The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-23

in all enterprise and movements H.
which the social condition OF the
country is involved, the agricultural
cOuntry-the open country should b,
as well represented as the city. The
man the open country is apt to have
certain qualities which the city man
has lost. These qualities Offset hose
which the city man has and he himsel.
has not. The TWO should be put on
equal terms. and the country allen.
be given the same opportunity as Il
city talent to express Itself and 10
contribute to the welfare of the world
in which We live.
The country church should be
made true socia. center alive 10
every need OF the community. stand.
ing Tor a broad individual outlook
and development, taking the lead in
work and in recreation. caring more
!or conduct than for dogma, more
Tor ethical spiritual, practical better
lEent man Tor merely formal piety.
he country fair offers far greater
Possibilities for continuous and hea.
my usefulness than il at present at
ioIds. The country school should be
made vital center for economic
social and education co-opera ion: it
Is naturally fitted 10 be such cen
Ter Tor those engaged in commercial
farming, Tor those who live on and by
the small farms they themselves own.
Inc problem OF the farm is really
the problem Of the family that lives
on the iarm. On all these questions
there IS need OF intelligent study. such
as marks the books OF Professor Bai.
'ey OF Cornell and OF Horace PUNK
ett book on the Rural Life Problem
Of the United States.
one feature OF the problem should
De recognized by the farmer at once.
and an effort made to deal with il
1t Is our duty and our business to
consider the farm laborer exactly as
We consider me farmer. No country
lie can be satisfactory when the own.
ers OF farms tend, for whatever rea-
sons, 10 20 away 70 live in cities in.
stead Of "orKing their farms: and,
moreover. it cannot be really satisfac-
tory when ,he labor system is so
managed that there is for part of the
year a demand for labor which cannot
ne met, and during another part of
the year no demand for labor al all.
SO that the farmers tend TO rely on
migratory labOrers who come out TO
work in the country with no perma-
nent interest in it and with no pros
pect OF steady employment. 1t is ex
ceedingly difficult 10 make good
citizen Of a man who can't count up,
on some steadiness and continuity In
the work which means to him his live
IlhOod. Economic conditions on the
farm-in variety and kind OF crop
growing, especially as distributed In
line, and in housing for the men-
must be 50 shaped as to render ii pos
sible for the men who labor for the
farmer to be steadily employed under
conditions which foster his selfrespect
and tend for his development.
Above all the conditions Of farm
life mus always be shaped with a,
view TO the welfare of the farmers
wife and the farm laborers wife.
quite as much as to the welfare of
the farmer and farm laborers. To
nave the woman mere drudge is |.
at least as bad as to have the man
a mere drudge. 1t is every BIZ as i'm. :
portant to introduce new machines TO
economize her labor within the house,
"a il is to introduce machinery TO in
crease the effectiveness of his labor
side the house. | haven't the slight.
est sympathy with any movement
which looks to eXcusing men and wo-
men for the nOn.performance of duty
and fixes attention only on rights and
not on duties. The woman who shirks
her duty as housewife, as mother, is
a contemplate creature. just as the
man is a contemplate
creature. But the welfare of the wo-
man is even more important than the
welfare of the man. for the mother is
the real Atlas, who bears a.oft in her
strong and tender arms the destiny
Of The world. She deserves honor
and consideration such as no man
should receive. She forfeits all claim
10 this honor and consideration if
'he shirks her duties, but the average
american woman does rot shirk them;
md it is a matter of the highest OBJ
igauon for US to see that they are
performed under conditions which
make for her welfare and happiness |
g. 4