The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-20
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.


OK the part of many, farming Is re-
garded as rather an ignoble employment;
one that is to be followed only by those
who are not smart enough to obtain liv-
ing in some other way. Even farmers
themselves, a large portion of them, it is
to be feared, share in this feeling, or at
least have an ill-dcfined idea that their
position in..society is an inferior one. They
have . secret thought that it is less noble
to till the soil, calling into being those
products, which are in themselves the
elements of life, and the basisof all wealth
and prosperity, than it is to speculate or
traffic in them after they are produced.
They seem to think that it is less honor
able to live by ministering to the real
wants and necessities of mankind, than
to the fanciful and oft times fictitious ones.
1t is not necessary to pile up proofs that
the farmers profession - honorable, for
any one who will give it serious thought
must admit that there is not, ION Gods
green earth, q" more noble, or more honor
able mission. The farmers hands may be
rough and stained by toll; his manners
may be awkward and uncouth; he may,
as It is sneeringly said by the moths and
butterflies that are dependent on him for
the necessaries of their life, smell of the
soil !" but he is none the less noble and
manly for all that; his care has been not
to adorn his own person, not to acquire the
polish and gentility of fashionable life, but
to minister to the real necessities of his
fellow men he has made himself the in
strument to work out their happiness and
prosperity. He does not seek to acquire
wealth by the tricks and sharp practice of
the tradesman he does not resort to the
corners, or short cuts of the Spectator !;
nor does he live on the follies, evils and
crimes of mankind. What he earns is the
product of honest toll; and what he
receives is but the value of the
energy of mind and body which he has et-
pended for the public good. Men may
have acquired tastes and habits, which
render labor in this calling Hksome and
unpleasant; but it is not to the discredit
of the profession; if there is any, it is
their own. Education, so called, may lead
some to think all manual labor is mental
and degrading; but they see things in a
perverted light; they measure honor and
dignity by their own false notions.
The farming community are in q great
measure responsible for this estimate of
their profession, and it should be their en-
deavor to remove this prejudice from the
public mind. To do this effectually they
must first assure themselves of the true
nobility of their calling; then they will
have courage to affirm it, and make it felt.
| They must make their business progress
I've one, and then 1t will command the re.
spect Of all. They must add to manual
labor, brain work. and skill, and it will be
esteemed most honorable They must
make it prosperous and remunerative and
then it will be worshipped. Farmers
must, by union of action, cut off these
vampires, middlemen, boards oftrade, and
mon6po1ies, who, too honorable to work
themselves, think it respectable to live by
cheating and fraud They must educate
themselves in all that pertains to their
profession, from the first principles OF
natural law, to the influence of social and
political economy, upon the productive
energies of the country; then their pro-
fession will be prosperous and influential
theft position III society, not more honora.
BILE, but more respected. -HestSrn Furnaer