The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-01-25

Farmers, Clubs.

MEssRs. EDIrons ~ have recently read,
with much interest, several articles or com
manications in your much esteemed paper on
Farmers Clubs, but, as yet, have not heard
of any being organized in the county. Ger.
tainly nothing need be added to what has al
ready been published in your paper to induce
or influence farmers to organize such clubs as
have been recommended.
The article over the signature of''A Farm
or, as also the one written by "0bserver,r
contained such an abundance of reason and
argument in favor Of Farmers Clubs as to
render il utterly unnecessary to place anything
else in your paper by way Of further recon-
mendation; but its columns ought to be filed
with the proceedings Of organized Farmers
Clubs, and such would be the case if farmers
studied their own interest as do other classes
ofbusiness men. Merchants have their daily
meetings to fix uniform price for such arti-
Giles in which they may deal; If we go to the
shoemaker we have to pay him his price for
shoes and boots; IL we go to the blacksmith
we have to pay him his price for work if we
go to the storekeeper we have to pay him his
price for dry goods, groceries, hardware, and
every other article we have to buy. IL we
go to the printer we have to pay him his price
for advertising, &C. and ii, unfortunately, dis
ease lays hold on us, and we become pain.
fully neeessitated to call in physician, we
have to pay what he charges for his services.
How vastly different is it, on the other hand,
when the farmer has bushel of grain to sell,
he at once inquiries of the purchaser, "What
are you paving for grain. to-day" or if po-
tatoes, butter, or anything else, is to be sold,
the same question is propounded before sale
is effected. The farmer seems to he at the
mercy of all other business men, and his in.
terests thoroughly under their control, Now
it is not quite certain that this state of things
cannot be remedied to great extent; at
least, in orr Farmers Club meetings we could
talk over the matter, and either seek out a
remedy or settle down with knowledge that
tire is none. Satisfaction might be obtained
one way or the other.
There are other subjects of vast importance
to the farmer that might be discussed at these
club meetings, and each member of club
would have the advantage of the experience
and knowledge of all the other members.
How frequently, after consulting with neigh.
Dor, are our minds changed in regard to Ger.
tain enterprises which we may have been con.
sidering for months and become fully satisfied
that we had fully dgested and ventilated the
whole subject; and yet, word from passer-
by throws new light upon the subject and
opens up errors which in ourselves We were
unable to discover. Again, how frequently it
happens, that, in the absence of the advice
and views of our friends, we consummate our
enterprise at probably n considerable ex-
pense, and too late discover, by sad expe-
rience, that the whole is failure, or, at least,
susceptible of great improvement These Sc
rious results could unquestionably be prevent
ed by well organized farmers clubs. Let
farmers organize and ascertain for themselves
the amount of benefit that would be derived
from such associations.
A BROTHER farmer.
FiRkSJug, Jan. ~, 1878.