Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-28

colonel Dung is taxing singer ana
a news bureau about the state with
him. month after month, at his own ex-
pense?
GOING BACK ON" THE FARM.
[Sioux City Journal
This newspaper has done its share
toward boosting Colonel Roosevelt's
back to the farm" propa ganda. In
the news. editorial. feature. and ad-
vertising columns it has pictured the
attractions of life close to nature. The
independence o, the farmers life has
been commented on. There have been
frequent exhibits illustrating the rather
handsome returns received from the
tintelligently directed toll of successful
farmers. The steady increase of land
values in the prosperous farm territory
herea bouts has been a regular contin-
ued story. The possibilities of "scien-
tific farming" with its rotation OF
crops artificial fertilizers. seed tests
labor saving machinery. ETC.. have not
been neglected. The advantages of the
rural phone line. rural mail delivery
ard interurban have received their due
share of attention. The automobile on
the farm has furnished another serial
story The reader will remember much
comment about the farmer putting his
money in banks and letting it flow
eastward to help out the distressed
Wall street magnates in their times Of
stress.
The faithful peruser of these col
urnns. or the columns of any other
newspaper for that mater, may have
gathered the impression that there is
only one side to the back TO the soil
proposition. Indeed, that was the gen
eral impression absorbed by the writer
of these lines. Prepare to be dlsiilus-
toned. There is another side. Into the
general chorus OF country life boosting
has come loud resoundins knock. II
comes from q man who used to live IN
the city, and wh9 is now holding down
a farm not thousand miles from
Sioux City. In pursuance of its regu-
lar policy Of giving all sides hear
ing. The Journal will let this reformed
city man tell his experience in his own
words. suppressing mis- name and post
office address. to spare him possible
unpleasant consequences from ms
Ineighbors. Here he goes;
To the Editor; In a recent issue OF
The Journal there was an item from
Narshalltown saving that busy city
imam from that town is some day going
10 retire to a nice little farm fixed up
right.
was once one of those dissatisfied
merchants longing for the simple life.
and 7 sold my business and bought one
OF those nice farms fixed up right. 1t
cost me s27000. with automobile and
everything on the place up to date.
| Oh. my. but it is a snap.
Here / am with 800 chickens that re-
/ fuse TO lay because eggs are 30 cents
I in town. and every dozen they have
laid since November l has cost me 60
cents in feed.
Here I am with sixty head OF cattle
that have gone thru piles Of feed dur
ing the cold weather. and have not
/ gained in weight or price since Decem-
| Der.
Here am with ninety-three shoats
| that shoveled bushels of corn into for
many cold weeks and nothing for It, 1t
was the same corn that made the boys
and myself come home covered with
sweat and dust last summer. and with
cold hands and feet, picking 1t last fall.
| Oh, it's snap, with these hish
prices the farmer is supposed to get,
but does not.
How my thoughts wander back
when I am in the COW stable. with
mosquitoes on my back and the cows
tail around my neck, to. that pretty
public park in town. where I used to
wear good clothes and drink ice cream
sodas
Yes. this is one continuous round OF
pleasure: everything grows while you
sleep; only some times you hail out.
dry out, freeze out, or drown out. and
| ha nj n1lt dead hO1l bv
the wagon load.
Yes, boys, the water is fine: come on
in! You would look fine in boots and
overalls, and be just in time to get
good start with your spring work with
its slush, mud and manure.
The only difference I find Is that In
town I worked six days q week and
supported my family. while now the
whole family works seven days week
to support them
Yes, we retired all right. We are
home 3s5 days in the year and we can
not even 90 to church without chang
/ ing every stitch OF clothes, so our city
cousins won't turn up their noses and
say we smell like barn.
Here we are with our children walk
ing over storm swept roads to go to
a little shanty they call school house.
Here we are with our kitchen turned
into a butcher shop, laundry, sausage
factory, soap factory, canning works
and heaven knows what all, and my
wife threatening to run away every
other day.
There are peanut stands, baker shops.
pool halls, meat markets, ETC., in cities
that don't carry over a $500 stock that
have got a 100000 farm beat to a
standstill in giving their owners a COM
Portable living. But misery likes COM
pany. so come on, some Of you laundry
shirted merchants. A Retired Mer-
chant.
The sad story. such az II II. Is gen
Line, and undoubtedly reflected the