The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-02-20
EDITORIAL COMMENT

Minot Independent is being handed a few
these DAYS by several of the weekly newspapers
of the county. Still the Independent, we be-
lieve-can stand it. Stop it boys and you will
be better off-in the long run. Sarcasm OF that
sort does not benefit anyOne.-kenmare News.
Whenever The Independent is attacked ty
any OF McGahan's final proof slaves, it reminds
us of true story which happened in a little
town back in Illinois when we were a boy. A
stranger once stopped at blacksmith shop to
get his horse shod and while the blacksmith
was going about his business, his wife, the scold
of the village came in, carrying woman's
most effective weapon, a broom. Without any
word of explanation, she struck the blacksmith
over the head and over the back and about the
legs with the bushy part OF the broom, and all
the time abused him most horribly. When she
was tired out, she retired, and the faithful
blacksmith went on about his business as if
nothing at all had happened. The stranger
could not helpmaking some remark about what
he would have done had he been in the place of
the smithy, but the sturdy fellow said simply,
sfWall, you see stranger, it does her powerful
lot of good and doesn't hurt me Bit
:ssseee
The Mclean County Independent admits
that George j. Smith OF the.EPlaza Pioneer is
not guilty OF smoking cigarettes, drinking, and
playing poker, and apologies for having said
so. The editor says he thought be was writing
about another Editor Smith. There are 40
many Smiths, that an editor has to be yerv
specific when writing about them. George isn't
guilty of any OF these things, and it was too
bad to accuse him OF cutting up such didos.
Mo NOT 00oY ,1<,,A l. L
he's q cheap, harmless fellow, unstable as the
wind and money He's innocent and I'm.
sophisticated, but is expected to develop into a
fairly good politician (of the McGaban stamp)
if he trains with him long enough. He's not az
apt scholar as McGahan, in fact Macs polit.
ical traits were born and bred in him, but
you'll learn, George, you'll learn.
3sseee
"a stitch in time saves nine' The time to
build up the fertility of the farm is before il
loses that fertility. Continued grain farming
will ruin any soil and the farmer who doesn't
wish to leave worn out farm for his children
should adopt that system of farming which in.
creases rather than decreases soil fertility. Ar
range the fields so that each piece OF land will
grow crop Of small grain once in four years
and shall be used for pasturage once in the
same length of time Grow crop of clover
hay, or clover and timothy one year and cror
Ol corn one year OUT OF the tour. A ton d
wheat removes $40 worth of fertility from the
soil, a ton of beef removes IS worth of fertility
while ton OF butter depletes the soul only to
the value of thirty cents.
Several North Dakotans left this state tt
cast their lot in New Mexico. The Independent
received word from one OF them stating that ht
almost died with the mountain fever, which al
fects the nerves terribly. The water is poo1
and mighty scarce and he says he wouldn't ad
wise bis worst enemy to locate there. The land
will not produce much but he thinks after 8
time the people will be able to raise little cot
tor. Readers, you will find drawbacks in al
states, some in North Dakota no doubt, but w
honestly believe that there's no state in thu
Union where you will secure a greater share O.
health. wealth and happiness than in our owl
state. Think this over
lh6Es-x
Ons of Hansbrough' g papers gives him great
praise for travelling clear from Washington to
speak to the farmers at the recent Minot Farm
ere Institute. The idea! Why, the fellow
ought to have remained in Washington, assist
ing in the enactment of laws for the good of the