/ I— ,'BS'ladni&asO .vetnucteS .Viirrrrtl iiatesaiasJ 10—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December >2^19713 V { r" IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, EASTERN IDAHO FARMER: ‘‘We certainly have no objection to tapping the public purse to provide food for hungry people. But everyone knows, who has eyes to see, that somehow a lot of undeserving parasites have managed to plead poverty so effectively that they are food stamp recipients. We recall once more the local record of a woman shopper armed with food stamp purchases in two big grocery store baskets who had a Cadillac in' which to transport her purchases home. Now, Paul Harvey reminds us in his column .. that ‘Beginning July 1, (1973) food stamps worth $ll6 can be purchased for $lO by a poor family of four, (providing) the family income is low enough.’ The conclusion is inevitable that, in this af fluent United States of America, it pays to be poor." BELTON, TEXAS, JOURNAL AND BELL COUNTY DEMOCRAT: “Nothing the government runs or controls seems to pay. Why not let the federal government take over all crime? It would get so regulation riddled and complicated some of the criminals, out of desperation, might have to resort to honest work." NEVIS, MINN., HUBBARD COUNTY INDEPENDENT: “We don’t know why considenng the multiple government benefits programs we have in this country -but we are surprised to note surprise in a .American Viewpoints Public officers are the ser vants and agents of the peo ple, to execute the laws which the people have made. —Grover Cleveland ‘ '-V -V, '' £# ' ‘ “Grassroots XXX XXX >r||; " ~ xKi' 1 * ■> * y \-r ' v£ *,U?5k \ \ ■* » rf. v £,*V * BOY, AM I GLAD ATO SEE YOU..A / '\ ' \ i ctfOß Opinion” lot of people when we mention that (1) for every dollar deducted from their paychecks for Social Security, his employer is required by law to match it with one of his own, and that (2)^ ‘unemployment’ compensation comes from state and federal funds built up by employers, alone; that the worker pays nothing into it.” CARSON CITY, MICH., GAZETTE: “Everybody hates inflation, but’ loves the things it brings. Working people hate in flation but persuade politicians to vote for a higher minimum wage bill. Housewives want a price rollback for meat, but they don’t want the empty meat containers that would result. Taxpayers hate high taxes, but love the government benefits these taxes support. Perhaps it's time we all realize that there is no such thing as free, and that Federal funds really should be labeled People’s money. That might do more for the economy that all the freezes and thaws in government.” NEWVILLE, PA., VALLEY TIMES-STAR; “Whatever happened to straight talk from personalities and government officials anyway 7 Much of what you read and hear today is ‘leaked’ to the press. There used to be forthright announcements. Now people say to the public what they mean but take no responsibility for it, even deny it if it proves unpopular. ‘Leaks’ to the press by officials and others serve a purpose perhaps at times but as a habitual way of communication; the leak is a crutch for the less than forthright and a mask for the irresponsible. Let’s get back to straight talk like adults." REINBECK, lOWA, COURIER: “It seems to us that if we are to straighten out some of the nation’s problems we need a new set of ‘regulations’ to ‘regulate’ the ‘regulators’ and a dedicated group of ‘checkers' to ‘check’ the ‘checkers.’” ARVIN, CALIF, TILLER-BOOSTER: “In free America it's ‘Love it or Leave it,’ but in Red China or Russia, or the other Captive Nations, you can't love it and you can’t leave it. Mere in America we have the freedoms of choice, while in Communist ruled nations there are neither freedoms nor choices." s ■V \ i XXX XXX XXX XXX NOW I THE Tl Coi Telei TO HAVE GOOD LIGHTING A farmstead well lighted at night is one that is less attractive to thieves and all kinds of rustlers. These properly placed lights can also be an important safety factor for the members of the farm family. Due to the energy situation extra lights should be evaluated as to need about the farm, but good management and good use of electric power is still very much in order. The automatic lights that come and go with darkness and daylight are very useful and definitely render an important input for any farm operation; this is particularly true with livestock and dairy operations. TO HAVE PROPER LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT The winter months are a good time to inspect the livestock handling equipment and then build or buy what is needed. Loading chutes, catch gates, holding gates, and sick pens are very useful farm equipment. Plans for these are available at our Extension Office. Quiet handling with the proper equipment will keep stress to a minimum and reduce the possibility of injury. Don’t hesitate to invest in the proper equipment to do the job properly and efficiently. TO REDUCE WASTE OF FEED I still see too many feed bunks and self feeders that permit the wasting of high-priced grains. Troughs with holes in the bottoms LIVING WATER Lesson for December 30,1973 ■ackcround Scripture John 4 1-42 The encounter between Jeslis and the woman of Samana at Ja cob’s well ought never to have taken place according to the customs of that day! For one thing, Jesus was break ing customary practice by even being in Samaria. The Jews and the Samaritans were neighbors who “did not speak” Their mutual dis trust and enmity had existed for many centuries and seemed likely to continue mdef- initely without ' any change The Jews so despised the Samaritans that, on a journey to Jerusalem, instead of taking the direct route through Samaria, they took a detour through the Jordan Valley. How is it...? Furthermore, it was not cus tomary for a man and woman to address each other in a public place. Although this may seem to us a strange custom today, it was strictly observed in Jesus’ time Yet, apparently, Jesus believed there was something more impor tant than observing this time-hon ored custom As the conversation progressed, it became evident that Jesus had broken an even more' important custom: he was speaking to a wo man who was acknowledged as a sinner in her own town, for she bad had five husbands and was now living with a man out of wed or-the ends knocked out will surely waste feed and encourage rats and mice. Feeders should be adjusted to permit only limited amounts of grain down at a time. .Feed costs are die major part of livestock production costs and every effort should be made to keep feed costs down. For cattle, hay racks should be made so that the leaves and small particles drop into a trough and not into the bedding. All producers are urged to inspect their feeders frequently and eliminate the waste of expensive feed. TO PLAN FOR A GOOD YEAR The future is always indefinite and so it is for the coining year; production costs are getting higher, fuel supplies are un certain, and agricultural restrictions are getting more common. However, one bright part of the outlook seems to be a good demand for most farm products. This demand is not only for domestic needs but for export negotiations. Therefore, at the beginning of the year all farmers should go over their farm records and use them" to plan for the future. The enterprises that have done best in the past should be expected to give greater returns in the future under improved planning and management. Now is the time to plan ahead for the 1974 production year. Editor’s Quote Bonk The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have muck; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. —Franklin D. Roosevelt lock. A pious Jew would, under no circumstances, allow himself to have anything at all to do with a woman like this. Thus, we can understand her surprise when, receiving his sim ple request for some well water, she replies: “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a wo man of Samaria?” (4:9). The wo man knew that Jesus had crossed some significant barriers to make of her his simple but startling re quest. “If you knew the sift of God.. Then, this surprising man gave her an even more surprising ans wer: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (4:10). The reply is open to two inter pretations by the woman: (1) Jesus has fresh running water even better than the well water, or (2) he is offering her spiritual refreshment. Heirreply is cau tious: “Sir, yoty'have nothing to draw with, and the well is de?p; where do Vou get that living water?” (4:11). One gets the im pression/that she may only be pretending not to understand the meaning of his words. Perhaps she'is stalling for time. ''"The woman at the well is like many of us today: we_ are cau tious in responding to Christ’s in vitations and challenges. In order that we may not make any mis takes, we are hesitant to commit ourselves. Spiritual refreshment is often so close at hand, but we deliberate while we ought to be accepting what Christ can give us. Thus, many of us miss the “living water”" of eternal life through Jesus Christ. (B«ttd «n •utlmvt c»nyrJfht#d fcy Division «f Christian Education* NatiMMl Council of ths Church#* •fChrfst In tht U.S.A. Rtieas«4 ky Community Pnu Sorvl##.)