davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27
OPPORTUNITIES At HOME.

tendency TO draw the mnnufnctur
interests into the great transportation
cen,ers, the tide has flowed strongly
toward the city and the small town
has had hard struggle to retain Its
own.
In this respect, however. the pcndu.
lur Is swinging back also The con.
ditions surrounding the workmen in
the cities, the lack OF home life and
the presence OF accumulated vice, have
demonstrated to the satisfaction OF
every one that we viii never rcac ch our
highest Industrial success until the
average workman Is placed where he
can have fresh air. family. and
home for that family. The small town,
everything else being equal. Is the
place Tor Industries. A man with a
home, and who spends his evenings
with his family bcautifyIug that
home. Is not only better citizen. but
he Is worth infinitely more To his EN-.
ployer than his brother laborer who
has no interest other than that he
finds with his saloon companions and
IN ward politics.
When the reformcrs have settled the
Industrial labor questions they will not
be calling for less hours OF work, but
distribution OF the hours OF work
Six hours In the factory or the mine
and the balance mt home working on
an acre OF ground may be made II
solution OF the whole question between
labor and capital. Any man with n
home and one acre OF the earth's sur.
face that he can call hts own. and
with employment at fair wages during
five or ak hours OF the day. need never
fear want for himself or his family.
Under such conditions his family can
be reared and educated and live under
the advantages OF wholesome social
atmosphere.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27
n nna betn organ,zed only three or

IT nhd been organized only three or
four weeks, and yet the interest man
ifested and the readiness with wAich
the boys and girls described the beef
type. the dairy type. and various
breeds of cattle, the mu. N and wool
types of sheep the principal breeds of
draft horses, and some of the stand
ard-bred roadsters and trotters, We're
indeed surprising. At the close of the
recitation the C'lss was taken to a
barn in the village W ere v"",. fine
roadsters were owned. The owner was
not at home, but the teacher h. d
standing permission to take horses
from the barn in order that the class
might examine them. A fine Hamble-
tonian mare was led into the yard and
examined critically by the pupils and
criticised by them, the different points
being brought out by skillful question
ing on the part of the teao
Fom this place the class went to n
livery barn where Il splG 1did black
Percheron stallion was stabbed for the
day. \ member of the class had dis
covered the horse as he was .eng
driven in from another to- II miles
away. and following the driver to the
barn had got permission for the class
to examine him. When the livery
biTH WIS Tedclleu tue uTlNeT nTOu. .
his stallion out into the street, put
him through his PAGES. and helped the
teacher in calling attention to his good
points and the contrasts between =
draft type and the roadster type of
horses. and allowed us to / ..e several
photographs. 1t was an instructive
lesson not only for the members
of the agricultural class. but for
the score or more of farmers
and townsmen who collected around
the livery stable. In much the
same way the local butcher is the in
structor in the high school. The class
studying the beef type of cattle, or
the mutton sheep, or the different
classes of swine is taken to the butch
er shop and given a Z . ,nstration
lesson on cuts and their relative val
ues. which of the breeds are apt to
p-~duce the better cuts, which the
better quality. ant so on.
Thus this little village high school.
though 1t pays only $3.50 year in
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27

the plants themselves with reference
TO their life history and economic uses.
For the outdoor practicum the
school is unfortunate In having
neither land nor domestic animals nor
fowls, and yet 1t has n wealth of illus
trative material all around II. Every
good farm within radius of j or 4
miles. nearly every barn and poultry
yard in the village. the butcher shops,
and the farm implement stores furnish
costly illustrative material and extend
vastly the teaching force o. the high
school. The farmers and owners Of
good live stock either bring thei ami.
mails to the door Of the school house
TO be studied by the class In agricul.
ture or allow the class to GO to their
barns and fields for this purpose It
is said to be a rare thing for good
horse to come TO the village and get
away without being examined by the
high school class In animal husbandry
The writer was fortunate In being
the guest Of the school one day last
October and In having an opportunity
to listen to some Of the recltations in
agriculture. A class OF IA BOYS and
9 girls were studying animal industry.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27
Keep Politics Ouf.

Every public-minded citizen should
make it known that he is absolutely
opposed TO partisan, political control
In the management Of public parks.
roadside Improvement, Fairgrounds
and like town betterments. Nothing
can be more detrimental to such de-
velopment than the interference OF
politics Party responsibility, as n
remedy for municipal mismanagement.
has been prov "delusion and n
snare" Such methods have raised to
important places bigot Competent
and sometimes dishonest men. VINO. by
reason Of their weaknesses or mis-
management. have disgraced what
should be honorable and respected
positions. Our citizens should Insist
absolutely that no political consider.
ations be allowed to interfer with
park affairs. and should visit with
marked censure and disapproval all
city officials who prostitute their trusts
for mere political gain.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27

mcnt exercises took occasion to refer
to the philosophy OF Ingalls, famous
poem. 1T Is false and misleading" :"
said Mr.. James. 1T Is not n single op-
portunity which comes to man: 1t Is
a train. 1t Is n ncvcr-cnding process
sion, some small, some large. growing
perhaps more small and more insigniii-
cant as the years flow on. but ever
and always opportunities too numer-
Gus. too great, and too large for US to
utilize fully"
This is good. healthful optimism.
There never was time when Opportu-
mites OF all shapes, sizes and colors
bcbbcd up on every corner as they do
to-day And they are not confined to
any particular country or locality.
They are waiting everywhere. Under
the rapidly c''snging Industrial and
economical conditions they are spring
ing up in odd and out-of the-way-
places. Old settlcmcnts-old villa ges.
moss-grown and for years silent as
the cemetery that clings to their
skirts. are finding new youth I'm the
revival OF occupations and simple in
dustries which twenty years ago were
deemed impossible. The abandoned
farms OF New England-The farms
that We're left tenautiess because II
was thought that the only opportun-
tiles for success Were to he found in
the west-are receiving new leases of
life.
PENDULUM Is SWINGING BACK.
For full half century the American
people have been money-mad. Every
thing has been sacrificed to the one
idea of accumulation. The dollar sign
h.. Il. ~
mans success was measured not by
what he made OF himself. not by what
he accomplished for his fellows or the
world at large, but by the size Of his
pile.
This standard OF succcsc has warp
ed the Imagination OF the whole peo-
pie. The merchant and professional
man bend every energy to the pil.
ing up of gold bricks. And the farmer.
not to be outdone. lies awake nights
thinking how he may get more land.
He has now more than he can TIL
but the land lust has seized him and
home comforts and quiet life are sold
IN the market in order that the line.
fence may be removed
This has been the condition for
many years, and II requires careful
observation to detect any change. But
a reaction has set In. The pendulum Is
swinging back. A growing sentiment
in favor of a moderate success. n quiet
life and home surroundings Is appar-
ent. With this comes desire TO get
back to original principles: to aban ION
tn. cities and seek the healthful life
OF the farm and the village.
The growth Of our cities has been
abnormai-the direct result OF alb
normal TRANSFORMATION conditions. ITO
him that hath shall he r'v"n. and TO
him that hath not even that which he
hath shall be taken away" has been
the working policy OF modern com.
merciai transportation compan'es.
The small town has been sacrificed to
the citv. This was the natural result
OF competition. In centers where
numerous railroads meet. low rates
are given to both the in-going and ont.
roing freirht. hut where fher" 's h"'
one road. the trnific II taxed all that II
VIII bear. This condition has had Q
opasisss1 % soesns ~
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27

man. Inc following Is taken there
from:
EDUCATION. EMPLOYMENT AND
HOMES ON THE LAND.
That children shall be taught
gardening and bomecraft In the public
schools, and that Homecraft and
Garden Training Schools shall be
established by county, municipal.
state. and national governments.
where every boy and every mnn out
OF work who wants employment where
he can gain that knowledge. can learn
how to make II home and till the soil
and get his living straight from the
ground. and where every boy would
be taught that his first aim In life
should be TO get home OF his own
on the land.
BUILD HoMECRoFTS AS NATION.
AL SAFEGUARDS.
That the New Zealnnd system Of
Land Taxation and Land Purchase
and Subdivision, and Advances to Set
tiers Act. shall Ice adopted In this
country, TO the END that land shall bc
subdlvlded into small holdings In the
hands OF those who VIII TIL Il for a
livelihood. and labor nnd occupation
In the creation OF homccrofts. which
VIII be perpetual safeguards against
the political evils and social discomfort
resulting from the ovcrgrowth OF
cities and the sufYerlngs OF unem-
ployed wagc-carncrs.
PROTECTION FOR THE AMER
ICAN HOMECRoFT.
That Rural Settlement shall be
encouraged and the principle OF Pro
lection for the American wagcworker
and his Home applied directly to the
Home by the Exemption from Taxa
tion OF all improvements upon. and
also OF all personal property. not eX-
ceedlng S2.5DD In value, used on and
In connection with. every Homccroft
or Rural Homestead OF not more than
ten acres In extent. which the owner
occupies as n permanent home and
cultivates with his own labor and 50
provides therefrom all or part OF the
support for n family.
ENLARGEMENT OF AREA AVAIL
ABLE FOR HoMEMAKING.
That the National Government,
as part OF. n comprehensive nation.
nj policy OF internal improvements
for river control and reguln ntion.
and for the enlargement to the
utmost possible extent OF the
area OF the country available for agrI.
culture ana Homes on the Land. and
for the protection OF those Homes from
either food or drouth. shall build not
only levees and revetmcnts where
needed. and drainage works for the
reclamation OF swamp and ovcrfiowcd
lands. but shall also preserve existing
forests. reforest denuded areas. plant
new forests, and build the great rcser-
rors and other engineering works
necessary to safeguard against over
flow and save for beneficial use the
Hood waters that now run to waste.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27

salaries and only 1910 for other ex-
penses. has faculty made up OF nu-
merous specialists and an equipment
in illustrative material such as few
technical high schools could afford.
And the pupils are being trained In
the elements OF failure and success
not only on "all the farms of the
ncighborhood." but In the village
shops and markets. This is training
for efficiency. II Is training for cul-
ture, for breadth OF view, and for
sympathy with all that goes to make
up the life of the community.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27

range business. However. the more
centralized portion of society has taken
the matter up, and 1t is stated that
the most public-spirited citizens of
the towns and cities, together with the
progressive teachers have made school
gardens and rural education a success
during the past two seasons and have
aroused such enthusiasm among the
pupils. that wherever II has been tried
the school garden has become fixture.
Let your child plant his own gar.
den, gather his own harvest of fruit
and flowers. learn through his own
small experience something of the
influence of the sun, dew and rain
and gain thereby remote PRESENT.
ment OF the reciprocal energies of
nature and a reverent feeling for the
divine life and law expressed In
nature. The child is plant. a vege-
table, and must live out of doors. or
nearly 30. as conditions will permit" :"
Froebel realized that health was the
hasis and test Of all our energies. and
that this was one OF the morning
STARS oe the new hygiene.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27
Fresh Air Pfayerounds.

American cities are far behind
European cities in making provision
for public parks especially In pro
v!dinc for the instruction and amuse-
ment Of children In them. In modern
municipal equipment in Europe. much
provision IL made for the instruction
and amusement OF children. and in
most modernized European cities large
sums OF money have been expended In
procuring open spaces for them In dis
tricts Of congested population.
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27
EDUCATION
0O-OPERATsOn
OPPORTUNITY
nO0E OROeTS

We believe that the Patriotic Slogan
OF the Whole People OF this Nation
should be Every Child In Garden
Every Mother In n Homecroft-and In
dI, idual Industrial Independence for
Every Worker In n Home OF his Own
on the Land" and that until he owns
such n Home. the concentrated purpose
and chief inspiration to labor in the life
of every wage worker should be his
determination to Get an Acre AMI
Live on It."
We believe that the Slums and
Tenements and ConGested Centers Of
population In the Cities are savagely
detcriorating social. moral and polit-
ical influence. and that n great public
movement should be organized. and
the whole power OF the nation and
the states eNcrted for the bcttermcnt
of all the conditions Of Rural Life. and
10 create and upbulld Ccnters OF So
clal and Civic Life In Country and
Suburban Towns and Villages. where
Trade and Industry can be so firmly
anchored that they cannot be drawn
into the Commercial Maelstrom that
Is now steadily sucking Industry and
Humanity into the NcrtcS of the
Great Cities.
this Country has an inherent and
Fundamental Right to an Education
which will train him TO Earn n Liv-
Ing. and. II need be. to get his living
straight from Mother Earth: and that
he has the same right TO the Opportun-
ity to have the Work to Do which will
a ford him that living. and to earn not
only cor 'ortable livelihood. but
enough more TO enable him to be n
Uomecrofter and to have n Home OF
his Own. with ground around II
sufficient to yield him and his family
Living from the Land as the reward
for his own labor.
We believe that the Public Domain
is the most precious heritage OF the
people. and the surest safeguard the
nation has against Social Unrest. Dis.
turbance or uphenval. and that the
Cause Of Humanity and the Preserva.
ton OF Social Stability and OF our Free
Institutions demand that the ABSORB.
tIon OF the public lands into specula-
tive private ownership. without settle
ment. be forthwith stopped: and that
the nation should create opportunities
for Homecrofters by building irriga-
tion and drainage works to reclaim
land as fast as II ~ needed to give
every man who wants Home on the
Land chance to get II.
We believe that. as n Nation. we
should be less absorbed with Making
Money. and should pay more heed to
raising IN and training Men who will
be Law. Abiding Citizens: that the wei.
fare OF our Workers Is Of more con.
sequence than the mere accumulation
Of Wealth: and that Stability OF Ma
t,onal Character and Of Social and
business Conditions IL OF greater i'm.
portance 10 the people Of this country
az n whole than anv other one Ques-
tion that is now before them: and we
believe that the only way to Preserve
such Stability. and to Permanently
Maintain our National Prosperity. is
10 carry into immediate effect and
The Delta independent., 1906-07-27
BTotHeThOOd OF Man
Charity that is Everlasting
The Secret of Nippon's PoWer
Lesson Of Great Calamity
The Sign Of Thought

Copies BOOK HoMEcRoF ."
obtained scndnC
crofter' cIid Main
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-08

1t Is the experience of many hog
breeders that lice will bother even
young pigs. For trouble of this kind
many hog growers dip their pigs oc-
casionally and find it does the work
perfectly and Is more economic in use
than anything else they have used for
clearing the herds of lice.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-08
The Truth About Shoes.

While the Shoe Trust at its meeting
in Boston was raising the prices of
shoes the r. G. Dun & Co.'S Weekly
Review was saying:
Products for fall are also ordered
freely, notably in the footwear indus
try, and shipments of boots and shoes
from Boston for the month thus far
eclipse all previous records, which is
especially significant when viewed in
the light of the rapid growth of the
industry in other sections"
The fact is that our shoe manufac-
turers are doing an immense business
and making enormous profits. There
is no cause whatever for raising prices
or asking for a repeal of the duty on
hides, except greed. The people must
not be fooled. The truth is that the
trust is simply trying a bluff, and it
will not work.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-08
NOT FOR THE NATIVE.
FOREIGN CAPITALISTS THE PRIN-
CIPAL BENEFiCIARIES
Free Trade in Products of the Phil
fppines Likely to Prove Rather a
Detriment than an Advantage to
the Natives of the Islands.

1t is the unwarranted assumption on
the part of those who champion the
free entry of Philippine products into
this country that all Of the opposition
to the proposal comes from purely self
ish interests. There is a fair ground
Of opposition based on very much high
er motives. In this section of the
United States, for example, the free
admission of Philippine products will
injure no local interest to any extent,
while the building up of a great sugar
industry in the Philippines, under the
plantation system, doubtless would
tend to stimulate trade with the isl
ands to the considerable commercial
advantage of the Puget Sound cities.
Nevertheless, the Post-Intelligencer
for one questions the policy Of the pro-
posed enactment, for the reason that
it does not believe it to be for the lar
ger interest of the United States, nor
at all for the interests of the native
population of the Philippines, and their
interests should be the first thought in
every question of legislation in rela-
ton to the Philippines.
For one thing, if Free Trade is grant
ed so far as concerns Philippine i'm
ports into this country there will be
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-08
Cuba's Heavy Drain nus.

The Treasury Department figures
for the eleven months ending with last
November indicate exports to Cuba for
the year Of about $44,2OO,000. They
indicate imports from that island of
about S10O,OOO,OOO. For the eleven
months the imports were S91 100000.
For the corresponding period of 1903
the imports from Cuba were $56,000,-
600.
These figures make it clear what
Cuban reciprocity has done for the
United States-wOrSe than nothing. To
sell a few dollars more of our prod
ucts to the islanders, we are buying,
since 1908, forty millions more. The
record for the calendar year of 1905
will show that the gain alone of the
Cubans in sales to us since 1903 (about
forty milliOns) is as much as our to-
tai sales to Cuba! For the privilege
Of doing reciprocity business with Cuba
we are standing a net loss Of fifty mil
lions a year.
We believe that there are still few
persons (outside of the Sugar Trust
who pirate of the benefits to us of Gu
ban reciprocity. Will they please take
notice OF the results as demonstrated
in the official figures of the United
States Treasury Department New
York Press.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-08
PELEE SHOOTS OUT FIRE.
Volcano i'm Martinique Again in
Violent Eruption.

A Barbados dispatch says that Mont
Pelee in Martinique. is again active, and
the inhabitants of the island are in ter
ror of a recurrence of the great erup-
tions of four years ago. Five persons
are in the hospital in Fort de France
who were struck by falling rocks thrown
up by the volcano. BY day column of
heavy black smoke several miles high
rising from the crater was visible thirty
miles away, and at night the flames could
be plainly seen at a greater distance.
The town of st. Pierre, island of Mar
Unique, was destroyed by the eruption of
Mont Pelee, May s. 1902, with the loss
of $4,000 lives. This was the greatest
disaster of modern times. Only one man.
who was confined in a dungeon, and a
few persons on the seashore on the out
skirts of the town survived the catastro-
phe.
In 1902, as in the present year, the
seismic disturbances had continued for
several weeks before Mont Pelee showed
signs of activity. Then, ON May :, it
suddenly burst into violence, pouring out
great quantities of lava and smoke lay
and night. Still there was little alarm
as the people of st. Pierre had become
accustomed to the activity of the volcano
At 8 o'clock in the morning of May s,
after the volcano had been quiescent for
nearly eighteen hours, there was an ex-
plosfon within Mont Pelee which from a
new vent on the side of the crater forced
a great blast of flame down the side of
the mountain, over the city of Mont Pc
lee and far out over the harbor.
That fearful blast of flare brought
death to the inhabitants of st. Pierre
The town itself was destroyed and the
flame even destroyed the shipping in the
harbor, one steamer alone being able to
escape half burned.
All this fearful destruction of life and
property came in an instant, and in an
instant it was over. One breath of fame
wiped out the city and people. Then for
days Mont Pelee poured sea of lava
and mud down the side of the mountain,
burying the destroyed city, so that to-day
only traces of it may be seen.
The eruption of Soufriere. the island of
st. Vincent volcano, occurred at the same
time. Half the island was devastated by
floods of burning lava. Plantations were
wiped out and small towns destroyed.
The city of Georgetown itself escaped Sc
rious injury.