a:.small space, and soon
a new track was made beside it., and
we have had no smoother and better
roads than many Of those Old prairie
paths whether. across the country or
along the section lines, in these cases
the work was thrown away and the
road damaged. In low country, or
low places, cr where the ground is'
naturally moist the road should be
raised and rounded and for this, when
once the material has been hauled In
to the low places. /. i know Of no bet-
ter tool than the "a non road grader.
raising II from the sides to the center