The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-24

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ellis. In short. Of all the organized
bodies for laying plans for great enter.
prtses affecting all the people.
! am glad TO see on such bodies the
names that represent financial inter.
ests. but those interests should not
have the right of way. and in all enter
prises and movements in which the so
cial condition of the country Is In
VOWED the agricultural Countrywide
open country-should be Us well repre-
scented rs the city,
The man of the open country is apt
to have certain qualities which the
city man has lost These qualities of.
set those which the city nun has and
he himself has NOT. The two should
be put on equal terms and the coun.
try talent be given the same oppor-
tunity as the city talent TO express 1t.
self and to contribute TO the welfare
of the world In which we live.
The country church should be made
a true social center. alive TO every need
of the community. standing for
broad individual outlook and develop
mcnt. taking the lead In work and In
recreation. caring more for, conduct
than for dogma? more for ethical, spir.
itual. practical bettcrment than for
merely formal piety. The country fair
offers far greater possibilities for con
tinuous and healthy usefulness than
1t ut present affords.
The country school should be nude
vital center for economic, social and
educational cooperation. 1t Is natural.
ly fitted TO De such center for, those
engaged in commercial farming and
still more for those engaged in domes.
tic farming. for those who live on and
by the small farms they themselves
own. The problem Of the farm Is real
iy the problem of the family thnt lives
on the farm. On all these questions
there Is need Of intelligent study. such
as marks the books of Professor Bal
ley of Cornell and of Horace Plum.
kett's. book on the Rural Life Prob
lens Of the United States."
laborers OF Farms.
One feature of the problem should
be recognized by the farmer at once
and an effort made to deal with 1t.
1t is our duty and our business to con.
slider the farm laborer exactly as we
consider the farmer. No country life
Gun be satisfactory when the owners
of farms tend. for whatever reason, to
go away to live in cities instead of
working their farms. and. moreover, It
cannot be really satisfactory when the
labor system Is so managed that there
Is for part of the year demand for
labor which cannot be met and during
another part of the year no demand
for labor at all, so that the farmers
tend to rely on migratory laborcrs who
come out to work In the country with
no permanent interest in 1t and with
no prospect of steady employment
1t is exceedingly difficult to make
good citizen out of man who can't
count upon some steadiness and con.
tinuity In the work which means to
him his livelihood. Economic coudi.
lions on the farm-in variety and kind
Of crop growing especially us distribut.
ed In time and in housing for the men
must be SO shaped Ms to render II
possible for the man who labors for
the farmer to be steadily employed un.
der conditions which foster his self re.
spect and tend for his development.
Above all. the conditions of farm life
must always be shaped with view to
the welfare Of the farmers wife and
the farm laborer's wife quite us much
us to the welfare of the farmer and
the farm laborer. 10 have the woman
n mere drudge Is at least us bad ms to
have the man n mere drudge. 1t Is CIV.
cry whit rs important to introduce
new machines to economize her labor
within the house rs It is to Introduce
machinery to increase the effectiveness
Of his labor outside the house.
l haven't the slightest sympathy
with any movement which looks to OK.
cusing men and women for the non.
performance of duty and fixes atten.
ton only on rights and not on duties.
The woman who shirks her duty as
housewife. as mother. is contempti-
bic creature. just us the corresponding
man is n contemplate creature. But
the welfare Of the woman Is even more
important tha,p the welfare of the man.
for the mother is the real atlas who
bears aloft in her strong and tender
arms the destiny Of the world
She deserves honor and consldera.
ton such us no man should receive.
She forfeits all claim to this honor
and consideration II she shIrks her du.
ties.
But the average American woman
does not shtrk them. and 1t is n matter
of the highest obligation for us to see
that they are performed under cOndl.
tons which make for her welfare and
happiness and for the welfare and
happiness of the children she brings
into the world.