The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-01-17
Cost Of Living No Problem in N. D.
Says Wife Of U. S. Senator

BY Margaret B. Downing, in the
Washington correspondence in the
Minneapolis Journal:
Where live in Cando, almost at
the Canadian border, we are presumed
to suffer many disadvantages, said
Mrs. Thompson, wife of the new SEN
ator from North Dakota. "but there
are compensations can get a nice
plump, hand-raised, milk and grain
fed turkey, for 81 and lie will weigh
good twelve pounds at that. / can
get the most tempting chickens and
geese for proportionately cheaper
prices and prairie chickens, grouse,
wild geese and ducks for less than
the Washington people are paying for
poor beef. Our potatoes would make
the natives here open their eyes, they
are so big and solid and mealy when
cooked, and they cost us about so
cents a bushel, every one q choice
specimen. Other vegetables are fine
and very cheap. Indeed we are used
is called the wild and woolly west.
Though we may miss some special
pleasures and some Of the luxuries
Of the east, we have full and abundance
Of allsthat, Is wholesome and palatable
and that at normal cost.
Good living counts for much in Da-
kota and housewives are proud of
their culinary accomplishments. / have
the reputation OF roasting mutton bet
ter than any one in my neighborhood
and really take great comfort in hav-
ing this accomplishment We have
mutton which is as good as the famous
Southdown mutton of which the Brit
ish are so partial In Washington
what Is called mutton would not be
given a place on the most humble
menu Dakota mutton is something to
remember when 1T Is roasted a golden
brown and served steaming hot with
our brag potatoes and the prize pump
kin and crab apple jelly accompani-
ment This is our staple dinner, for
beef is not the best and we pay what
We think an exhorbitant price for The
mosg inferior quality.
Every Hostess House aife.
"Then we do not seem to save gotten
into the pie belt and one of our Dakota
humorists say the state will never fig
ure in the statesman line until the pub
lie men learn to eat pie. We take great
pride in our buildings and custards and
jellies and desserts made dried fruits.
Every woman in my locality knows how
to cook, takes pride in 1t, never has a
special company without making some
of the dishes with her own hands. We
would consider 1t a lack of hospitality
40 allow the hirelings to perform such
sacred duties of home entertaining as
are involved in making plum pudding
or cheese cakes OF relishes which add
so much to dinner.
an Cando we have clubs which are
mostly for social and literary purposes
and each hostess delights in a varied
menu and in achieving some special
success in her own peculiar line Bak-
cries do not flourish in my environ
ment and having cakes bread or sweets
made anywhere except in ones own
kitchen is something which we would
consider the acme of shiftlessness.
Naturally the servant question is
not so acute as in the east, because
we are prepared to do our own work,
falling a good domestic. But we get
fairly good help in my little town,
which boasts about 1000 inhabitants.
| have been interested in the servant
problem since came TO washington as
| have been in the price of food.
'"rhings seem to balance each other
very well in the different parts Of the
country. In the east the women look |
with pity on westerners and bewail all
they lose by living outside what is re-
yarded as the social map. But we do |
not deserve all the commiseration |
which is bestowed. We get much out of |
life, what we think are the essential |
Kings, and our existence is simpler and |
less artificial. When we feel the need |
II more refining influences, of theatre |
md opera, we travel. But we get an |
amount of all kind of pleasures right |
1t home Libraries, clubs and lecture |
course are among the forces at work to |
extend the love of knowledge and Gull |
ure. Our farms, though great dis /
ances apart, are connected by tele-
phones and the rural free delivery has
hanged the aspect OF life when IL |
comes to the former isolated conditions. |
rhe state is honeycombed with clubs |
With different ends In view and every |
woman seems to have some outside in
crest which relieves the drudggery OF
Life Better in West.
''N'hen the question is infinitely ex-
.mined, the western woman seems to
AVE the better half of life. She is
lot OH the, strain which racks her cas-
ern sisters, and social thraldom does
lot hold her captive twenty hours of
he day. ponder on whether this So
ial routine is not more nerve-raclxing
nd soul benumbling than the house,
york which the western women have
o do. When woman iabors so tin-
easingly and gives her entire day TO
he routine, 1t seems as though there
l1oula be some more important end
n view than the social side of politi- Il
al obligations.
Then I question If the usual play
which figures so largely in the scheme
f life In the east is really entitled
o tie considered among the refining
ma cultural forces think not. We
ave few theatres and less operate
reats, but are we any the poorer for
he privation? Really, / think not
II find the social side of Washing
on, so far as i have seen 1t, very fas-
mating, but must say that everybody
ppears to perform prodigious lot of