The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-07-11

the most useful OF all human pursuits. All
others must necessarily subsist on the products
of the farmer. Spectators may get rich, but
they add no real wealth to the country. Let
us then look to our interests as farmers. Our
brethren in the West are waking up, and
contending against railway monopolies which
have thrown their iron bands across the Con-
tinent. Merchants, manufacturers and others
dictate their own terms to farmers, and they
can't help themselves. Agents Of all kinds
swarm over the country at the expense OF the
farmer. They often introduce valuable i'm
provements, but l say, let us buy whero we
can do the best. A gentleman of our Berlin
Club, not long since, furnished the other mem
bers with farmers implements at agents
prices, twenty per cent. off. Farmers can
save much by purchasing in this way, but we
must not carry the thing too far, and organize
farmers stores in which the big fish eat up
the little ones. We should also be organized
to guard against fraud. 1 once asked a mer
chant of our place for pure paris green and he
said he would get it, pure The first lot was
all right, but the next was adulterated. We
traced it up. The merchant had not done 1t,
but it was done III the East; aduterated two
thirds. We were thankful it was not three
thirds. There is place not far from here,
that they grind up white stones for the adul-
teration of white lead, and sometimes for
cheating should be exposed. If we get vexed
at each other, lawyers must have a lawsuit; if
there is anything left, the insurance agent
comes along; then the lightning rod conductor
and so on till finally the tax gatherer lays his
reslstless grasp upon Us, and we are obliged to
yie,d; and no honest farmer ever escapes
paying taxes for the full amount of his prop
erty. Not so with city folks. There are
many devices for dodging the Assessor by
those who handle much money. Some are not
taxed half what they should be, and others
not at all; and yet they always put on good
face, dress well, wear gold rings, drive fast
horses and live on the top shelf.
Now let me say word about Oranges In
Illinois alone they have 100000 members. in
Iowa 10000, and large numbers in other Wes-
tern states. They are exerting a great infu-
enee, especially on the railroad inter, ST.
Farmers in the West have been laboring un-
der disadvantages, on account of an over pro-
duction of grain. 1t takes about three bush
els Of wheat to carry one to market. Farm
ers should diversity their products and then
they would not be so much at the mercy of
railroad men and speculators We tried last
winter to have law passed lowering and reg
ulatlng railroad fares and freights They
have such a law in England; favoring the
poorer classes, and it gives good satisfaction.
IL L
radesmen of Europe, 100000 strong exerted
an influence that made the English aristocracy
trembIe, and it will no doubt be overthrown
before many years, because it is detrimental
to the working classes to have the land ali
owned by landlords. Every man should own
the land he farms. We may enjoy many
privileges in this country above the poorer
classes in Europe. Let us improve them.
Let us not have too much red tape about our
Farmers Clubs Let us not despise the poor.
Some farmers say "My father was good
farmer, and am as good as he, and it is Of nc
use for me to alt3nd the Club" say that nc
farmer knows it all; and if he does let him
come and tell the rest of us. He only shows
his Ignorance who says he knows it all.
have studied 10 years and have not learned il
all. Agriculture is a great study. Agricul-
tural chemistry is not well understood, and
We have yet many things to learn of seeds
and machines, aud thousand other things Of
Importance. We can talk over these matters
at the club and be mutually benefited.
Another object in attending the Club should
be to cultivate sociabillty. A farmer said tC
me lately, that he had Just found out, at the
Club, that neighbor of his whom he had
previously disliked was a much better mar
than he had thought he was. We are toe
much absorbed in work to get acquainted with
each other.
The Germans are much more sociable than
the Americans. They drink their wine alC
beer and have a good time. Our farmers
also are generally too rough in their znanners
and consider the little arts of politeness as o.
little value; yet these contribute very much tC
the sum total of human happiness.
Now word about the education of farm
ers. Farmers need education very much and
should strive for it. Begin at home. Take
your county papers. l practice what preacf
Tor L take all IN my own county, and many
others besides. care nothing about politics
Ii your papers are not good enough, make
them better; eniighten them. 1t is your OWL
fault If they are No better. Some farmers
raise a large family without newspaper IN
the house. They growl ut dollar and hali
or two dollars for county paper, and ye
that is much less than it costs to print it ii 1t
were to be paid only by subscription. II il
were not for the adyel ltisements, the paper
could not be Published at all. Farmers very
often sell bushel or two of apples or potatoes
OF bushel of wheat for more than the paper
&C sts for a whole year.
Our agriculturaI papers in Ohio have not
been well sustained. Several have failed at
Columbus for want of support. There is 6
farmers paper almost at your own doors, "Tht
Farm Journal which you ought to take. Sup
port your home paper first and then take as
many others as you can.
Look ut your business men. Your mer-
chants read their paper just as regularly a'
they eat their breakfast. Aside from farming
matters these papers contain much other i'll
formation, history, biography, romance and
news from all parts of the world. The large
agricultural papers of New York and Other
large cities solicit and publish many good ar
ticles written by farmers. The farming IN
tsrest is advancing rapidly all over this coun-
try, and farmers should step up promptly tC
their places and take their positions. Ii the
workingmen of Ohio had the proper combi
nation and concert of action, and the educa
ton necessary to understand and maintain
their rights, they could control the entire des-
tiny Of this State. They are in the majority
and the majority rule. Farmers should Keel
up with the times like professional and busl-
9ss men. The world is moving, and they
should not only move with it, but lead 1t
even though it takes hard work, much reading
and study, and patient, continued and united
action. If farmers are once educated up tc
to the standard necessary to understand and
maintain their rights, they will hold with
honor and dignity their proper positions In
society, and in our government. They will
no longer be so dependent upon other folks.
The subjects for discussion Ii your Clubs
can take a wide range. Some told US al
first that we could not have permanent
club because there were so many Of different
opinions, not only IN regard to farming, but IN
regard to religion, and politics, and there
would be so many axes to grind. We decided
at the outset not to grind any mans ak, nor to
make our club an advertising medium, nor to
talk about religious or political questions, but
only about such matters as affected our in
afa far
Some say to us, ave will do your thinking
and all you can do is to work on and do the
best you can at home" That was the policy
of Napoleon, intent only upon building up his
own dynasty; and under his rule, intelligence
was crushed, and the whole nation became de-
moraHzed; an easy prey to their better educat-
ed neighbors, the Germans. Contrast even
now the fckleness of the French with the
good sense of the Germans, and learn Lesson.
Now, gentlemen, a word about the condition
of our farmers. The farmers of Northern
Ohio are perhaps the most intelligent class of
agriculturists in the world, and indeed the
farmers all over Ohio are intelligent, bat they
can and should take a step IN advance. They
should educate themselves, take higher
ground, avoid quarrels and jealousies and
party strife, and work together IN harmony
for their best interests. Look at Ireland, SO
highly favored with natural advantages for
agriculture, and yet her people have no homes
of their own. The land Is all owned by Eng
lish landlords. You meet an English noble
man at grand hotel in Paris who throws
down his gold.sovereign for meal and talks
proudly of his vast estates, while, at the same
time, perhaps hundreds of poor Irish lsborers
are toiling on his farms, and after paying ex-
orbitant rents have hardly enough left to sup
port life, to say nothing of the comforts and
rNslfn aY,i, I hov
in their houses. They are usually built of
mud, sometimes CT stone. They have but two
windows, and the rooms are separated by pa
per partitions. A couple Of white pigs are
usually found in some part of the house. The
irish are a genial warm hearted people, but
they do not live at home as we do. 1 think
those that cultivate the land ought to own the