Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-12
OPEN FORUM
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THE LIFE OF A FARMERS WIFE


( To the Editor: ! noticed in your val
liable paper of the sth inst. a poem
with the above title, by James NJ
Heady, WHICH I regard as unfair and
unpatriotic; not that il is the true spirit
of the gentleman but his mistaken view
of the subject.
Ii is unfair because it paints the
darkest pictures in the life of the far
mer s wife that his poetic pen controls
and points only ironically to her re
lief. Describes her labors as though she
were a bound slave, with no pleasant
anticipatiOns, save the food she-eats
and a place to stay. # is unfair be
cause it dies not picture the dark side
| of city life, but asks for an answer
from the gloomy pictures he has paint
ed of country home. He is unpatriotic
for he derides the noble efforts of our
pioneer mothers, who, but little bet
ter than half century ago dared the
dangers of the emigrant trail cheerful
ly and bravely with her family to build
up the rural homes, the foundation of
our now great state.
They did not drudge as menial
slaves but worked with that true spirit
of wOmanhood that lifts true honest
labor above the shackels of slavery and
places it, where it belongs, as the mo-
tive power of our prosperity. | am
pleased to know that the daughters OF
those noble women, be she in the city
or country, is not afraid to do her part
to rear her family, build up society
and do anything fair and honorable for
the home and country that she so dear
.ly loves.
When we but think that less than )
per cent of our population are real fl
naneial successes, of which the country
has her share, such as may live in the
lap of luxury, and less than Is per cent
are good tloaters leaving so per cent
of our population who really must work
to keep their homes and meet their OBJ
legations. This is true of both city and
country, we should readily understand
that the farmer s wife is not the only
woman who helps heep the home, while
the wife of the modern successful far
mer, with the modern transmission Of
thought and loeomotion can enjoy as
high a degree of pleasure as the lady
of the city.
AS | stated labor is not or should not
be regarded as calamity by our wo-
men.
The wife who labors behind the coun-
ter all day pleasing customers and do
ing all she can to make good sales for
the business, perhaps with a headache
within the close confines of crowded
store may 90 home at night the happiest
woman in the block if she but has
companion with loving sympathy who
tries to make the best of home
She looks not upon the dark side Of
life, but paints a pretty mental picture
of how her small earnings will add to
the family purse and with it rear her
dear ones until they take their places
among the worthy of the land. She
feels that she has been faithful to her
trust in the labors Of the day and with
true womanly pride enjoys the blessings
of what she has.
This is true of thousands who work
in the factories, canneries, laundries
and the many other lines of business
that affords labor to the families of
the city.
The same conditions and results are
true of the farmer's s wife.
This world is not so bad a world
AS some would like to make it
But whether good or whether bad
Depends on how we take it.
He complains that the farmers wife
rises at early dawn. Now if she does, |
she has slept as many hours as the city
matron.
A country dog barks with as many
sharps and flats as city cur, while
the solo of frog is as musical as the
creak of street ear, when we try to |
sleep. The area of farmer wife s home |
is too broad, too many plots of vardant |
grass in the in the diversified crops, to
it with house lot. 1t is as
easy for farmers wife from her well |
filled larder to prepare meal as to