Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-01-17
HELPS RURAL LIFE
SECRETARY HOUSTON'S PLAN is
ROUSING INTEREST ALL
OVER COUNTRY.
FARMERS WIVES ARE AIDING
Fifty Thousand Have Sent Suggestions
on Improving Conditions and These
Are Being Applied by Depart
ment of Agriculture.
sy GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEOhOE SIIN ON.
Washington.-Wiv of the farmers
of the land to the number of 10000
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 10 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-
partments 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 ne 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 Ia
bors. shorten their hours of work.
make their homes attractive, save
money and make money and after
doing 1t all find that they have LETT
time for rest. reading and bodily
recreation.
Exchange of Advice.
Already the farmers wives of the
country have received from the gov
ernments advisory bureau housekeep-
ing. food-preparing. 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 1t 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 BIank7
Now that the currency bill has
become law, the natural and
perhaps apprehensive question be-
comes, is it to work good or i'll to
the banking and the general bust
ness interests of the country? Does
one seem to put the plane of intell
gence low when he says that. with
the exception of half a dozen senators
and representative 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 a 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 it's
roots. Finance is a question which
has 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
to prophesy actual disaster as the re-
suit of the passage of the bill and only
tainty that specific benefit would come
from its enactment. During the debate
on the tariff bill which is now the law
there were plenty of Republicans in
both houses willing to prophesy dis
aster to the business interests of the
country because of the cut in customs
The tariff was familiar subject
Few Even Pretend to Know.
During the debates on the currency
bill, many Of the Republicans sat
speechless." Otf rs, drawer. spoke
their mir's. 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
a primer. There are not more than
ten men in the house and senate who
understand currency matters and all
except the ten who understand. or
who think they understand, were will
ing to keep quiet. lest they show their