Connecticut western news., 1908-12-31

 homes except one are barren of these comforts, but there is one home 1n all eight acre clearing in the woods, whose | owner seldom has cash income exceed l ing $700 or $500 year, but he had an earnest desire for comforts, which was the first thing needed. He secured second hand pipe at a small cost which 1 was used to bring the water down from the wooded spring and soon the kitchen was supplied with hot and cold water. A little later the big air tight wood stove that heated both dining and sitting rooni looked big enough to take in coil of pipe, which after all little study was made to order and fitted into the stove. This, with water connected at one end and radiators at the other, heated the house all over and the total cost had not exceeded $100. These people first got the desire tor these comforts and then they set about to supply the needs. I mention this one of many like iu- stances only to show that the lack of comforts in many farm homes is not al- ways matter of necessity. But how to wake up the rural population, how to get the dynamite of desire under them aud touch it off, is the problem.
 Better inter town interstate roads to make the people of town and country more accessib one to the other, will start a drift both ways that should have some uplift in it. With there better roads we could broaden out our rural m til delivery service. that is already do- ing splendid educational work far more rlpidly than the most sanguine of Us could have hoped fer.
 Supplement this awith parcels post, allow the freest of competition in tcle pnone service that this instrument of necessity and education may enter every home in the land and become as much a daily need as a good newspaper, 8 broom or wash basin. Add these to the natural attractions of rural life and yon will tempt whole lot of soulful townspeople to seek the country for a home, and their incoming will stimulate a som thing that is now lacking i'll the co ,ntry, and all will be benefited thereby.
 A live active working Grange with the true spirit of cooperation is wanted in every rural community and while eC- ncation should be the cornerstone of all it's work, there are many little ways Of cooperation that can only be brou2i.t tion as the Grange. @
 Many a little stream now idle might be the source of an ice supply for co- operative cold storage plant, while n small local electric light power plant and a neighberhood grinding mill might be had from its stored up water power. The silage cutting, wood saw ing. family washing, churning and any other work requiring light power will i'll time, believe be made easy in many rural community by the use ot cheap power from little co operative efforts Of the kind suggested. It only needs lit
 
 veniences into the country that are now lacking. .
 Farm institutes need to get more into the back country, even if they have to cut out the big meetings in the larger cities. Choke off the professional takers and get as teachers the practical men who are doing things successfully in small way right near at home.
 We need fewer sectarian churches and preachers and mbfe real Christian min isters who know more of clover than of theology, more of this world and the good and beautiful things that live and grow therein, and less about the next. which can only bs guessed about at best. Men who can teach us that the hired man is real human like the rest of us and must have better show in life ie we are to keep him and make profit on his labor.
 We need postal savings banks and postal telegraph and last but not least, reform in the tariff that shall deem the consumer worthy of as much considera. tion as pig iron and the products of the farm equal to those of the manufacturers in needing protection.
 All these are some of the subjects if properly considered by national and state authorities that. will help all who live in the country to attain a much higher standard of living than now.
 Please report to the President that what we need most here in New Eng land is greater appreciation of our op- portunities and that for one, firmly be- ieye we are heading that way fast Some returning wanderers from the West and many sturdy sons and daugh- l ters of Northern Italy are taking up the semi-abandoned farms of our hard cider ! neighborhoods and where recently was desolation are now springing up com fortable homes surrounded by orchards !