The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-14

my grandfather's life which has always
impressed me with this point Of per-
sonal influence on the farm. When his
first crop of wheat sowed in the first
clearing made between the stumps was
ready to harvest and he was making
his arrangements to hire Graders, he
announced to my grandmother his de-
termination not to serve rum to the
harvest hands. Every one in the town
ship said in the first place he could not
get hands unless he offered rum, and
in the second place that his work, In
case he secured help, would be very
poorly done Grandfather insisted that
no rum should be served even If he had
to thy to harvest the entire crop with
his own hands at the risk of losing a
part or even the whole Of It. When the
day came, however, for the first crad-
ling, the men who had been asked APP
peared, and before the cradles were puG
in the wheat, grandfather plainly
stated that he would not serve any IL
quor according to the custom which
prevailed all over Genessee county. One
or two men left. The rest remained.
Grandmother made good coffee and
doughnuts and sent them down to the
field. The men worked better than
usual and the whole crop was harvest
father. The influence of his
example spread over the entire
township and at the next har-
vest time scarcely a farmer offered rum
to the harvesters. It was in itself per-
haps little thing, but it set the stand
ard in time for the whole county,
which during the brief period that New
York was prohibition state made the
best showing of any county in the
state OF New York.
There are farmers in this state who
could by their personal religious in
fuence turn back the tide of religious
the rural districts by their own effort
To the honor of many farmers in
Kansas who are doing this very thing
let it be said the possibilities OF such
influence are immeasurable in building
up that part of the citizenship OF this
commonwealth upon which we all de-
pend, for it is not shallow hattery to
say it, it is a profound economic facs
States rests in a large measure the
real strength of the nation Our
cities would degenerate in few dec
AIDES and become hopeless centers OF
corruption on every side If they were
not infused continually by fresh blood
from the farm. The history of the
best men in the cities of this country
today begins with their life on the
farm. Farm life where it is at all aa
it should be is the natural life OF
man. If one understands IN any de-
gree the meaning of the living which
comes from the soil, he understands
how important to the life of nation
is the life of its country population
and where that population is kept In
a large degree moral and with relig-
ious integrity, its influence on the state
as whole and on the nation at large
is incalculable for good.
Kansas Men and Women.
In conclusion, would simply say
that if any of these suggestions seem
to any one to be ideal, / am glad II
have made at least that impression.
hope they are ideal, not in the sense
that they cannot be done or carried
out, but in the sense that they might
possibly inspire one who lives under
the clear sky and breathing the IN
tainted air of Kansas, treading the un-
tanned prairie and hearing the meadow
lark in the early morning as he goes
afield, that he might have In the midss
Of the physical toll thoughts ana pur-
poses which spring from those sources
within us which are divine. take II.
The main purpose OF a farmer, as or
any other man, is not to raise more
corn or better cattle, or more 1rult
than his neighbor, but to do his work
so that he himself shall be the finest
product of his own farm. Our hon
bred secretary in his interesting pul-
etfns has not yet printed any sta
istics concerning the value in money
IF the boys and girls, the men and
women who are raised on Kansas
farms. He is quite adept at giving US
he value in bushels Of wheat, corn
ETC., and the number and value OF live
stock, but the reason I suppose he
Toes not issue any bulletin showing
low much the men anu women OLA
he Kansas farms are worth is be-
,ause, even he, with all his fertility
n resources. cannot measure that
,alue. After all, what Kansas has
.eason to be most proud Of is not her
wheat and corn, her horses and cows,
)ut of her men and women, and II the
oen and women on the little and big
arms of this state as they cultivate
he land, as they rear the stock, will
emember that the most valuable
,roduct of the entire farm Is them
elves. and make the most of them
elves with the help of God, this state
viii be able to feed the world, not
My with its products that come out
r. the field, but with that which Is
worth UNNECESSARILY more, the in
Iuence and power of the souls OF
hose who are living not only ito make
living but to make life