The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1905-06-01

the finest democracy the world
ever saw.
The incoming of lower.type
of laborers drove the children
of farmers to the executive
positions which were open to
those of higher intelligence in
the professions and in business.
And today even in the West We
find their descendants still ill
ing the places that require
special executive ability aud
leadership. The dignity of any
work in life depends largely on
the amount of unpaid service
is expected of it. If there 10
something in our lives that 10
worth more than money that
is what especially gives 10
dignity and worth.
In the early days the lawyer
was expected to give much of
his time to the service of tho
state. He was leader of tho
town meetings. He went to tho
legislature to represent his
town even tho he did it at q
financial sacrifice. The physi-
clan did a vast amount of gooA
that he never was paid for. The
minister was a public servant,
engaged in the promotion of
every thing that was of public
interest. The school master
was honored, and his pay was
more in social esteem than in
salary.
So the social service of an
educated farmer and his vito
would give dignity to their life.
In the first place their educa-
ton would lift them out of the
grinding drudgery of a farmers
life, especially of a farmers
wife.
There would be in the house
as adequate a provision for do
ing the house work as there
was on the farm. Physical
work is in right proportion for
the making of health and hap
piness. But to work beyond
strength is suicide. ~
There would be the library
and the refinements of pictures
and music. A daily paper and
a daily mail would make possi-
bic that the farmers as class
become the most intelligent ia
the state. While it would be
necessary to work hard at
special'seasons, there would be
also in the winter a special
time of leisure, affordingloppor-
tunities for an intellectual
and social life superior to
that of the average dweller in a
town. Such a cultivated couple
would be interested in the
church and the grange; active
in the interests of the schools
and the political welfare of
town, county and state. They
would be especially interested
in the wonderful development
of science as applied to farm
ing. Interested in selecting
seed, and plants fitted for their
particular soil and climate and
market. The ideal of the Eng
lish squire would be realized in
the new democracy.
A mans worth would not then
be measured solely by what
he was able to put inthe bank,
or by the number of acres he
had acquired while he worked
his wife to death, but by what
as a man he had done for the
community he lived in.
The farmer who saw no sense
in educating his daughter be-
cause she would be likely to get
married as soon as she was
thru college had an utterly false
idea of an education. The aver
age college graduate does earn
more none: than the average
uneducated man.
But just for the reason that
so many educated men and wo-
men see that the highest good
in life is' not to pile up dollars
they do not give that sacrific-
ing attention to business which
is necessary to accumulate a
great fortune.
The truly educated woman
will not want to ape a man, but
will desire to glorify her wo-
manhood. The world has little
use for a woman who reads
Greek and cannot mend her
stockings, if need be. 1t sees
no sense in girl studying in
Physics about the primary
colors when she does not know
how to harmonize her dress
with her completion aud her.