The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-02
TILE FARM WOMAN.

partment of agriculture, is not lar
| wrong when he declares that the farm
woman has been the most neglected
factor in the rural problem. Naturally,
he is on the right track in being desir-
Gus of having the powerful department,
of which he is the head, render what
ever service it can that will be of ad-
| vantage to farmers wives. He has
/ asked many of them for their opinions
as to the ways in which this aid can
best be extended. The replies he re-
ceives are certain to be interesting,
| and may contain some valuable hints
for the campaign that Mr.. Houston
may wage in this direction. That he
will accomplish much, regardless of
the excellence of his intentions, IS
doubtful. He may be able to evolve
some ideas and suggestions that will
be exceedingly worth while. But this
is another one of those tremendous
problems that can only be solved sat
isfactorily by individual action. 1t is
beyond the realm of legislative and de-
partmental endeavor.
Not ONLY is the farm woman most
neglected factor of the rural problem
She is also one of its most important
factors. The hands of a clock could
not perform their duty were it not for
the works that move them And the
hands of a farm would make a rather
sorry showing We're it not for the Wo-
man on it. There are farms here anu
there where women are unknown
where a man or a couple OF them
bach it along in rather uncertain
fashion. But few of them are success
full On almost every successful farm
there is a woman, not perhaps always
at the helm, but serving as the crew
and it is a small and insignificant snip
that a steersman can sail alone.
Her duties have ever been multitu-
dinous and too often she is permitted
to develop into little more than a
drudge. In the rapid progress of farm
management and administration DUR
ing the past score of years. the won-
ans end of it has been sorely nesiec'-
ed Except in a few isolated INSTANCES
there has been little or no eHort 10
tighten her burdens. While the farmer
has Strengthened the stoop In MS
shoulders and eased his muscles WIN
all sorts of machinery, his wife mas
gone about her many laborious tasks
with her hands. The farmer has found
means TO make his cattle and horses
more comfortable by providing them
with modern barns. He has facilitated
the care of his pigs with up-to-date
pens He pumps the water Tor them
or pipes it from springs. And his Wlre
kitchen, the real magazine OF the farh'
has the same conveniences or lack OF
them that her grandmother's had. IL
she needs couple of barrels of water
a day she has to pump 1T and lug II
where she wants it.
Modern houses are just as possible
on the farms today as they are in the
cities And the expense of building
them. or so equipping houses, is trif1ing-
ly small when compared with the cost OF
other farm improvements. And what
boons such houses are to farm women.
The few who have them can give elo-
uuent testimony. Such a house Woulo
add wears to the life of any farm
woman and put the joy OF youth again
in her heart. Just such house alone
would give her hours of leisure where
she now has none which she coulo
devote in a variety of ways to add to
her peace and contentment.
The means by which the farm wom-
ans burdens could be lessened are al
most innumerable. But these are
changes and reforms that can only be
worked out on the farms and by the
farmers and their wives themselves |
What appears to be needed in the
premises. as far as outside assist
ance and endeavor is concerned, is a
of education to teach the
farmers their duty to their wives in |
these important particulars. For some |
years now they have been bombarded |
with advice and instruction on how to |
cultivate their fields and care for their |
stock, and not without most excellent |
results And it is long since time for |
the farm woman to have her innings