Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-20

othersr It s. - tho the complex ma
chinery Of civilization condemned .
portion Of the race to slAvish tasks
and the slaves to contempt. But the
slaves Of history were scarcely source
of mirth! The inevitable bucolic
character resulting from isolation. the
peculiarities Of manner and necessities
Of dress incident to the calling Of the
farmer have given the contumely OF the
world a humorous turn. Herein the
farmer has unwittingly brought forth
byproduct that Is only a little less
priced by those whom he serves than
is the food he painfully digs from an
unwilling earth"
Why does the farmer appear SO
funny and contemplate? Well. he
doesn't. only to the city fool who has
made his acquaintance thru the medl-
UNI of the cartoonist and jokester shy
on subject matter.
Slaves of contempt! If the posses
sion Of broad and fertile acres, COM
modious and frequently modern houses,
sleek herds Of cattle and swine and
sheep, plenty Of the best to eat and
wear, and with tasks less burdensome
because of modern machinery. is slav-
cry, the ignorant and frequently dys-
peptic city man has been the first to
find it out. 1t is true there is some
isolation in rural life. some hard work
and long hours during the season of
sowing and reaping. The telephone and
the auto have removed much of the
isolation. and better highways VIII re-
move more. Iowa is typically an agrl-
cultural state. The Iowa farmer has
few peculiarities Of manner and dress
that mark him as different from the
tradesInan. the professional man, or
the prosperous mechanic seen on the
streets OF the city. OF course ne dons
overalls and other rough garb When
engaged in the barn and field work OF
the farm. but overalls do not change
mans nature or make his manners
peculiar" except 10 the human not
house flower who never Travelled beyond
the confines of the city and whose So
cial astigmati=ra IS acute.
Mr. Irish says in conclusion:
THE youth of the farms are literally
7ocking 10 the cities III droy5s. 'Coun-
try life conferences. and bureaucratic
efforts TO make farm life more attrac-
tive. are well intentioned: but l greatly
fear these agencies will rever be abe
TO stem the tide that sets cityward.
while popular prejudice continues TO
stigrla;ize the country dweller. lneS
refuse to longer serve as scaVenser
and hairdresser TO q drove Of horses
nlasseur to a herd of cows, and oot'ls
nurse 10 the orphaned pig and lamb IN
behalf of those whose quiet smile or
covert sneer is more CALLING than slap
in the face
Is that so? We in Iowa hadn't
noticed the farm boys and girls flock
ing to town in droves. Our agricu!-
tural college says they are not. II IS
true that few count-y-born youths
prefer one of the professions or
mercantile career, just as the banker
or the lawyers or the merchants son
elects some other life work than that
in which his father gained success or
1 failure. 'Scavenger and hairdresser 10
( a herd OF horses sounds emphatic DIX
/ Of these duties the farmer is not COM
| planning. His herds Of domestic ami
mails are his pride and he is never so
/ happy as when caring for them anu
developing their usefulness and beauty
! The surgeon and the dentist and the
/ lawyers are compelled to Go more or
less scavenger work OF a certain KIND.
/ The duties OF "scavengers" and mas
seurs'' on the farm are little different
from the duties performed from time
i.nr!enorial by the mothers of the
! human race during the rearing Of fam
Hits.
The rural perspective of the eastern
magazine writer needs broadening
Life on the farm is largely what the
farmers makes it. The drudgery is there
if the farmer makes it, just as it is II
C-Ha- life IyoYE-nO less