The Bismarck tribune., 1922-06-15
THE WOMAN AND THE FARM

THE WOMAN AND 1f1E FARM
care you willing that your daughter shal
marry farmer?' is a question which "Th'
Farmers Wife," magazine which reaches $50,
600 homes of farm women asked OF it's readers II
a recent campaign which they conducted in orde1
to allow the farm women to express their beliefs
Ninety-four per cent Of the 1000 women wh(
volunteered replies to this question answered II
the affirmative while only per cent replied
negatively. This continual talk at present OF tht
drift of young people to the cities, the assertion:
that our farms are being deserted, and the state
ment that the women are dissatisfied with coun
try life emphasize the significance of the answers
which are given by these farm women who live
in almost every state in the union.
The chief reasons which the women gave fo1
Wishing their' daughters should marry farmers
ware + sh2&4A ~ "a @4
"'Baby life thrives in the country; growing
children need out-of-door life and play; women
earn independent income on farm; influence OF
natures nearness on character; less crime ano
divorce; the opportunities for Development ano
many other similar reasons.
"A Connecticut woman who received the first
prize for her letter says: eyes, even in the light
of the hard years l have spent upon the farm
would be willing for my daughter to marry
farmer because believe in constructive policy
for farm homes and that true happiness is f9und
IN swell-rendered service***
1.-THE strength of our nation lies in the youth
Of our land, and, with intelligent care, nowhere
can boys and girls be reared to studier manhood
and womanhood than on our farms.
s"If our men are to till our farms to feed the
En1ultitudes, side by side with them must be wo
men to help carry on Who are better fitted thar
our daughters who can bring to their task under
standing hearts"
"A North Dakota woman from Ramsey county
opens her letter with the words:
4"Why all this fuss about farmers wives being
slaves? Why select the wives of Gunklnd OF
thoughtless husbands and use them as examples
of the farm women?
"A large per cent of the farmers of today arc
brOadmnded intelligent, progressive men. Many
Of the young men are college graduates who have
learned to be gallant and considerate."
sThe six per cent of the women who voted mega
lively on the question gave the following reasons
for not wishing their daughters to marry
farmers:
."Never made money but never had the chance
popr market conditions, taxes s-farm and school
top high, farmer cannot support my daughter
neverya leisure, hour nothing to tighten the labor
and monotony, daily grind takes the sparkle from
the eye, the light from the soul, women are really
old at the prime of life,' and a number4of other
similar reasons.
If "a PEI cent of 1000 farm women are willing
that their daughters should marry farmers ane
stay on the farm, it would appear that there is
really little need for worry over the drift of pop
ulaton to the cities and the deserion of the farms
Many do not consider that it takes only few
farmers to produce enough food for an entire ma
ton and still have large quantity to export. Ont
man with modern farm implements produces more
than enough to feed ten families With sucl
wonderful modern machinery as the farmer nov
has, it is no wonder that the farmers wives of to
day are not only wiling to remain on the farm
but what is more significant, are willing that thei
daughters should remain on the farm as farm
er's wife.