Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-02-07
TELEPHONE ON THE FARM.
First Aid for the Farm and the
Farmer.

First Aid for the Farm and the
Farmer.
William Jennings Bryan, who fire.
| quently lays aside politics for the discus
sion of other questions of equally absorb
| ing interest, delivered before the Conserva-
ton congress recently held In Kansas City,
most interesting address on Son
servation and the Improvement OF Farm
Lifen. which makes an appeal that all who
take to heart their country's future pros
| perity and that OF their posterity will do
well to heed
There are those who cherish Mr.. Bryan's
views on political topics and those who do
not. The questions of the conservation OF
our natural resources and the develop
ment OF farm life are essentially so devoid
of political bearing that all must be deeply
impressed with bis hearty endorsement OF
the movements which are to do so much
for the country and particularly for the
farmer.
For obvious reasons the address can not
be given here, bat suffice 1t to say that
Mr.. Bryan looks for the protection OF our
watersheds, the conservative cutting OF
timber, reforestation of denuded timber
land and the extensive use Of irrigation to
reclaim arid areas; and emphasizes the
dire misfortune that is sure to come II the
people wait until necessity compels cs to
conserve the nations resources when we
become aware that they are becoming inn
poverished".
"what will make our farms more at
tractivef" Mr.. Bryan asks, and replying
to his own question, gives first place in his
thoughts to the telephone-the farmers
telephone-in these words:
at seems to me that Just now there are a
numbe- of things that conspire TO add to the
attractiveness of the farm. Invention has
already added largely to the comforts Of the
farmer. 1 live four miles nearly from the
city. The telephone enables me TO send and
| receive kilograms; il enables me to call the
physician in a moment. l know Of no one
thing tina, hangs more heavily on the mother
than the fact when sickness comes, or acct
dent, it is so long before one can be sent to
TIE physician, and the physician brought.
To-day, with the telephone, we cut in two, at
\ least, the time between the accident and the
| relief
| Can any argument be more convincing
than thus? Can any OF our tillers OF the
soil, who contribute so largely to the well
fare of the country, still doubt, after read
ing this, that the rural telephone is their
| rock and their salvation? We venture to
state that nothing in recent years has
| proved so beneficial to the farmer as the
telephone which has been placed at his
command. Only one use has been mem
toned above, though it is one which
probably appeals most strongly to the
farmers better self or better-h half.
The rural telephone, however, has
other uses which make it invaluable
as time-saver and an annihiIator OF
space. The vigorous campaign which has
been carried on for some time past by the
Western Electric Co., the largest manu-
facturer OF telephone apparatus in the
world, has been the means OF convincing a
great host of farmers that their homes
will be better safeguarded, their social
life made more agreea bic, their facilities
for handling business increased, and, in
general, life made easier and more attrac-
tive as result of the advent of the rural
telephone.
The farm is great, vital factor in our
economic problems apd must not become
devitalized, else the end will not be far to
seek. The telephone will help in very
great measure to prevent such industrial
decay and, more than that, will open up
new fields OF endeavor.