The Grange advance., 1874-03-11
Spring is Coming.

Inc following from the American Ay-
'iculturist is just in time The remarks
on a better system Of farming are SER
mon in themselves Let our friends
ever bear in mind that whatever is worth
doing at all is worth doing we'll Skilled
labor always brings the best pay, and
this is Just as true of the farmer as any
other man. People frequently seem to
think that it requires no skill to be a
farmer. That there is just so much to
do, and that one man can do it about as
we'll as another. This is grievous mis-
take. There is as much difference in
the skill used in conducting farms as
there is between the skill required to
make dry goods box and that which is
used in producing and perfecting the
most beautiful and perfect piece Of ma
hogany furniture
One more month and spring will be
here. It is good thing to look for
ward A farmer lives largely in the fu-
ture. In the calf he sees the ripe steer.
His plans are far-reaching, and require
months and years for their perfect de-
velopment. A man who can not wait
with patience will not be happy farm
or. He must work and hope We have
had much to discourage US, but our
prospects are now decidedly brighter
For two Or three years past we have seen
hard times. Wages have been high and
prices low. Our expenses have been out
of all proportion to our receipts. The
"panic u Of last September was the ef-
feet and not the cause of the general ag-
ricultural distress. AS we have repeat
edly stated, farmers for two or three
years past have not been getting ade-
quate compensation for their labor and
capital. Many farmer of skill: expert
ence, and intelligence has received less
pay for his labor than the average me-
chanic, or even, in some cases, than the
unskilled laborer on our railroads and
public works. The cities and villages
seemed to be prospering, while farmers
found it difficult to raise money to pay
taxes and grocery bills. It needed the
panic to convince our bankers, manufac
turers, business, commercial, and railroad
men that the nation could not prosper
when corn was used for fuel, and wher
the money got for a hog would hardly
buy pair Of childrens boots It wa'
we'll that they should know that farm
er who had to pay So Or s. per day ant
board to get men to help him bind
crop of wheat that only yielded eigh
bushels per acre was not likely to bu,
many silk dresses or railroad bonds
And 50 the collapse came.
Now things are changed. Farmers
like all other classes, suffered by tn
panic, but we shall lose nothing by it i
the end
Favored by low prices. our exports {
farm produce have been enormous. ]
is a good thing to get rid Of our surplu!
1t will give us better prices for what "
have left. To-day there is nothing
the prospect ahead that should discou
age good farmer. 1t seems brighte
to us than at any time for several yea1
past. Wages will come down. impl
ments, machines, dry goods and groceri'
will be sold at reasonable rates. VIII,
we have to sell will be higher; what y
need to buy will be lower-in fact,
lower already.
But let it not be forgotten that to IL
poo. farmer times are always hard. "
must raise good crops and produce, 60,
beef, mutton, pork, cheese, butter a,
fruit before we have any right to expe
, good times. It would be a sad thing
the country to have prices SO high th
apoor farmer who raises only ten bus
els Of wheat per acre on the ayera
could get rich. The writer is farm'
and all his interests and sympathies a
with the farmer, but we can not but f
that many Of our troubles are due to 0,
selves. We need, it may be, an e elias
currency" cheap fteights, and few
middlemen, more sheep and fewer do,
better Department of Agricultu1
more farmers clubs, more aeericultu,
books and papers, and moro frmers