Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-26
COUNTRY LIFE.
Toward Burrell, in Washington

County Press.1
I felt sure that President Roosevelt
| would get round to it once more before
he quits. and he did in his message on
farm life, sent in to congress, last
week. transmitting the report of his
junketing farm commission. Teddy
laid down this ancient chunk on
spawning:
'The prime function of farmers
wives is to raise sufficient number
of healthy children" and that if they
fail to do so they are mot entitled to
our regard"
He must think that American coun-
try women just like and admire" to
be classed with brood sows. That's the
exact size of his eternal stuff on this
subject.
1t is amusing to read his yawp about
farm life. Why in thunder if it is such
dreary thing, didn't he go to farm
ing, and stay by it and reform it? 1t
is pure cant. what he says about it,
The travelling commission had a
bully time securing the country, TAX
ing evidence and notes. and reporting
That will be the last of their scoot No
earthly use. They or any body else
need not try to stuff it down me that
farmers have not the very best lay
out in the whole country. and no one
need try to make me cry over the sad
lot of the grangers. AS rule. in this
county, the farmers are better fixed
than the city folk, are lodged in more
modern houses, have lots more good
stuff to eat than we-uns in town-they
even have eggs and butter when we
have them--not a famine instead The
farmers live Hike fighting cocks--don't.
pity them. For seven or eight years
now. prices have all been in their fav-
or, and they have got out of debt, have
money in bank, and pay their bills
promptly via checks. They don't care
how they look and dress when they
come to town but they have the ducats
salted down in bank and can check
with any body.
The bright, pretty wife of an enter
prising farmer. who makes with i1er
separator the best butter ever put be-
tween my uppers and lowers, told inc
jestingly. eve merely sell what we
can't eat!" That family have the best
time going; they take vacations. also
take about all the prizes. out and in
relaxation, are healthy. merry and
wise, and are making money hand over
fist, and Teddy wants me and every
body to sympathize and condole with
that family I won't do 1t, that's all,
for they can dance all round me
They are samples of the country
prosperity. Just look at the prices that
have made them the envy of the world:
No 2 red wheat s115 per bushel, corn
SO. oats 81 hogs $3.50, cattle $3.50. but
ter i25 to 80, eggs 40, horses, well. how
high are they soaring? Stop asking me
to pity farmers But one would think
from Roosevelt's spiel that the coun-
try'1nen and women are peasants to be
pitied and nissionaired. The fact is,
farmers are no longer Isolated, since
rural delivery set in, especially in the
east where the country is criss- crossed
with trolleys, as this country will be
within twenty years; they get daily
mall, can gossip by the hour on the
telephone, and entertain all the amused
wretches along the line, listening TO
their CAB, for every mothers son and
daughter of 'en, they say. has the se-
ceiver at ear, drinking in the juicy
dope.
But the boys and girls are leaving
the farm, glad to get to town! Yes, the
girls fancy that beaux are thicker in
town than country, and the boys see
the more stylish dressed town misses.
and they look pretty good to them
that is a purely social question and
can't be helped. Besides, both think
they can pick up money some faster