The Ordway new era., 1906-08-31
HONOR The FARM
FARMER SETS THE STANDARD OF
INTELLIGENCE.
is NO LONGER sNEERED At
Cannot BE Distinguished by His Dress
10 Not Awkward In Manners-is
Educated and Has Come to the
Front in Politics.

1
Front In Politics.
Time was, and not so long ago. when
1t was common remark that the aadi'
ences in the agricultural districts cosiid
be identified by their clothes. The
countryman was dressed as n laborer.
and had no best suit That time has
passed. The political lecturers who go
ou; In all sorts of weather 10 instruc.
the people. find that the farmer Is
likely TO come TO the meetings n good
deal better dressed than the dweller in
the smal. town. The farmer takes a
pride in looking well. and his wife and
daughters do the same. He is no more
the creature OF the caricaturists' pic
lures and has more the appearance OF
well-todo merchant than that OF a
toller In the fields. He has the pres
ence and the ability TO preside over
the meeting II called upon, and II has
not been unknown that the farmer del.
egate was the victor In a tussle for SUI
pTemacy between the smart lawyer
and the representative OF wayback
township. The lyceum that the teacher
OF the district school was so eager
TO organize has become a fixed cduca-
tional feature of the country. and II
often happens that the farmer is so
well grounded in the principles of par.
liamentary practice that he is the SUI
perior of many Of the city inhabitants.
He is thus informed on many matters
OF usage that are not TO be picked up
in the field, and he remembers to
practice them when he comes to the
city for business and pleasure.
To be sure the green goods man and
tho bunco steerer are not yet out OF
jobs. but they are shorter and shorter
on victims every year. and when they
do get victim II is usually one from
tho remotest backwoods. and who has
NOS read the papers. The chances for
making a living out of the farmer bv
selling him lightning rods and taking
his note for n patent right are getting
lesg each year and soon there will be
none so poor as TO do reverence 10
these old stand.bys. The early pro-
moters OF these tricks were good liv-
ers. They found the farmer could be
worked" in the easiest possible man.
ner. They took his money with an ease
that was the envy OF the business man.
and showed that there was nothing so
simple as humbugging But they find
cold comfort now. and the papers are
frequent chroniclers OF the speedy de-
parture of some sharper from farm.
Ing community TO avoid the vengeance
OF awakened people.
The cause Of education Is favoritc
one with the farmer. and here is seen
the most startling progress. There Is
an advance that ought TO be convinc-
ing as TO his forward march in the
worlds graces. The days when the
boy on the farm was considered sufii
cicntly educated II he had the three
RE at his finger ends-or fairly within
reach. which was the more likely-are
no more. The schools OF the coun.
try districts over the West are fully
equal to those of the cities. compared
with the respective needs Of the COM
mUnities. The country districts that
have only three months school, as
provided by the laws of most of the
states. are few and far between,
Nearly every western state has at
least six months school In every dis
ttict, and many have eight and nine.
Then there are county high schools
for the benefit of the country boys and
girls that were unknown in the old
times. Then the boys who went to
the town school got along very well be-
cause they could whip those who
were not civil, but the girls had many
a crying spell before they were able
to get on the right side OF their school
friends. !he line of clothes and bear
ing was drawn, in spite of the best eff
forts of the teachers. and the country
girl had to suffer. Now they have their
own schools, and are making the same
progress as their city cousins-and
good deal larger number of them are
becoming well educated. Time was
when only the very rich people of the
towns had the enjoyment of carriage.
but now there are few farmers who
cannot go to church or to the county
seat in a spring wagon or buggy. The
farmer boys have their side-bars ana
the country CORE spondent Of the local
paper duly chronicles the fact and
warns the girls to look out and see If
they cannot get ride. When Virgil
wrote so blithely of the joys of the
farmers life he had little conception
ST the real thing. He knew nothing
of the comforts that have come In
these latter days 70 ameliorate the lot
of the dweller In the country. or the
many appliances that were, after his
day, to give relief from the cares and
burdens which his countrymen so
thoroughly realized. - Agricultural
Epitomist.