The Meeker herald., 1914-11-14
THEW0nAN InIHE FIELD
Tho Farm Woman Mssds Rsllsl
More Than Her City Sister.
0y pstsr Radfsrd.
Lecturer National Fsrmsfs' Unioa


Much has been said and more writ
ten about the woman In the faetory
and behind the counter. but how sboui
the woman who works In the AslA
] want 70 say . few words In hsr ~
half. regret . necessity that CON.
pels woman to work for . livelihood.
a1d favor not only shorteninG her
hoars. bat freeing her from manual
labor entirely. crave for society
that high standard Of sxcellence whsrs
the home 10 woman's throne and her
life ID devoted to molding the char
acter and elevating the thought q
the rising generation. But % long ~
want. greed and misfortune prevail In
this world. women. through choice Of
necessity. will work. and perhaps
they will work at ole task or another
~ many hours per day - they please.
We may pity the weak and admire
the strong. In their struggle, but the
farm woman 10 entitled to her share
Of sympathy and reward.
All Must Tell.
The labor problem. ~ relates 70
men. 10 = most vexatious one. and
when We apply II to women It becomes
more seriously complicated. We vii,
always have to work unless some po-
litical genius can put law on The
statute book that will enable NJ TO
live without labor. 80 long ~ every
person must meet toll face to face, the
best We can do IL to equitabiy dis.
tribute the burdens and reward labor.
and II there II to be revision of
wages and 4 shortening OF hcurs. !
want the farm woman to get her
share. She has more reason 70 com
plain than any other class Of toilsfl
She has, a. rule. fewer comforts.
fewer pleasures, lees recreation and
less opportunity for enjoyment than
her sister in the city. She has ~
- many conveniences and fewsf iuD-
uries and less to be thankful for th1s
women who live in the town. but -
tolls on. model Of consistency. -
tience and womanly devotion. Ger
tainly she should be the hrst % ~
rewarded.
The Real Labor Problem 10 - -
Farm.
The great dailies with flaming heas
tines deplore the lot Of women Wig
toll in the cities. the city palpli
thunders with sympathy for her. and
the legiJlators orats In her behalf.
but not . line II written. word raid
OF . speech delivered In the intsasst
Of the million women vhO labor o.
TIE fArm. Where cne woms17 Wutee
| n the cities IN this stats, there AZ :
hundred mothers toiiing in ths asad.
and no mention u made Of II. u the
woman in the city entitled to any
more consideration than the woman
on the farm! contend that she u
not. The city woman may be moro
easily restrained by legislation, and
she may have . more attentive au-
dience when she cries aloud. but the
real labor problem. insofar e 1t re-
lates to women and children, 10 on
the farm-where mother and child.
welding the hoe and gathering the
harvest, toll day In and day out with.
out hope Of reward.
The City LIE Puny.
The farm womel work from sun
until sun. They do their house work
and lull half-million babes to sleep
after the chickens 60 to. roost. and
they get breakfast and milk the cows
before the lark sings. The city wo-
man frequently chafes under hard.
ships that the farm woman would
consider q blessing. The city people
are great takers and ofttimes great
" magnify their troubles and enlarge
their accomplishments. This charac-
teristic permeates organised society
~ well as enters into the individual
life Of cities. There are orphan asy.
lums which are doing commendable
work and should be encouraged. that
boast Of their accomplishments, but
I have seen widows In the country
make . crop. drink branch water and
eat corn-bread and molasses and
raise more children and better chill.
arsn than many Of these city orphan
asylums. The cities need to get back
10 the soil with their ideals. They
are historical. puny and feeble In
their conception Of life. its require
msnts and its opportunities.
The farmers problems are pressing
TOR solution and the awaksning IL at
hand.