The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-01-09
sEcRETARY HousToN's PLAN rs
RouslNo INTEREST ALL
OVER COUNTRY.
FARMERS WIVES ARE AIDING
FIFTY Thousand Have Sent Suggestions
on Improving Conditions and These
Are Being Applied by Depart
nent Of Agriculture.
Hy GEORGE CLINTON.


have responded by letter to the re-
quest of the agricultural department
that they tell OF home life In the coun-
try and make suggestions as to what
the department can do to improve
conditions, and to make the rural life
more attractive for all the members
OF the household Secretary Houston
Is taking a deep interest In the an
swers which have come to the de-
partment's query and he has read
scores of them personally, while the
others have been read for study pur-
poses by officials high in the depart
ment.
Recently the secretary Of agricul-
ture let 1t be known through the pub
licity bureau that he wished to make
his department useful, not only to the
farmer. but to the others of the house
hold. The women were asked to
write and they responded quickly and
readily and in nearly every case, in
diligently 1t Is the intention of the
governments agricultural officials to
prepare and send out bulletins of in
struction and information to the ru-
raj housewives of the country telling
them how they can tighten their la
bors, shorten their hours of work,
make their homes attractive, save
money and make money and after
doing 1t all find that they have left
time for rest, reading and bodily
recreation.
1t is probable that In the future
when proof is forthcoming that the
women of the country districts have
profited by the printed advice and in
struction Of Mr.. Houston and his fell
low officials, credit generally will be
given to the department of agricul-
ture for its progressive endeavor.
Part of the credit will belong there,
but the greater part of it will belong
to the army of American women who,
acting as individuals, have sent to the
sci and advice based in large part on
their own experience and on their de-
sire to make that experience of serv-
ice to other women who may not
have had it.
Exchange of Advice.
Already the farmers wives of the
! country have received from the gov
ernment's advisory bureau housekeep-
ing, food-preparing, fruit-preserving
| and other instructions which on the
| face of things seems to mark Secre-
tary Houston as a teacher of high
| standing in the domestic arts 1t is
probable that the secretary of agricul-
ture will be the first one to put the
credit where it belongs. The women
have done it. Advice from Alabama
today is being applied to California
and advice from California is being
| applied in Alabama, and put any other
two states in the places of those
named and the same thing holds true.
| Before long it is the intention Of
the department to prepare plans for
| the construction and proper arrange
, ment of farm houses. They will vary
| in detail geographically" The same
plans will not serve for a Florida
farmhouse that will serve for one in
Oregon. Convenience and comfort
will be consulted with a view to the
adaptation of the house to the special
needs of the family of farmer.
Is Currency Law Prize or Blank?
Now that the currency bill has
become law, the natural and
perhaps apprehensive question be-
comes, is 1t to work good or ill to
the banking and the general bust
ness interests of the country? Does
one seem to put the plane of intelli-
gence low when he says that. with
the exception of half dozen senators
and representatives who have spoken
directly to the point, no one can be
found in the capital city, outside of
those who speak enthusiastically sim
ply because they are partisans, will
ing to give specific answer to the
question concerning the business re-
suits OF the new currency law?
The solemn truth is that apparently
no man understands currency to its
roots. Finance is question which
mas been the subject of controversy
for hundreds. yes, even thousands of
years. There are as many views on
the proper way to make a sound cur
rency as there are men able to express
any view at all. OF the witnesses who
appeared before the committees sit
ting in consideration of the currency
measure, only one or two were willing
70 prophesy actual disaster as the re-
suit OF the passage OF the bill and only
few are willing to declare as GER
tainty that specific benefit would come
from Its enactment. During the debate
on the tariff bill which is now the law
there We're plenty OF Republicans in
both houses willing to prophesy dis.
aster to the business interests OF the
country because of the cut in customs
me tariff was familiar subject.
Few Even Pretend to Know.
During the debates on the currency
Dill, many of the Republicans sat
speechless." Others, drawer, spoke
their minds, but those who thus spoke
We're few in number Why was there
reticence on currency and glibness on
the tariff? The reason is as simple as