The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-04-20
''RUBE" IS NO MORE
FARMER FULLY THE EQUAL or
THE CITY MANs
March OF Progress Has Done Great
Things il Broadening Out the
pweller In the Country
ls Now a Leader.

Is Now a Leader.
Our comic papers will continue for
g time to represent the countrymen as
q person with hay in his hair, double
handful Of beard on his chin. clothing
with many patches and boots Of COW
hide. This blithering pumpkin is de-
picted as buying green goods Of city
men, whose wickedness is supposed to
count as wisdom. But the truth is
that the country man Of to-day has cut
his eye teeth upon. experience and
keeps them sharpened on books and
newspapers. for which be has more
use and reverence than those who have
hourly editions thrust upon them.
The rustic can no:onger remain the
cIodhopper Of comedy. even If he
would. Those material changes that
we fcndly count as progress are as In
escapable among the hills as they are
in the tenement. The village now has
its telephone. its electric light-some.
times as many as two-its free library,
its high school, its improvement assc-
citation, its health officer and its occa-
sional lecturer on COWS and agricul-
ture; whereas the sole center of au-
thority, intellectual endeavor and 80
cial activity was formerly the church.
Nor is the farmer distinguishable by
his recent acquisition Of hand-me-down
clothes, for they are shaped after re-
cent patterns and are made of as good
materials as are other folks. Indeed,
If he lives near one Of those New Eng
land mills, where they weave wOoolen
cloth that is three-fourths shoddy the
chances are that he knows better than
the city man what to avoid and gets
better clothes for less money. He
drives shiny carriage has melo-
deon-if not piano-in the house,
takes daily paper as we'll as coun-
try weekly and has been to Boston or
New York or Chicago.
Differences between the farmer and
the city man are even less in respect
Of ways Of life and modes Of thought
than in these matters Of clothing and
custom. The farmer has broadened
out Of late. He has concern in the
business of the nation, although he
does not view problems and coD'plexi-
ties at close range. having in bis farm
enough for his needs and fewer ex-
penses than the person who is deep
In society and whose station or calling
demands a large and constant outgO.
J 1t Is the farmer who for years has
been receiving the least for his prod
uct and paying most for his bought
en-" necessities. and It Is the farmer
who has been Systematically over
looked by the politicians he has helped
to Office. The material gains which
have been forced from capital by trade
unions have reused his interest per
haps his envy, and as he broadens ant
becomes increasingly worldly minded
his demands and his needs must bt
needed
The sons Of this ruddy-faeed ant
hearty citizen I'LL the pulpit and th'
bench, and they are known on 'chang'
and they head companies. When he Il
chosen to congress, as men of strength
and merit always risk being chosen
the once pumpkin win have voic'
in the conduct OF AFFAIRS.
: And this is as II should be. Mel
must be grounded firmly In nature o
= they decay, individually and socially
Y All that viii lead men back to tn
soil, to places of strength and healtl
to calm, 20 readiness in selfresourc
makes for the endurance of the stat
and of the Institutes Of civilization
: Crime and discomfort do not pertain
= the tillage of our fields; envy is not
trait OF villages; small places hav
q small vices, It is true. Of which tipplin
and gossip are the worst but they al
= nurseries Of men who take the plac
,r of those weakened by the lifeof town
s And It is for these men Of red bloc
i nd free speech that place must b
: made. The outward marks that pr
claimed them country men being los
we shall the more freely concede thos
d merits that qualify them for statiol
n The pumpkin has passed because b
age and his country have called to hi
to be not q man among cattle. but
man among men.--Brooklyn Eagle.