The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-08-30
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ADVANTAGE OF BEING A LIVE
Ar-HoME FARMER

OF BEING A LIVE
AT-HoME FARMER
ALI Other People Bave to Eat Food
that Contains Poisonous
Matter,
Arguments for, preferrtng farm life
to oil others are r,ceiving additional
impetus in these piping days OF in
vestigation and exposure. Tha
charms OF rural life, always faVoriae
theme of the poets, have bean 30 add.
ed to on the practical side by modern
invention that all hands were about
to agree that there WAS no existence
to be compared to that on "a little
farm, we'll tillcd,' located near .
trolley lima, STRUNG with telephone
wires and In touch with the rural
free delivery. But If any doubt
fingered it has been dispelled by the
sdvocates of the pure food bills and
the muck-rakers Who stuck their forks
into the mysteries of the packing
yards. The farmer seems to be the
only man that is safe in these days OF
miasmatic mixtures and deVilish
authorizations. The only way to be
sure OF your meat is to raise it your
self, do all the feeding, the killing,
the skinniug and the cooking. You
must not take your eye of the animal
ct any stage of the process until 1t has
been landed in the stomach. If any
middleman steps In at any conjunc-
ture, If he is lowed to work his game
at any turn In the process, you are
not safe.
Hero we were innocently and unsus
piciously devouring the steaks and
bans and sausage and souse that was
sst before us, undisturbed by doubt
and unru ia d by lack Of confidence.
We supposed things were what they
seemed. but, alas, there has been .
rude awakening. It an article now
before Us, by a Kansas City expert, Is
to be taken literally, it is practically
impossible to got any pure food IL
this country. The butJer is covered
With coal tar dyes; the meat has more
or less embalnipg Fl Id; the cstsup Is
colored with coal uyes and has sail
cylic acid In it. The lard In which
the potatoes are fried probably ION.
tains portions OF hogs that have died
natural deaths and not been slaught.
cred under sanitary conditions; pcssl
bly, it died of some disease. The
bread is full of alum; the tea and
c4ffse contain copper; the vegetables
have, differept varieties OF artificial
colorirg AS TO pepper, we are grave
ly Informed, ans thing pure IN that
line IL out Of the question.
Either the trees have quit growing,
the berries have ceased to ripen, or
the trophical people nave q lit ship
piIg to market for lack OF demand.
1t is found cheaper to make 1T OF
cocoauut shells, savdust and clay,
and of these toovhsome Ingredients Is
the pvppsr Ut eo.Lnefce. Even the
apple does not escape, but Is made
as deceptive as the one growing on
the Dead Sea, which is beautiful to
behold, but a fraud to the bite. The
pcs red appla on the stand Ia rosy be-
cause, nine times out of ten, 1t Is
painted with coal tar dyes. AT least,
though, you will say, we are not to
lose the cherished illusion OF new
potatoes. Vain hope. Old potatoes
are freshened up In alum water after
being scraped, and thus passed of as
the real thing, just out Of the patch.
The gorge rises as we proceed, and
the fond ejaculation, 80 ceten uttered,
chat we would like once more 20 have
q good, old fashioned farm dinner,
comes forth with additional emphasis
Surely the farmer himself escapes all
these dangers. Oan he not be sure OF
bis vegetables by pulling them up
right in bis garden and following
them to the table? Can't he catch
chicken running on the grass that has
Lever seen a coop or head OF cold.
storage house, bshead 1t, pluck 1t, and
have mother to serve it for dinnerP
Can't be butcher bis own beef, dress
bis own mutton, gather bis own
roasting ears, snatch bis own apples
from the trees far from the machine
tions Of the middleman and proof
against the wiles Of the packera?
Admitting the worst for denizsus OF
the cities. agreeing that all ordinary
consumers are at the mercy of food
frauds, there are still millions Of
homes where the prying manipulation
and the audacious adulterator cannot
get In his work.
There Is plenty OF good food In the
country; the farmers are raiaing 1t by
tho hundreds Of millions OF tons.
Much of 1t, we are sure, reaches the
consumer without contamination,
and there is no reason why all of 1t
should not be delivered In satisfac.
tory shape. 1t Is the rascally fellow
who sits at the receipt OF customs"
in the cities, tsrries at the halfway
house to drop his fly In the ointment,
that needs shutting #. With close
inspection. scientific tests and heavy
fines for adultersIion, che principal
part of the evils may he avoided, and
all the rascals mt Out of business