The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-08-27

i, .,.The Independent man was set 70
thinking, and we believe that We
can give Teddy few pointers we
have taken the trouble to interview
quite a number of the men, women,
bovs and girls, who live today on
the North Dakota farms, and below
will endeavor to tell our readers
what is the matter with life on our
farms today.
I'VE have concluded that. there are
but a comparatively few ideal farm
ers. The following consist of the
complaints which we have heard:
FARMERS try to till too great
an acreage.
2-They work too many hours a
day.
3-There are too few comforts.
4-Women and children are not
properly considered.
5-No one except father gets e.
nough sleep.
Of course these faults are not to
be found on every farm, and all Of
them, as a rule, are not found on
any one farm. But there is scarcely
farm that at least one of these
faults are not to be seen, and where
you find none of them, then you
come near having the ideal farm.
Farmer readers, think of the above
five points carefully and see if any
of them strike you. We do not in.
tend to be personal in any way, and
shall positively not hint at anyone
to whom we refer in the present
article.
We had business in the country
not long ago, and passed the home
of a farmer who does his farming
on dry goods boxes about blind pigs
The farmer passed us on the road out
to the farm. He spent the night in
town and had been imbibing alto
gether too freely. Having occasion to
speak to the man, even tho we knew
that he was not in very good state
to talk over business matters we pull
ed up at his humble little home,
surrounded by weeds, and the for
Torn looking wife came to the door.
she informed us that her husband
was across the road at neighbor's.
The picture of misery in that home
made US wish that we had not stop
ped The poor wife Was clad in a
grown, made after the fashion of
many years ago. Several little chill
dren pulled at her skirts, and they
!, 100 were unkepA and untidy and
their dirty little faces told that there
was an over-worked mother in that
home.
We didn't ask the mother what
was the matter with the farm, The
scene told the story far better than
any words she, could utter, and we
knew that she would not have utter
ed one word Of complaint had she
been asked to say anything. The
furniture in that home is old, the
house cold, small and uncomforta-
BILE, a big debt has been placed on
that farm and the home is about to
be sold for big mortgage. That
woman never accompanies her hus-
band anywhere. Perhaps she is not
asked. If she is, her clothes are too
Old to wear to a respectable gather
ing. She is too tired taking care of
the cross. Dirty-faced urchins to-
leave home, even for a short time.
She has forgotten how the inside of
a church looks. We found the man
at the neighbours inside the barn,
and he was in the act of drinking
from jug of booze. He got up and
tried to walk to where we were
standing, but he could not make it..
He was too intoxicated to talk bust
ness and we were glad when we had
turned down the road out of sight
of that farm.
Too Great an Acreage.
It was not long ago that we met a
most Disseminated farmer. He was
one of the kind who was trying to
cultivate too many acres. He said
In part: "When tended to just the
one quarter, had a comparatively
easy time, didn't have a great deal
OF money Invested in machinery and
horses and had time to put my crops
in well and in season. I had sur.
plus in the bank ard when Maria
wanted new dress, or if we want
ed little trip, we had the means to
get it. We didn't need any hired