Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-23
In Defense of the Farmer.

Mir. Editor: While locking over the Norwich Bulletin dated Feb. 16, my attention was attracted hy an article written by a Mr. J. H. Cummings of Norwich, Conn
 As my opinion differs very much from Mir. Cummings, and being far mers daughter. I would like to say just word in behalf of the farmer. l would like very much to be per- sonally acquainted with Mir Cummings for I would like to know just what l manner of man 1t is to thus knock down. the farmer.
 Of one thing I am positive. and that l is, he never was farmer. for no one who ever bent over hoe for ten hours d day. would call the farmer 'shes- gish'' or a "grafter."
 Who are our most trustworthy citi- | zens? have had an opportunity near l ly all of my life time to overlook the | doings of the farmer, and 1 have found him to be the most industrious, hon
 est and trustworthy of men associated with any industry. I am really glad 1 to know that the farmer is coming to
 the front, for in the years gone past, 1 he has labored faithfully; and for what reeempense?
 Even in my day, I recall the farmer bending over patch of onions for a whole season and in the fall the mar | llets named the small price of fifty cents per bushel.
 I wonder if the people in the city know what it means to raise bushel of onions for fifty cents. The time
 expended on this one bushel would
 mean a fat poeketbook to our city friend.
 MT. Cummings may think that the farmers life is great round of fun, and to convince him that it is vast
 different, we extend an invitation to
 him to come down and spend one sea : son behind the blow, not as h past
 time, but as an industry, and I am
 sure at the end of the season he will
 hail the farmer as being patlaqiic and
 far from being "hoggish."r
 Il As for patriotism, I feel convinced
 that the boys gone from this one horse
 town will shoulder their nuskets with as much of the spirit of "76." as will your lily white fingered city dudes and I do not thinl. they are sneak:na from their duty. I do not believe that they are such big "l1oobs" that they . do not understapd or realize the great
 danger of this. '"Fhe worlds great , crisis" even tho they are farmers.
 Then again he speaks of 40 per cent
 of the automobiles sold in 1917 were .
 MT. Cummings ever stopped to thinl why such a large percentage was seli
 this particular year. Perhaps by re-
 ceiving fair profit for their produce I | in 1917, he was able to buy a little Ford (fer you seldom see a Pierce.
 Arrow or any of the larger machines 1 owned by a farraer), and when Sun l day comes round, he can take hi:
 family to the village church. over th'
 mean country roads. for any kind O for the farmer, but let him get or l the state road and meet the big citJ
 man with his big machine, he vii look at him as if he was toe small
 thing to be on the face of the eartl
 and WhiZz past him as if he was onl, , part of the cloud of dust or the smel of gasoline left behind; giving hin about 9 sixteenth part of the roat
 while doing so.
 9 It is all right when we get back e1 easy street to laugh at the other fel ? low who is trying to climb the ladder n If MT. Cummings thinks it an eas. = matter to buy an automeh.:e wirn vn,
 money earned on the farm, I do wisl f he would try and see how long a tim h will elapse before he possesses one. : In my travels I see very few ricl road is considered quite good enougl . farmers. Some of them are strugglin, s hard to pay off mortgage, while oth 5 CTS are thankful to be comfortable i, You seldom read wheAe a farmer ha = failed and cheated his creditors. He i o satisfied to Pay his bills and ple,
 along with his Kentucky jeans an, 6 cow-hide boots, and not take it to- . much at heart when he is ridteuled b, < his city friends
 . If the day of advancement for tn d farmer is here. I am glad to weieom it.
 Il Only a Farmers Daughter, f M. T. E. f. f. North stonington. Conn, Feb. 1! IL 1q1S