lives, yet they smile scornfully when the idea is suggested that they are a part of the sovereignty of the State." "Yes, I know," said one, "that we are the government when it comes to paying for it all, but you don't want to stand there and tell me that any one is going to pay any attention to what we farmers want."

One farmer, upon being drawn into conversation on things pertaining to government, expressed himself as "ignorant of politics," and "proud of it"; "for that is no business for an honest man." "I'll tell you, though," he added, "if the government ever wants you for anything, then it is time to pay attention and do what you are asked." It appeared that he had once been fined ten dollars for being a day late in responding to the summons to serve on the jury. This experience that he had with the court had impressed him with the importance of government, but he considered it "a waste of time for a farmer to pay any attention to politics." Naturally enough men who know so little about governmental affairs can not be expected to take much interest in political matters, especially when they consider politics as something apart from government. They may be vitally interested in getting Bill Simpkins in as sheriff, "for he is a good fellow," and "always done what was white by everybody." They "would like to pick out all the men on the ballot just as they pick out for their town supervisors the men whose honesty and judgment they have the most faith in." Thus, where principles are little understood and where candidates on the state and national tickets are not known personally, the choice is often based upon mere prejudice or upon some impression which they have chanced to form concerning the character of the man.

The foregoing is not a description of the typical farmer in his civic relations. It represents a class, however, of which there are still a big number. While a majority of farmers may understand in a general way the organization and the relationship of town, county, state, and federal government, there are a great number who do not. Whatever comprehension of these matters the majority may have, the feeling was general that "politics are corrupt," and many asked "what is the use of farmers taking off time for politics when the whole thing is run by political bosses anyway?" Some well-informed men thought that the decline of interest in political discussions among many was largely due to the spread of daily newspapers among the farmers. "Instead of reading facts as they were summarized by the weekly paper, and deliberate editorial discussions on these matters, they now merely give a hurried glance at headlines, at dinner-time each day, and thus get nothing but the sensational features of charges of political debauchery and corruption." Furthermore, "many farmers have seen themselves held up to ridicule by cartoons and other caricatures representing the "chin-whiskered Reuben Barleycorn sitting

open-mouthed before a spell-binding political orator." "The fact is," they say, "that since the introduction of the rural mail service we find but few farmers at political meetings." "The things that he sees in the headlines of daily papers together with cartoons that ridicule the farmer who tries to inform himself as of old, have combined to make the farmer of to-day turn from political discussions in general." Certain it is that only a few farmers read much else besides headlines, and, according to the testimony of every farmer approached on the subject, editorials are but seldom read, and "political assemblies attended-never." "You can't even talk politics at a farmers' gathering but that you will be made sport of. They don't see how politics has anything to do with farming, or why farmers should take any interest in it."

The better-informed farmers of the community who talked about and lamented this general attitude towards political matters were not without ideas when asked for a remedy for the situation. A general opinion was that "schools run by the government certainly should do more to acquaint the growing generations with practical knowledge about government." The younger generation of farmers ought to know more about affairs of government than the old, but they don't learn anything about such things in our country schools now." "We need young men who will understand the organization of society in government, and who clearly see the relation between the local township and the county organization, and the connections between the county, state, and federal governments. Then farmers will get to see how vitally their own welfare connects up with governmental activities."

There were also those who felt that the local newspapers weren't doing what they should for their constituency. "Let them come out on the front page with issues in which the welfare of farmers as a class is vitally concerned, the way papers that represent other interests do it. See how the laboring men's publications bring out in big head-lines the issues which confront them in their fight against other interests. Why can't our local editors do as much for us? Most farmers never clearly see the real issues in state or national politics as they concern the farmer. To give but a little explanation in some out-of-the-way part of the paper won't do." "Very few farmers really understand constitutional amendments submitted at general elections, so they fail to vote on them and thus much legislation that farmers really are in favor of is lost." The local paper is the one that could best render this service, as is shown by the fact that local papers are kept and read in more homes than any other class of papers. Although farm journals are kept in eighty-four per cent of all the homes, only fortyseven per cent of the farmers read them. The local papers are always eagerly read and are, therefore, in the best position to render this service.

ROADS

A study of the road map will present in outline form the present condition of the public highways of this township. Out of approximately seventy-two miles of road, there are about twelve miles of gravelled roadbed. About sixty miles of these roads belong to this township as far as road-work is concerned. The farmers have gravelled approximately nine miles of road-bed here and there as indicated by dots on the map. stretch of road leading out of N. going south two miles, then turning east for one mile, has been graded and gravelled under the direction of the State Highway Commission. Thus there is a total of about twelve miles of gravelled road-bed. This is about twenty per cent of the travelled highway. According to the State Highway Commission this "is above the average.' e." Their road census shows that on the average approximately ten per cent of the highways have been improved with gravel or macadam. The roads not gravelled have been mapped as "Fair Dirt Grade" and as "Bad Road-Bed." As will be seen, about thirty per cent of the total highway comes under the last classification. The objection may be made by those who are acquainted with roads in this township that some of this highway has never been travelled, is used very little at present and, therefore, deserves but little attention. There is validity in this objection for one or two short stretches, but most of the highway designated as "Bad Road" is not travelled simply because it is practically impossible to travel it. It will be noted that most of the bad road is found along the southern border of the township. This is due largely to the fact that these roads are just on the dividing line between the traffic that goes south and that which goes north. But here, too, it would seem that these roads would be used very much more if they were passable for a team with "a load of any size." This territory is very hilly. Although some of the steepest hills have been skirted, many bad inclines remain and make this road hard to keep in shape.

There are about forty-two miles of road that come under the heading of "Fair Dirt Grade." This constitutes the typical country, where the road-bed has been worked and drained well enough to be passable the year around. As every one knows who has travelled country roads much, their condition varies according to the season of the year. In midsummer or harvest time, after a season of dry weather, they become smooth and are generally covered with loose dust, the depth of which depends upon traffic. In the spring or fall, however, during and for a while after a rainy. season, these roads are "in a bad shape." No heavy loads can be hauled at such times. Yet they are never so bad but that farmers can haul their milk or cream to town. The low soft spots are pretty well filled up with