The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

HE Department Of Agriculture
issued recently what is prob
ably the most remarkable hui
man document published since
Victor Hugo printed Les Miserables."
1t is the cry OF six million women: the
voice of the women who bear on their
bent shoulders the heavy burden OF
the country's prosperity-the farmers
wives!
The dweller in the city. seated in his
evening chair, reads with complacency
that last year "we' raised $500, 900 900
bushels of corn, representing a cash
value of 1900 900. 0O0-the greatest
crop ever raised by my single people
In the history Of the world; that I'VE"
raised 5000. 900 bales OF cotton: hat
I'VE" raised $500, 900, 900 worth OF
oats: that "we"-and then the city
man, taking his nightcap and shak-
ing Off his slippers, rolls into bed.
preening himself upon the greatness
Of "us.", Like little Jack Horner. he
falls asleep thinking what great boys
We are"
But he does not realize the depths Of
the drudgery through which six mill
ion women dragged themselves to
bring about this prosperity Of ours.
For upon the prosperity Of the farms
depends the success Of the cities. and
upon the farmers wives depends the
prosperity of the farms.
1t was through a casual suggestion
to the Agricultural Department that
his nationwide heart cry Of the
farmers wives was brought forth. A
year or so ago Clarence Poe OF
Raleigh, n. c.. wrote a note to the
Secretary:
"The farmers wife is the most
neglected factor in the rural problem"
The Department acted quickly on
the hint. Mr.. Wharton OF the bureau
Of information sent letters to the
farmers wives; $1,000 Of them. They
were personal letters, not cut and
dried blanks for them to fill in Yes
or mo" He asked each one OF them
to tell her troubles to Uncle Sam and
he would do all in his power to help
her.
And back the responses came-oy
thousands!
1.-THE letters received were in all
FORMS" says the Government report.
Carefully typewriter statements
some; notes scrubbed on the back Of
the Secretary's letter; many pains
takingly written upon scraps of wrap
ping paper. From the amour of
makeshift note paper 1t would indicate
that on many farms the ordinary
c~oIveniences for correspondence are
regarded as luxuries."
These letters came from the woman
behind the churn, the mi before
the stove and the woman beside the
COW with her milk pail. Plain in their
statements Of facts. they are but the
deeper from the heart for that. From
every State in the Union they came.
showing every phase of the sOrdid
life Of the farmers wife.
Mr.. Wharton decided not to emas-
culate these letters by throwing them
into the ordinary form Of a govern
ment report, but to let them tell their
tales in their own language. With
this purpose in view, he has pub
lished, in this remarkable report, hun
dreds Of these letters, verbatim.
Here is the first one; from a New
Hampshire farmers wife:
There Is absolute monarchy on the
farm and, IL the monarch happens to
be feeble minded or degenerate, as
is the case with many farms. the SUBJ
jects have to suffer accordingly, all
human beings being under his con-
troll as well as animals.
I'm many farming communities in
Maine, Vermont n New Hampshire
there are many farmers living alone,
having worn out three or -four wives
women III have had to draw buckets
OF water out Of a we'll into q bucket
from the end OF a frozen rope and
chop wood to keep themselves from
freezing. In many cases without
proper food or clothing. The milk is
sold and the eggs are sold, so there
are none left for their W use.
The wives OF farmers have no con-
veniences compared 10 those their
husbands have to make life easier.
The wives Of the more prosperous
farmers are no better of, az they have
more responsibility and seldom any