Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-05
Profteering Not Open To New England Farmers
(written Specially for The Bulletin.)

(Written Specially for The Bulletin)
 Some cynical newspaper man re- marked the other day that Mir. Hoover must be an unusually coura geous man. He had actually asserted, in a recent appeal to the people, that it was just as bad and wrong for farm CT to be a proiteer as for anybody else.
 The implication was, of course, that farmers mustn't be talked to as bluntly and critically as other folks, or planation of the cynicism which can reasonably be reduced.
 It reminds me somewhat of one of Ed. CIapp's famous stories. This tale concerned g. young minister who was about to preach to a new congrega- tion, "on trial,' as the phrase goes. He was stopping, Saturday night, with one of the deacon's. The latter good brother thinking to warn his young guest off some dangerous shoals that might wreck his morrow's discourse, tentatively offered a few suggestions.
 Of course,'' he said, q ant tryin' to dictate. but, if was you, I wouldn't bear down too hard on cheatin nd things O that sort, cause Deacon Jones is a hoss- trader and he might take it sore"
 "'Ner I wouldn't say nothin' about scandal, for Sister Bilkins is an awful gossip, nd she might think you meant her"
 ''nd you'd better say nothin' agin swearing, for Hilary Blank is an in- verterate cusser, but he pays the big gest pew rent in the whole congre- gation.'
 So the kindly disposed mentor went on, till he had about used up the Decalogue and planted danger signals against pretty nearly every item of the moral law.
 The young minister's eyes widened, as the talk went on. Finally he broke in: But, deacon, if it won't do to mention any of these sins, what can I preach about?'
 The deacon was primed and ready for that appeal. Laying his hand gently on the young mans arm, he said firmly but with triumph in his tone: Preach agin the Mormons, my boy; preach agin the Mormons; - they hain't got a friend in tOWni If one may judge from the utterly silly talkee -talkee which some poli- i &cians make to farmers and from isome of the ever worse gulf which many of the professedly agricultural papers put forth, week after week, | one may infer that these ofice-seekers and subscription hunters think. it 1 isn't safe to rub the farmers fur the wrong way.
 They seem to act on the theory that farmers don't want straight talk 1 but a deluge of slobber: that they re- sent criticism and get mad over it; that they demand flattery and soft l soaping and to be constantly told what l noble fellows they are.
 That's the whole point of our para erapher's sarcasm. Hoover bluntly ! ciassed farmers with other citizens and plainly declared that proffteering 1 under present conditions. was dis 1 loyalty. no matter by whom practiced I-1ust as bad in farmer as in q ] butcher or a baker or a grocer or g shoe seller. Therefore, because he treated the farmers the same as the rest, he must be a brave man;-ar unusually brave man. doing what tht i politicians and other graft workers dc not dare.
 Now, I'm a farmer. Most of my neighbors are farmers I think I know my neigFborhood fairly well. It is perfectly true that there ar,
 some farmers of my acquaintance wh> are about as "techy' as bald-facet hornets at their own nest They can
 stand criticism; they aren't open t reason; they fly off the handle" i absolute perfection in their method
 and themselves is even doubted. 1 seem to remember having me some people enga ged in other voca tions, and not a hundred miles iron Norwich, either, who were Of jus
 that same sort
 A reasonably minded student of hu
 man nature you'd be likely to deduce
 from any wide observation, that tlli
 sort of character is an individua
 twist, due to something within it
 victim and not to his vocation o
 calling. There are farmers who hav
 it. So there are carpenters and weav
 CTS and intuition workers and banl clerks.
 l do not believe that farmers are al
 weak-minded and Silly cranks.
 I do not believe that they're al intellectual babies. needing to be fe
 I do not believe that they conside themselves the salt of the earth'' no
 even that they customarily grad | themselves in the "hoiier- than thou class.
 do not believe that they expect al ways to be soft-soaped, and to hea
 reproaches laid only on the Mormons , or other sinners at a distance do not believe that they take truth
 fret on the Fourth for the observanc carried out in that place. William F. Smith is the new nobl grand of Israel Putnam lodge of cd } Fellows
 William Walsh, who has been a mo tion picture operator at the Empir
 theatre. has gone to New Jersey, wher , he will be employed on war work DIES FROM WOUNDS !. WHILE IN SERVICI
 Private Raymond R. Benson of Mort Woodstock Pays the Great Price.