The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-04-15
TIP FOR FARMER BRYAN.
Great Exponent Of Democratic )Agri-
culture Sets Rather Poor
Example.

81 left my pillow standing in the field to
come to Des Moines and mingle with my
friends" said William ]. Bryan, when
he arrived in Des Moines, Ia, the other
day. The slovenly habit Of leaving
farming implements standing in the
field" exposed to all sorts of weather,
costs the farmers millions of good dol
lars every year-dollars twice as good
as the kind to which Farmer Bryan still
Washington Post. Hundreds Of intelli-
gent and progressive agriculturists have
spoken and written on this important
practical question, and some of them
have been cheered with the hope that so
utterly wanton and inexcusable an abuse
would soon yield to reformatory infiu-
ences. But Farmer Bryan expunges that
hope. When he, the most conspicuous
farmer in the United States, announces
to his countrymen through the Associ
ated Press that Il left my pillow standing
in the field" he lends the puissant force
Of eminent example to the worst phase
of agricultural improvidence.
II Mr.. Bryan had been interrupted in
his blowing by sudden and unexpected
call of paramount importance-such,f for
instance, as the writing of friends last
will and testament or the capture of an
issue for 1908-he might have been ex-
cused for leaving his pillow standing in
the field" That would have been an oc-
casion demanding dispatch. In response
to such an emergency demand, Farmer
Bryan would have merited no reproach
had he halted his faithful mule-the big
gray mule imported from Missouri
with an imperative whoa, Cabel," un-
hitched the traces from the whifaetree,
thrown them over the mules back.
mounted in hot haste, and galloped to
the stable. But not even that valid ex-
cuse for leaving his pillow exposed to rain
and sun would have necessitated or pal
lated his advertising Of such treatment
Of the most useful of all agricultural APP
pliances. AS II was, however, Farmer
Bryan's departure from his field was
not unexpected. He deliberately left his
pillow to meet an engagement of many
days standing. And the fact that he
took pains to let the country know where
and how he had left his pillow shows
either that he thinks that good exam
pie to hold up to his agricultural breth-
rem or that he is more than willing to
encourage them in costly bad habit by
the influence Of his example. These two
views Of the incident are equally unsat-
isfactory, but they constitute the visible
supply. Being thus compelled to take
one of them, We accept the former as the
more charitable 1t is easier to forgive
ignorance than to extend mat grace to
malice. 1t Is. therefore, pleasure to be-
lieve that when Farmer Bryan made that
proclamation he really believed that the
right place for agricultural machinery
was the field. This is not very fattering
to its distinguished subject, but can It be
truthfully said that Farmer Bryan in
this instance is further astray than Bry-
an the politician, Bryan the leader of the
populists, and equally the leader of the
democrats, has uniformly been as to
most of the subjects to which he has de-
voted his thoughts, his voice, and his
pen during the last niney ears?