The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-05-31

lieve that for the great majority of
women the really indispensable in
dustry in which they should engage is
the industry of the home. There are
exceptions, of course; but exactly as
the first duty of the normal man is
the duty of being the home maker, so
the first duty of the normal woman is
to be the home keeper; and exactly as
no other learning is as important for
the average man as the learning which
will teach him how to make his liveli-
hood, so no other learning is as i'm
portant for the average woman as the
learning which will make her good
housewife and mother. But this does
not mean that she should be an over
worked drudge. I have hearty SYM
pathy with the movement to better the
condition of the average tiller of the
soil, Of the average wageworker, and l
have an even heartier sympathy and
applause for the movement which is to
better te condition of their respective
wives. There is plenty that is hard
and rough and disagreeable in the
necessary work Of actual life and I'M
der the best circumstances and no
the husband, the wife will have a:
least her full share of work and worry
and anxiety; but if the man is worth
his salt he will try to take as much
as possible of the burden off the shoul-
ders of his helpmate. There is MOTH
ing UtOpian in the movement; all that
is necessary is to strive toward rails
ing the average, both of men and wo-
men, to the level on which the high
est type of family now stands, among
American farmers, among American
skilled mechanics, among American
citizens generally; for in all the world
there is no better and healthier home
life, no finer factory of individual
character, nothing more representa-
tive of what is best and most char
acterstic in American life than that
which exists in the higher type of
American family; and this higher type
of family is to be found everywner.
among u.s. and is the property of no
special group of citizens.
The best crop is the crop of chill
are the men and women raised there
on, anu lue IIlOSl lilSll uCllFS anu
practical treatises on farming, nee
essary though they be, are no more
necessary than the books which teach
us our duty to our neighbor,, and above
all to the neighbor who is Of our own
household.
1 have not the slightest sympathy
with those hysterical and foolish crea-
To tot n
easy lives by Sinking their duties.
l have as hearty a contempt for the
woman who shirks her duty of bear
ing and rearing the children, of do
ing her full housewives work, as 1
have for the man who is an idler, who
shirks his duty of earning living
for himself and for his household, or
who is selfish or brutal toward his
wife and children. l believe in the
happiness that comes from the per-
Torrance of duty, not from the avoid
ance of duty. But 1 believe also in
trying, each of us, as strength is given
us, to bear one another's burdens;
and especially in our homes. No out
side training no cooperation, no gov
eminent aid or direction can take the
place of strong and upright charac-
ter; of goodness of heart combined
with clearness of head, and that
strength and tOughneSS of fiber nec-
essary to wiring success from a rough
work a. day world. Nothing outside
of home can take the place of home.
The school is an invaluable adjunct TO
the home, but it is Wretched SuDsti.
tute for it. The family relation is the
most fundamental, the most import
ant of all relations. No leader In
church or state in science or art or
industry, however great his achieve
ment, does work which compares in
Importance with that of the father and
mother, who are the first of sOver-
eigns and the most divine of priests
BENJAMIN Ide Wheeler, presided at
the meeting. A number of other edu-
Gators and prominent agriculturalists
spoke.
Secretary Wilson preceded President
Roosevelt at the capitol. He summa-
rized the results of the work of hts
department and pointed out the i'm
provements in agricultural methods.
He said:
1.-THE republican party has always
been the party of the common people.
despise that class of politicians who
promised much before the election but
forget their promises as soon as they
are in office. 1 judge the public man
by his promises before election plus his
achievements after
The president went six miles on
horse, to the agricultural college, in
seven minutes. The guard of cavalry
detailed to escort him gave up the at
tempt after three blocks.