Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-03-06
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AGRICULTURAL.
Farming the Nobless Occupation OF Man.

In our endeavors to bring before the mind +
eye Of cur readers the honorable position in
society which We claim for the farmer, we do
not wish to be understood that farming is the
only honorable pursuit man can follow
We believe heartily in the sentiment found in
the couplet so often quoted,
I "Honor and fame from no condition rise
Act well your part-there all NE honor
| lies"
The Oldest occupation o. man, of which We
have record in the Good Book, is horticul-
| turc, branch Of agriculture. God placed our
first parents in garden to dress IT, Even af>
ter the fall, although fraught with harder la
Dor, beset with greater difficulties and re-
qniring greater efforts Of body and mind yet
their occupation was the same. They titled
the ground ana had herds and focks.
Men are often proud to speak of the large
farms, the magnificent herds and great locks
Of some Of the farmers Of the present day but
what are they compared with those or Abra
ham, EsaG, Jacob, Laban or job. No man
comes in such immediate contact with nature
and natures God, as the farmer. Is not this
ennobling Can he behold the ever>chan cing
seasons with the consequent DEVELOPMENT of
the blade, the flower, the full corn in the ear
can he, while inhaling the odor laden frag,
rance the poisoning fruit tree; or storing
away the aromatic hay or golden sheaves; or
cooling his palate with the luscious peach, or
the health giving grape; or while gathering
the sugary pear, or storing away the beauti-
full spheres of green, golden or purple apples
can he forget the hand that lavishly bestowed
these ?--ae who 'gave the early or the latter
rain y Surely calling chosen Of God him>
self and 50 signally blessed by Him, must be
noble api honorable.
Pure minded men Of all ages esteem it SO
Rome sent for Cncinnatus and took him from
behind the plow to make him her first citizen.
"The noblest men know on earth,
Are men whose hands are brown with toll
Who backed by no ancestral graves,
Hew down the woods and till the soil,
And win thereby prouder fame
Than follow king or warriors name.
God bless the noble working men,
Who rear the cities of the plain,
Who dig the mines and build the ships,
And drive the commerce Of the main.
God bless them for their swarthy hands
Have wrought the glory Of our lands
But, to come down to more modern times
We love and venerate George Washington rs
the "Father Of his Country" He was farm
err, and q good one too. So were jackson,
and Clay, and Harrison, and Webster, and
very many of the most eminent statesmen Of
our land. Prince Albert ssthe good" all
though Queens Consort, was practical ag-
riculturalst and delighted in the pursuit Of
farming and stock breeding. All the crown
ed heads of Europe are devoting good deal of
time and money on their estates, and many Of
them give their personal supervision thereto.
They love to experiment, and are just the
men because they have means) to prove
what can aud what can not be done.
Again: Take successful merchants and
literary men Of our own land and times
Greedy, Robinson, Henry Ward Beecher, and
others of like ilk, and behold in them enthu>
sastic and, if report be true successful farm
ers. Born and bred on the farm, as many of
them were, they left the homestead for the
hustle and trade of the city. because this
promised a speedier road to fortune. Now
weary and worn out with life's tolls, they
turn with stronger yearnings and hopes of
quiet repose to the country, which they left in
the more buoyant days of their youth. Many
a man when denied this privilege and com.
PEELED by force Of circumstances to remain in
trade. or engaged in manufactures or chained
to the desk of the editors sanctum, makes o
journey of thirty or forty miles twice day
for the sake Of securing purer air, fresher
diet and healthful employment for his family,
and more quiet rest Of night and Sabbath for
himself.
And yet, we are sorry to say, that but too
many Of our farmers sons ere very eager to
forsake the farm for the destinations Of the
city This thought may form the subject for
another chapter.