!-
IT
Mr. Wragg Invites contributions of
Any new Ideas that readers of this at
partment mav wish to prest.nt. and
Jcould he plea:r?d to answer "espond
etlts desiring Information on luhjcct
discussed. Address M. J. Wragg. :.00 Good
Block. Des Moines. Iowa.
WINDBREAKS.
".The address of L. O. Willitms be--"
fore the Nebraska State Horticultural
Society is worthy of much considera
tion. But why wait for governmental
. aid. or to convert the people to the
.pop.ulistic principle of governmental
- ownership of railroads? Are cot the
'farmers themselves, who reap the
toenefit-s. interested enough in their
own prosperity to take the initiative
. and make a concerted effort to plant
tree-, as a windbreak? Judging from
pa.i experience the answer is: No!
-. But. to induce the government to do it
ftr them. I have suffered, says the
writvr in Nebraska, and while they
.an- not of frequent occurrence in that
sat the high winds that sweep over
;he vat prairies are the great evap-
.JJirators. of soil moisture. In 18JJ I
'had an article published in the Farm
ers Union of Chicago in answer to a
"Ne.w- System of Cultivation of the
Semi-Arid Lands." which appeared in
tho Chicago Tribune of which a
- "marked copy was sent nu The new
'method teferred to was lever and shal
low culture, creating what is termed
a dust mulch, and is the same method
employed by Professor Campbell of
Hill City. Kansas. This new method
. . of culture (which is not new) together
.with the planting of trees, are the
. grcat resources at hand. I then made
this statement: '"The one great rem-
5 cdy. and the one that would amelior-
. ate the existing conditions and cause
the desert to blossom as the rose, is
".in planting timber belts ten or more
rods wide along every section line run
ning east and west through the state.
These would break the force of the
. " wind, which causes a greater and more
rapid evaporation than the sun, and
would also allow the snow that fell to
lie more evenly distributed." Now,
instead of waiting for government aid
and ownership, if each township
-would organize for a concerted action
in tree plantirg, and plant trees each
" side "of all roads, each side to have
.four or five rods of trees thickly
planted and headed low, how beautiful
would be the avenues, and how bene
ficial the effects? When the farmers
decide to act in concert, a petition to
the railroad would secure hearty co-
koperalion in planting trees along their
Iroads. and thus a friendly feeling and
jvalry for best results and beauty of
ke entire country would be created.
k doubt if such united action could
secured, the state and county agri-
lltural societies would offer prem-
:ns for the best windbreaks. It
las said we had the finest grove along
ae Burlington railroad. The trees
ere planted by the railroad, bit fires
j ) Jf. l.i. wi..ti tiiti mill.)! t.i.lllj 41&IV1
cfmiing in possession of the farm, we
kept the space between the track and
trees plowed, thus preventing fire. In
plar.ring each side of a road er soc
. turn Jir the loss of land and the
bun on of planting would fall alike
'vi all owners of farms, and as the
- resul'- would be of equal benefit to
a'l sj should the burdens. Theie has
bvn .i suggestion that in each school
jard a ttee be planted as a memorial
to McKinley. What a memorial the
great treeless prairie states could
erect by a concerted action irt tree
.planting. How desolate would Le the
most picturesque country of hill and
valley without trees, and how pic
turesque would be th3 beautiful
, . prairie with them.
crtr to-kii.li itw? !-il1-,.1 .iiti- A f nr
. One of the great leakages aboitthe
. Xarm is allowing the manure or our
fnrn lots to accumulate, and then
. when the spring rains and the -aielt-J
. ing of the snow to leach off into our
cr?eks and waterways. You will need
it all on your land. Remember, it is
. 'worth $20 per ton. and ought to be
'on the soil instead of being carried
off by the first freshet in the spring.
HINTS FOR THE HOME AND
FARM.
Lazy stock, like lazy men. add noth
ing to the bank account. How many
such are you feeding this winter?
'Stock should pay for its keep by
"work, growth, milk or some sort of
Increase. All that do not do this are
"lazy" and the more such you have
tike poorer you are.
': "The straw stack calf
Ma make you laugh.
So cheip is its wintering:
ttut u shivers and shakes
Tl-t piofit all tak.s
AtJ 1ms you with naught in the
spring."
Is the winter's supply of wood or
".coal laid in? You will need it worse
after awhile, and you will have a
m worse time in which to get it.
The man who is unwilling to take
)ioH of anything but the blossom end
of farm life generally finds himself
walking on thorns, and he seldom
gathers any fruit.
'."Vft pays to give cows water with the
chill taken off. There is no economy
in letting them drink ice water in a
"old yard, and worse still to drive
them to a creek to drink.
WINTER WHEAT.
. The reports of the condition of win-
: "tre wheat are not very favorable.
There has been some damage from
- the Hessian fly in some sections, but
this damage is less than is usually re-
. ported. The average condition of the
winter wheat crop is now about an
'average. The germination was good
last fall and a good stand was se
. cured. The weather has been very
.favorable this winter. More than the
average amount of moisture has fall-
- in and in many parts of the country
the wheat has been covered with
Snow. Unless something unforeseen
occurs, the coming crop of winter
wheat will be above the average in
Tolume.
The stock raisers of Iowa arc organ
izing to prevent heavy shipments of
tock at one time, and thereby prevent
"flooding" the market and forcing
- 4own prices. This movement is right.
'When stock raisers in other states join
. forces the thing will as surely be ac
coaipuibed as that day follows night
""Controlled marketing" compels the
RULES TO BEAR IN MIND WHEN
PLANTING TREES.
It will always be found a good plan
to note all directions carefully that
are given by the nursery one patron
izes, and to observe every detail in
unpacking and planting the trees. Do
not waste time carrying water in hose
or using oats, sand, or any other
panacea to keep evergreens from dy
ing. Plant as any other tree ought
to be planted, without exposure to
drying conditions; use industry in
cultivating and keep at it. During
the first three winters if the whole
plot can be mulched with brush mak
ing some ground shelter and keeping
the winter sunlight from the foliage
until the trees git old enough to
shade each other. When this takes
place each tree is mutually helpful to
every other in its vicinity. If one's
trees never start to grow at all the
reason nine times out of ten is that
they have been l-adly handled in the
nursery, and it will be well to try an
other nursery. Do not expose the
trees a minute when taking from the
package and planting. This is really
the important feature in the work.
The writer often hears men passing
one of his farms say: "I would give
a thousand dollars for an evergreen
grove like that," and yet the grove
they praise did not cost us $50.
And now the city farmer packs up
his belongings and gives over the care
of the farm to hired help, while he hies
away to the city's glare, its many at
tractions. None but the wealthy can
enjoy it. But the progressive farmer
is not without his enjoyments, his pa
pers, his music, his song. He is en
joying the fruits of hard spring, sum
mer and fall labors, and the winter is
his vacation, so to speak, with the bins
and the barrels loaded with good
things, and nothing to worry him.
Come panics and hard winter, they do
not affect his larder.
NOTES.
No animal is profitable at a stand
still; keep all growing.
Do not destroy the flavor of butter
by using too much salt.
Love of live stock is one of the es
sential elements of successful stock
raising.
Feeding a little linseed meal occa
sionally to stock is beneficial, keeping
the system regulated.
Have you ever gone through your
stable with a broom, sweeping the
dust and cobwebs down that accumu
late in the vacant corners? Looked
much better after you did so, didn't
it? We'll wager that you appreciated
the effort, and tho horses did too, if
they could talk. Try it. friends. Then
you can take your team from their
stalls and not get your Sunday
clothes covered with cobwebs and
dust.
Commence to feed a dairy cow for
dairy purposes by the time she is a
yearling. Then by breeding a heifer
six months younger for dairy than
for beef, you set going this much ear
lier in life all the nmnimillary glands
and milk-ducts, while nature puts
forth every effort to prepare milk for
the youngster on the road. If left
until older, nature seeks to turn the
surplus food into fat as having no
other requirement.
We are just in from a cold storage
house, where we saw them opening
up some barrels of Wealthy, grown in
northern Iowa, and. by the way. they
compared very favorably in quality
with the Baldwin or the King. As
this variety of apple can be grown
abundantly in Minnesota and Iowa
and keep so perfectly in cold storage,
why would it not be a good plan to
plant out more of this variety and
carry them into the midwinter mar
ket. ORCHARD NOTES.
One peach tree having the "yel
lows" will infest the whole orchard.
Got a good sprayer? If not, why
not?
When did you last manure that or
chard? Any insect eggs on the apple trees?
Scrape them off.
Any blighted limbs on the pear
trees? But saw them off away dcjow.
The time to prune trees is when
ycu are read-. You should be ready
now.
Ju?t as like as not the orchard has
not had a forkful of manure for two
years.
They still call it San Jose scale, ig
noring the fact that it is a loue that
concerns the orchardist. The scale is
harmless; the louse does the mischief.
The feeding of. frozen swill and oth
er half frozen articles is the cause of
much indigestion and lack of thrift
with our swine during the winter
months. This should never be done.
It chills the stomach and the whole
animal system, causes a temporary
standstill in assimilation and growth
and requires unnecessary expendi
ture of food and energy to bring the
animal back to its normal working
order.
EARLY POULTRY.
The incubators must be started now
if early broilers are wanted.
The brooder and its proper man
agement is more than half of artificial
rearing.
Have regular hours for feeding, and
yon will always find the fowls ready
at the appointed time.
If you want eggs to hatch and to
sell from March to June, do not push
your hens now; feed a maintenance
ration and let them rest for six weeks.
The droppings of poultry fed on
grain and meat at this season are too
valuable to be wasted. Carefully
store in barrels, mixing with dry earth
and plaster, and keep for the truck
patch.
It is a saving of grain to grind it
for stock. If ground at home there is
a further saving of the toll, and this
is sometimes an unknown quantity,
as different millers appear to have
different rules for tolling. And then
by grinding at home at frequent inter
vals, the feed is always fresh ?si
sweet. Most stock-keepers, nowadays,
have their om power.
THINGS THAT HURT.
It hurts to have a strange dog sud
denly introduced into a herd of cows
when none has been there previously.
If you are going to have a dog at all,
start early with the calves and let
them grow up accustomed to the
sight of him.
The other day a dog came along
behind my cows. I keep none myself.
The dog was minding his own busi
ness, but one of the heifers seemed
to consider him a suspicious charac
ter, and she set out to get away from
him. She ran about half a mile at
the top of her speed and all the rest
of the cows after her. P.-sult: A
lot of excited cows, milk below par
in the point of quantity and inferior
in quality. Costly dog. Costly race.
Ccotly milk. No pay in such doings.
Another Harmful tiling hired man
tired, a cow switches her tail in his
face. He yells like a Comanche In
dian. The cow snorts and gets her
head as high as the top of the barn,
perhaps she steps a little away from
the milker. Hired man yells some
more and swears a few rounds.
Things growing worse. Other cows
begin to stop chewing the cuds and
look around to see what is the mat
ter. The whole stable is in an up
roar. Hired man gets up and kicks
the cow. The cow kicks back. A
battle is imminent. You put in an
appearance and the disturbance comes
to an end.
It does? Yes, but not before your
cows have used up a good deal of
energy in the excitement of the mo
ment, and wasted energy never means
good milk or the usual quantity of it.
Pay? Not much. If you can find a
hired man who will not yell and kick:
do it. You never will make a better
investment.
The man with clay, sandy or gravel
ly soil need give but little attention
to his plows in winter, so as to keep
them in good condition, but woe to the
man with black drift, or alluvial
soil who neglects his plows. Spring
will find him with a plow so rusty that
it will mean a trip to the plow works,
or a half day's scouring in a sand
bank. Better get your head to work
ing now and look after all steel tools
that they are properly greased. It will
save time and profanity in the spring.
DAIRY AND STOCK.
Roots are indispensable in feeding
sheep.
Overfeeding is as bad as underfeed
ing. If the hay has been sprinkled, the
dust would not keep the horse cough
ing. Encourage the dog and the cat. Feed
them well and give them good care.
They aro useful on the farm.
Good friend, raisjj your own mutton.
If there is a single good reason why
you should not we should like to know
what it is.
Sheep will eat hay that is half
weeds. Yes, but that is not the kind
of feed they ought to have. Weeds
and good solid flesh do not go to
gether a::y more than clear johnny
cake and god health do with men
folks.
It is not true that any kind of salt
will do for dairy butter. Salt 1ms a
great deal to do with the quality and
keeping properties of butter. Only the
best should, therefore, be used. It
may cost a trifle more to buy it, but
the return will make up for that in a
short time.
Most any man can get up in the
morning and throw a lot of hay into
the manger for his cows. But that is
not dairying. Dairying means care as
well as feeding. Study, as well as
getting up at four o'clock in the morn
ing. Gentleness and patience no less
than tfct heavier tasks connected with
a herd of cows from which one hopes
to make his living.
Did you ever think that your cows
have certain rights which you are
bound to respect if you succeed? And
no cow ever lived which would not
defend herself in these rights to tho
end. And she will make you pay for
every infringement upon her claims.
A GOOD FEEDING FLOOR.
We saw one of our neighbors a few
weeks ago feeding his hogs in a lot
where the dust was several inches
deep. A few days later it rained,
then his hogs were in mud to their
eyes. What farmer could expect to
grow healthy hogs under such condi
tions? We have another neighbor who
five years ago hauled from the creek
during the fall several loads of gravel
and "-and. During his leisure in the
fall, with but little work, and a few
barrels of Portland cement, construct
ed a feeding platform that has been
satisfactory. He built it with just
enough slope for drainage. Before
the cement was dry he corrugated it
so that the surface would not be
smooth. WTe are certain that with
such a feed floor as this that at least
10 per cent of the feed can be saved,
keeping the hogs out of the dust, in
the dry weather, and the mud when
it rains.
It Is very hard to reconcile the in
terests of the producer and the con
sumer. The producer desires to re
ceive high prices and the consumer
desires to pay low prices. The only
point that all agree to desire is the
abundant production which makes
moderate prices profitable and satis
factory to all concerned.
THE OLD MARE.
The plan of working mares until
they are old and begin to fail and
then of reserving them for breeding
uses is altogether too prevalent. It
would not be correct to go the length
of saying that this should never be
done, but the fact should not be lost
sight of that it is a principle of ani
mal breeding that animals in the full
meridian of vigor are more likely to
produce and rear vigorous progeny
than animals past their prime. It
would be about as wise to retain aged
ewes or aged cows for such a use as
to retain old and broken down mares.
As some farmers are situated it
pays rsli to raise young cows for the
market
LINE UP FOR BREAD
FEEDING THE HUNGRY POOR OF
NEW YORK.
Pathetic Figures in Ranks of Those
Glad to Partake of the Bounty of
Fleischmann, the Dead Philanthro
pist Incompetents Predominate.
"T rtner hofrx-o Tnlrlniirlit it PTtMldS
b .,. .e ... ,
irom tne door nemna tne naiiery, miu
way up the block, to Broadway, and
round the corner toward the entrance
to Grace church," writes Geraldine
Bonner of the "bread line," a charity
in New York. "As we approached up
the loneliness of the deserted, icy
street we could see it, dim and mo
tionless, like a sinister black snake,
each figure a vertebra in its sinuous
length. The cold was intense and the
men stood close together. Most of
them were silent; they seemed held
in the deadly grip of the frost and
their own misery. We were near them
when midnight struck, and with a
slow, shuffling movement the column
began to move forward. At the upper
end we could see it breaking into dark
segments, some of which disappeared
into the night, while others stayed
about eating their bread In the Ice
bound street at midnight. We drew '
away into a darkened angle where we ,
could not be seen and for a space
watched them. Some took their
loaves; hid them under their coats and
walked away rapidly with firm, quick
steps. Others ate them then and there
with a hungry, fierce indifference. We
saw several who, with the bread hid
den, went back to the end of the lino
and joined it asain.
"From the huge pail of coffee at the
door a man ladled dipperfuls into tin
cups and with his loaf of bread each
recipient of the dead baker's bounty
was given a cup. Several did not take
them. Most did and stood about drink
ing the coffee and biting pieces off the
loaf. Here there were a few desultory
remarks interchanged. But for the
most part the whole business was ex
ecuted in a grim silence. It was diffi
cult to see what manner of men they
were. One cannot stare at a brother
in affliction, even when he is standing
at midnight in the 'bread line.' Many
of those I saw looked as if they might
be of that vast class of incompetents
who live upon the city's generosity.
But here and there a face struck your
eye that was not the face of the drunk,
the tramp or the beggar.
"We noticed a young man having
the appearance of a gentleman who
was without an overcoat and had
gloves on. He took his loaf, thrust it
under his coat and fled. A fresh-faced
i lad, stalwart and ruddy, who looked
like a boy in from the country, was
embarrassed and ashamed. He kept
making jocular remarks to his neigh
bors and then giving loud, sheepish
laughs the only sound of that sort to
be heard in that dismal assemblage.
He carried a new shovel in his hand
and had evidently been working
among the snow shovelers. For these
and their like Fleischmann, the baker,
must have established the 'bread
line.' "
Walk for Their Health.
A number of public men in Wash
ington, including all Kansas senators
and representatives, are carrying
pedometers and are doing immense
walking stunts for their health. Sen
ator Long and Fourth Assistant Post
master General Bristow i:e responsi
ble for the new fad. Botli had stomach
trouble and they landed in a sanita
rium. They chased about the hills
and plains for a month. While they
lost flesh, their stomachs improved
end they even learned to tat live or
six kinds of breakfast food. "Get a
pedometer r.n-1 walk" was the advice
they gave upon returning. Within
two days every pedometer in town
was bought up. Statesmen may he
seen rushing about as though engaged
in a six-day walking match. In ordei
to get the full benefit of the new
"cure" each lawmaker must walk at
least thirty-five miles a week ten
miles on Sunday and the other twen- j
ty-five during the other six days.
On a Beautiful Day.
, O. unsoon Spiiit! now a calm ilivine
i Comes forth from thee, rejoicing earth
and ail!
Trees, hills and houses, all dlstinctlj
shine.
And thy threat ocian slumbers every
j whuie.
The mountain ride against the purple
sky
Stavds clear and stroll?, with dark
ened rocks and dells.
Ar.d cloudless biightncss opens wide and
high
A home aeiial, where thy presence
. dwells.
The chime of hells remote, the murmur
ing sea.
The sonic of birds in whispering copes
ami wood.
The distant voice of children's thought
less glee.
And maiden's song, aie all one voice
of good.
Amid the leaves' green mass a sunny
I day
Of hash and shadow stirs like inward
life:
The ship's white sail glides onward far
away.
Unhaunti d by a dream of storm or i
strife. I
John Steiling.
Governor's Long ar.d Busy Life.
George Laird Slump, first governor
of Idaho, who is dead at the age of CS.
had a picturesque career. He was 11
j years in the senate. While colonel of
the Third Colorado cavalry he pur
sued a band of hostile Comanches 500
miles, captured them, recovered the
spoil of several merchandise caravans
they had attacked and compelled the
chiefs to sign a treaty, which was af
terward observed in good faith. Mr.
Shoup weighed about 300 pounds and
was very tall. His rugged good na
ture and strong, shrewd character
won him friends in national politics,
as they had as a mining storekeeper
in his early years.
Cassini of Italian Ancestry.
Count Arturo Cassini, the Russian
ambassador to Washington, who has
just rounded out half a century of dip
lomatic aorvice, Is of Italian ancestry,
his forefathers on the paternal side
having for eight generations back
been noted astronomers. Hls father
was called to the St. Petersburg ob
servatory, and that is how the ambas
sador came to be born in Russia. He
was an only son and was intended for
the profer-:ri2 of his forefathers, but
having no taste in that direction en
tered the foreign office as an amanu
ensis. He was then 18 years old and
he has been in the diplomatic serv
ice ever since.
Gives Friend3 Fine Tobacco.
Senator Beveridge of Indiana, who
does not indulge in tobacco, has as
fine brands of cigars as can be found
at any committee-room in the capitol.
Good smokers so testify, after ample
opportunity for an expert opinion.
Strange to say, most of the large and
splendid assortment of weeds came
to the Senator as Christmas presents
from friends in Indiana, who did not
know that he had forsworn the weed.
Something Like Frost.
So cold is winter in some parts of
Russia, that milk is delivered, not in
a can or jug, but as a frozen, solid
black. A Russian woman once sum
moned another for having, during a
quarrel, knocked her down with the
morning's milk thus solidified.
Odd Collection Mania.
In the course of a law case in Lon
don the judge asked a witness wheth
er it was a fact that people had be
gun to collect old weatner cocks. The
witness said it was.
Fond of Fresh Air.
All the Danish beauties get out and
skate and enjoy the air. They think
nothing at all of being out m the
open for hours and hours at a time.
It is their existence. It is a severe
case of illness which keeps them in
the house at all.
"No matter how carefully you train
your boys." remarked Uncle Allen
Sparks, "when they grow up to be
men they're likely to go into politics,
just the same." Chicago Tribune.
What Passengers Leave.
Last year forgetful passengers left
in trains on the London & Northwest
ern railway 417 hats, caps and bon
nets. 617 umbrellas, nine sunshades
and 101 walking sticks, besides heaps
of rugs and bags.
Roast Swan.
Roast swan was a holiday dish in
England last year with those who
could afford it. A fifteen pound bird
cost about ?1. The flavor of the flesh
is said to be a blend of goose and
hare.
Result of
The only place In the United States
that guarantees freedom from strikes,
lockouts and labor warfare is Battle
Creek. Mich.
The story? The work people, mer
chants, lawyers, doctors and other citi
zens became aroused and Indignant at
the efforts of the labor unions through
out the country to destroy the busi
ness of one of our largest industries
the Postum Cereal Co., Lt'd, and at the
open threats in the official union pa
pers that the entire power of the Na
tional and State Federations of Labor
was being brought to bear to "punish"
the industries of Battle Creek, and
particularly the Postum Co.
This sprung from the refusal of C.
W. Post to obey the "orders" of the
unions to take the Postum advertising
away from various papers that refused
to purchase labor of the labor trust
the unions.
Mr. Post was ordered to join the
unions in their conspiracy to "ruin"
and "put out of business" these pub
lishers who had worked faithfully for
him for years and helped build up his
business. They had done no wrong,
but had found it inconvenient and
against their best judgment to buy
labor of the labor trust. It seems a
rule of the unions to conspire to ruin
anyone who does not purchase from
them upon their own terms.
An inkmaker or papermaker who
Tailed to sell ink or paper would have
the same reason to order Post to help
uht these publishers. So the ped
dler in the- street might stone you if
ou refused to buy his apples; the
cabman to run over you if you refused
to ride with him; the grocer order the
inaiufacturer to discharge certain
people because they did not patronize
him, and so on to the ridiculous and
villainous Iinit of all this boycott
nonsense, in trying to force people to
buy what they do not want.
If a man hr.s labor to sell let him
sell it at the best price he can get just
as he would sell wheat, but he has no
right to even intimate that he will ob
struct the business, or attempt its ruin
because the owner will not purchase
of him.
The unions have become so tyran
nous and arrogant with their despot
ism that a common citizen who has
some time to spare and innocently
thinks he has a right to put a little
paint on his own house finds he must
have that paint taken off and put on
again by "the union" or all sorts of
dire things happen to him, his em
ployer is ordered to discharge him, his
grocer is boycotted if he furnishes
him supplies, his family followed and
insulted and his life made more mis
erable than that of a black slave be
fore the war. If he drives a nail to
repair the house or barn the carpen
ters' "union" hounds him. He takes a
pipe wrench to stop a leaking pipe
and prevent damage to his property
and the plumbers' "union" does things
to him. He cannot put a little mortar
to a loose brick on hl3 chimney or
the bricklayers', plasterers' or hod
carriers' "union" is up in arms, and if
he carelessly eats a loaf of bread that
has no "union" label on it the bakers'
"union" proceeds to make life miser
able for him.
So the white slave is tied hand and
foot, unable to lift a hand to better
himself or do tho needful things, with
out first obtaining permission from
some haughty, ignorant and abusive
tyrant of some labor union.
It would all seem rather like a comic
opera if it did not rob people of their
freedom: that kind of work will not
be permitted long in America.
Some smooth managers have built
up the labor trust in the last few
years, to bring themselves money and
power and by managing workmen,
have succeeded In making it possible
for them to lay down the law In some
cities and force workmen and citizens
to "obey" implicitly, stripping them
right and left of their liberties.
They have used boycotting, picket
ing, assaults, dynamiting of property
and murder to enforce their orders and
rule the people. They have gone far
enough to order the President to re
move certain citizens from office be
cause the "unions" weren't pleased.
That means they propose to make
the law of the unions replace the law
of this government and the union lead
ers dominate even the chief Execu
tive. This is a government of and for the
people ar no organization or trust
shall dlspice it. But the unions try
It every now and then, led by desper
ate men as shown In their defiance of
law and support of lawbreakers.
The "union" record of assaults,
crippling of men and even women and
children, destruction of property and
murder of American citizens during
the past two years Is perhaps ten
times the volume of crime and abuse
perpetrated by slave owners during
any two years previous to the civil
war. We are in a horrible period of
lethargy, which permits us to stand
idly by while our American citizens
are abused, crippled and murdered in
dozens and hundreds by an organiza
tion or trust, having for its purpose.
Calendar Church Bells.
A curiosity fa the matter of bell
ringing is to be met with at Furburne.
near Cambridge, England. The church
bells there not only ring the hours of
the day, but at intervals also the date
of the month. Thus, at 12 o'clock
noon on the 31st there would be forty
three strokes.
Stats Owns Diamond Fields.
The black diamond fields in Brazil
belongs to the government, which
farms them out, and makes a further
profit by a 13 per cent export duty.
Unwitting Distinction.
A Scotch minister was in need of
funds, and thus conveyed his inten
tions to his congregation: "Weel.
friends the kirk is urgently in need
of siller, and, as we have failed to get
money honestly, we will have to see
what a bazaar will do for us." Lon
don Tit-Bits.
Berlin has ten homes for poor girls
where the charge for lodging and
light is $1.50 to 2.50 a month, and
for board and lodging $10 a month.
For the Amateur Nurse.
When administering me-icine. if the
bottle Is not marked, it is safest to
use a glass measure. A tablesjioonful
is equal to half an ounce; and a tea
spoonful of one drachm, or the eighth
part of an ounce.
When a man wears his piety as an
ornament you can depend on its be
ing i'aste.
If vinegar would preserve morals
some men are sour enough to save the
world.
thrusting what it has to sell (labor)
upon us whether or no.
Suppose an American in a foreign
city should be chased by a mob, caught
and beaten unconscious, then bis
mouth pried open and carbolic acid
poured down his throat, then his ribs
kicked in and his face well stamped
with Iron nailed shoes, murdered be
cause he tried to earn bread for his
children. By the Eternal, sir. a fleet
of American men of war would assem
ble there, clear for action and blow
something off the face of the earth,
if reparation were not made for the
blood of one of our citizens.
And what answer do we make to the
appeals of the hundreds of widows
and orphans of those Americans mur
dered by labor unions? How do we
try to protect the thousands of intelli
gent citizens who. with reason, prefer
not to join any labor union and be
subject to the tyranny of the heavily
paid rulers -of the labor trusts?
Upon a firm refusal by Mr. Post to
join this criminal conspiracy a gen
eral boycott was ordered on Grape
Nuts and Postum all over the coun
try, which set the good red blood of
our ancestors in motion, bringing
forth the reply that has now passed
into history: "We refuse to Join any
conspiracy of organized labor to ruin
publishers, nor will we discharge
any of our trusted employes upon the
orders of iany labor union. If they
can make their boycott effective and
sink our ship, we will go down with
the captain on the bridge and in com
mand." This set the writers in labor papers
crazy and they redoubled their abuse.
Finally one of their official organs
came out with a large double column
in denunciation of Battle Creek, call
ing it "a running soro on the face of
Michigan." because it would not he
come "organized" and pay in dues to
their labor leaders. The usual coarse,
villainous epithets common to labor
union writers were indulged in.
The result was to weld public sen
timent in Battle Creek for protection.
A citizens' association was started,
and mass meetings held. Good citi
zens who happened to be members of
local unions, in some cases quit the
unions entirely for there Is small need
of them there.
The working people of Battle Creek
aro of the highest order of American
mechanics. The majority are not
union members, for practically all of
the manufacturers have for years de
clined to employ union men because
of disturbances about eleven years
ago, and the union men now in the
city are among the best citizens.
No city in the state of Michigan
pays as high average wages as Battle
Creek, no city of its size is as- pros
perous, and no city has so large a pro
portion of the best grade of mechanics
who own their own homes.
So the work people massed together
with the other citizens of the organi
zation of the Citizens' Ass'n with the
following preamble and constitution:
Whereas, From 1891 to 1894 the
strikes instigated by labor unions in
Battle Creek resulted in the destruc
tion of property and loss of large
sums of money in wages that would
have been expended here: and.
Whereas, These acts caused serious
damage to the city and in a market
way delayed its progress at that time;
and.
Whereas, Since the year 1S94 the
citizens have been enabled, by public
sentiment, to prevent the recurrence
of strikes and labor union disturb
ances which have been prevalent else
where; and,
Whereas, The employers of this city
have steadfastly refused to place the
management of their business under
the control of labor unions, but have
maintained the highest standard of
wages paid under like conditions any
where in the United States, and here
by unanimously declared their Intent
to continue such policy; and the em
ployes of this city, a large percentage
of whom own homes and have fami
lies reared and educated under condi
tions of peace and the well-earned
prosperity of steady employment, have
steadfastly maintained their right as
free American citizens to work with
out the dictation and tyranny of labor
union leaders, the bitter experience of
the past offiering sufficient reason for
a determined stand for freedom; and.
Whereas, The attitude of the citi
zens on this subject has been the
means of preserving peaceful condi
tions and continuous prosperity, in
marked contrast to the conditions ex
isting in other cities suffering from
the dictation of trades unionism; It is
therefore
Resolved, That the continuance of
peace and prosperity in Battle Creek
can be maintained, and the destructive
work of outside interference avoided
under the combined effort and action
of all our people, by the formation of
a Citizens' Association.
CONSTITUTION.
Article 1. Name.
Article 2. Objects.
First To insure, co far as possible.
Sailors' Attachment for Pets.
There are many instances of ship
wrecked men risking their lives to
save the ship's cat. and a few years
ago a sailor escaping from the wreck
of a barge off Highland light. Massa
chusetts, went back to save his pet
and was lost in the attempt.
Cheer for Rejected Lovers.
Rejected lovers need never despair!
There are four and twenty hours in a
day, and not a moment in the twenty
four in which a woman ' may not
change her mind. De Finod.
Wanted One Unsophisticated.
That man must have been a wag
who, when advertising in a matri
monial paper for "a nice young girl,
of affectionate disposition, willing to
make a good-looking bachelor happy."
added the words. "Previous experience
not necessary." London Answers.
In some of the London schools the
boys as well as the girls take lessons
in cooking, in view of the possible
usefulness of such knowledge to sol
diers, sailors or colonists.
Nervy Robbers.
A band of robbers succeeded in
stealing a quantity of valuable gold
quartz from a mine at Bendigo, New
South Wales, though they had to
climb 7.300 feet of ladders to accom
plish the theft.
$100 or? a Full House.
A full house greeted Dr. Griflin Sun
day morning at the M. E. church at
the quarterly meeting service. One
hundred dollars was raised to meet
unpaid bills. Richfield (N. Y.) Mer
cury. a permanent condition of peace, pros
perity and steady employment to the
people of Battle Creek.
Second To energetically assist In
maintaining law and order at all times
and under all conditions.
Third To protect its members in
their rights to manage their property
and to dispose of their labor in a legal,
lawful manner without restraint or in
terference. Fourth To insure and permanently
maintain fair, just treatment, one with
another, in all the relations of life.
Fifth To preserve the existing
right of any capable person to obtain
employment and sell his labor, without
being obliged to join any particular
church, secret society, labor union or
any other organization, and to support
all such persons in their efforts to re
sist compulsory methods on the part
of any organized body whatsoever.
Sixth To promote among employ
ers a spirit of fairness, friendship and
desire for the best interests of their
employes, and to promote among work
men the spirit of industry, thrift, faith
fulness to their employers and good
citizenship.
Seventh To so amalgamate the
public sentiment of all of the best
citizens of Battle Creek, that a guar
antee can be given to the world of a
continuance of peaceful conditions,
and that under such guarantee and
protection manufacturers and capital
ists can be induced to locate their busi
ness enterprises in Battle Creek.
Then follows articles relating to
membership, officers, duties, etc., etc.,
etc.
This constitution has been signed
by the great majority of representa
tive citizens, including our workpeo
ple. A number of manufacturers from
other cities, where they have been
suffering all sorts of indignities, in
convenience and looses from the gen
eral hell of labor union strikes, pick
eting, assaults and other interfer
ence, proposed to move, providing
they could bo guaranteed protection.
The subject grew In importance un
til it has reached a place where abso
lute protection can be guaranteed by
the citizens of Battle Creek on the
following broad and evenly balanced
terms which guarantees to the work
man and to the manufacturer fair
ness, justice, steady work and regular
ity of output.
Tho newcoming manufacturer
agrees to maintain the standard rate
of wage paid elsewhere for like serv
ice, under similar conditions, the rate
to be determined from time to time
from well authenticated reports from
competing cities. The tabulated wage
reports issued by the Government
Department of Commerce and Labor
can also be used to show the standard
rate, and it is expected later on that
this government bureau will furnish
weekly reports of the labor market
from different centers, so that the
workman when he is ready to sell his
labor and the employer when he is
ready to buy, may each have reliable
information as to the market or ruling
price.
The newcoming manufacturer also
agrees to maintain the sanitary and
hygienic conditions provided for by
the state laws and to refrain from any
lockouts to reduce wages below the
standard, reserving to himself, the
right to discharge any employe for
cause.
The Citizens' Association on its part
agrees to furnish, in such numbers as
it is possible to obtain, first-class
workmen who will contract to sell
their labor at the standard price for
such period as may be fixed upon,
agreeing not to strike, picket, assault
other workmen, destroy property, or
do any of the criminal acts common
to labor unionism. Each workman re
serving to himself the right to quit
work for cause, and the Citizens' As
sociation further pledges Its mem
bers to use its associated power to
enforce the contracts between em
ployer and employe, and to act en
masse to uphold the law at all times.
The new Industries locating In Bat-1
tie Creek will not start under any sort
of labor union domination whatso
ever, but will make individual con
tracts with each employe, those con
tracts being fair and equitable and
guaranteed on both sides.
Thus from the abuses of labor
unions and their insane efforts to ruin
everyone who does not "obey" has
evolved this plan which replaces tri
old conditions of injustice, lockouts,
strikes, violence, loss of money and
property, and general Industrial war
fare, and Inaugurates an era of perfect
balance and fairness between em
ployer and employe, a steady continu
ance of industry and consequent pros
perity. The entire community pledged
by public sentiment and private act to
restore to each man his ancient right
to "peace, freedom and the pursuit of
happiness."
Other cities will be driven to protect
their workpeople, merchants and citi
zens as well as their industries from
the blight of strikes, violence and the
losses brought on by labor unionism
sr
O
Silent Lips Talk.
The .mouth is said to be the Inter
preter and organ of the mind and of
the heart. In repose, as in the great
variety of its movements, it is full of
complex characteristics. It talks even
while it keeps still. All that is neces
sary is to know its code of expression.
Artificial Sea Waves.
At Munich a large swimming bath
has been fitted with a motor, con
nected with a contrivance which
creates eighteen perfectly natural
looking "sea waves" a minute.
Inspect Dog Meat.
In the last report concerning the
number of animals examined by the
official meat inspectors in Germany,
762 dogs are included. Whether this
means that dogs are eaten in that
country is not explained.
In Tunbridge Wells. England, a
man read in his Bible the passage:
"And If thy right hand offend thee cut
it off." and at once went into his yard,
took a cleaver and chopped his right
hand off.
Notice.
The Hickstown Debating society an
nounces as its subject for next Friday
night. "Which is the hardest, to make
a small boy go to bed at night, or to
make him get up in the morniug?"
Cleveland Leader.
Benefit of Warm Baths.
Warm baths are the most effectual
means of keeping the skin clean and
healthy. The temperature should bo
t2 to OS degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid
prolonged immersion and rub the skin
well.
oycott.
run amuck, by adopting the "Battle
Creek plan," but this city offers in
dustrial peace now. with cheap coal
and good water, first-class railroad
facilities and the best grade of fair,
capable and peaceable mechanics
known.
Details given upon Inquiry of the
"Secy, of tho Citizens' Ass'n."
Identification.
The public should remember that
there are a few labor unions conducted
on peaceful lines and in proportion as
they are worthy, they have won es
teem, for we, as a people, are strongly
in sympathy with any right act that
has for its purpose better conditions
for wage workers. But we do not for
get that wo seek the good of all and
not those alone who belong to soma
organization, whereas even tho law
abiding unions show undeniable evi
dences of tyranny and oppression when
they are strong enough, while many
of tho unions harbor and encourago
criminals in their efforts to force a
yoke of slavery upon the American
people. As a public speaker lutely
said: "The arrogance of tho English
King that roused the fiery eloquenco
of Otis, that inspired the immortal
declaration of Jefferson, that left War
ren dying on the slopes of Bunker
Hill, was not more outrageous than
the conditions that a closed shop
would force upon tho community.
These men burst into rebellion 'when
the king did but touch their pockets."
Imagine if you can their indignant pro
test had he sought to prohibit or
restrict their occupation or determine
the conditions under which they
should earn their" livelihood." and to
assault, beat and murder them, blow
up their houses and poison their food
if they did not submit.
The public should also remember
that good, true American citizens can
be found in the unions and that they
deprecate the criminal acts of their
fellow members, but they aro often in
bad company.
Salt only hurts sore spots. So, tho
honest, law-abiding union man is not
hurt when the criminals are de
nounced, but when you hoar n union
man "holler" becau.se tho facts are
made public, he has branded himself
as either one of the lawbreakers or
a sympathizer, and therefore with tho
mind of the lawbreaker, and likely to
become one when opportunity offers.
That is one reason employers, decline
to hire such men.
A short time ago inquiry came from
the union forces to know if .Mr. Post
would "keep still" if they would call
off tho boycott on Postum and Grape
Nuts. This is the reply: "The labor trust
has seen fit to try to ruin our business
because we wduld not join its criminal
conspiracy. We are plain American
citizens and differ from the labor
union plan in that wo do not force
people to strike, picket, boycott, as
sault, blow up property or commit
murder.
We do not pay thugs $20 to break in
the ilbs of any man who tries to sup
port his family nor ?:! for an eye
knocked out.
We try to show our plain, honest
regard fur sturdy and independent
workmen by paying the highest wages
in tho state.
We have a steady, unvarying re
spect for the law abiding, peaceable
union man and a mo3t earnest desiro
to see him gain power enough to
purge the unions of their criminal
practices, that have brought down upon
them the righteous denunciation o
long-suffering and outraged public, jut
we will not fawn, truckle, bend tho
knee, wear the hated collar of white
slavery, the union label, nor prostltuto
our American citizenship under "or
ders" of any labor trust.
You offer to remove the restriction,
on our business and with "union" gold
choke the throat and still the voice
raised in stern denunciation of tho
despotism which tramples beneath an
Iron-shot heel the freedom of our broth
ers. You would gag us with a silver bar
and muffle the appeal to tho American,
people to harken to the cries for
bread of the little children whos
faithful fathers were beaten to death
while striving to earn food for them.
Your boycott may perhaps succeed
in throwing our people out of work
and driving us from business, butycu
cannot wrench from us that priceless
jewel our fathers fought for and which
every true son guards with hi3 life.
Therefore, speaking for our work
people and ourselves, the infamous
offer is declined."
POSTUM CEREAL CO.. LTD.
Note by Publisher.
The Po3tuia Company have a yearly
contract for space in this paper
which they have a right to use for
announcements of facts and princi
ples. Such use does not necessarily ,
carry with it any editorial opinion.
i
t
4
f