Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-10-03

vocation Is established by the fact
that it has been pursued Ivy the no.
blest men in all ages. The greatest
generals, the chieIest statesmen, the
most eloqent orators and most diistin-
guished poets, and the best of men,
were farners--not mere lookers-on,
amateurs, gentlemen farmers, hut
practical, toiling men, who held the
pillow or turned the soil with the spade.
In modern times the Kings and po-
tentates, the lords and mobiles, the
scholars and merchant princes of the
Eastern world are the patrons if not
the practicers of the art of hus-
bandry.
At home our most distinguished
men have sprung from the farm, and
in their early days been Injured to la
Dor. None of our Presidents, few if
any Of our eminent statesmen. were
born in a great city. Springing from
the farm, such interest bave they in
rural engagements that when the
duties Of Office cease they resume the
occupation of the farmer and claim it
as tue most honorable position in life.
Washington was a farmer and Guilt
waited large estate, as were his i'm
mediate successors. Madison and
Monroe both were :illerS of the soil.
Van Buren,, retiring from the Presi.
dental chair, gave place to the farmer
who lived out in the West, and
deemed it no disgrace TO devote his
time to the culture of his garden at
Undertook. Henry Clay was u
farmer and grew broad fields of
corn at Ashland. Webster bred mag
nifcent cattle and cultivated wide
acres at Franklin and at Marshfeld.
John Stark, the hero of Bennington,
was farmer, and on the banks of the
Merrimack stands the monument that
shall perpetuate the name of the farm
er of DerryIield. Thus might we ex-
tend the long roll of those who in
honoring our chosen industrial pur.
suit have reaped honor to their
names.
Such honor shall continue. Com.
merce may whiten every sea with its
canvas and bring in its treasures
from every cline. Manufactures may
cause cities to spring up in a day by
the banks OF our wa sting rivers anC
make the land echo with the CHATTER
Of the loom and the blow of the ham
mer. Agriculture may plod on in ;
quiet and transformations way, but be
n-ath her tread The earth shall bios
som and yield her fruit, and with 4
generous hand this art Of arts shall
administer to the necessities of he
rival sisters. Agriculture is q safi
pursuit and may be made profitable
one. With the exercise of care. lane
seldom depreciates in value ; as u per
manent Investment no property is 81
reliable, and for the purpose Of spec
uiation, all that q man needs to en-
sure fortune is /, asonable degree
of prudence, and the ability to pur
chase at the right time. You cannot
point to many men not influenced will
the love of California gold or covet
Gus of the fertile fields of the West
who have suffered losses from thei
possession Of land, while YOU cal
name scores who have increased Their
wealth through this single agency.
But the income of Il well regulated
farm anywhere in New England vii
yield d fair dividend. In word
farming may be made profitable. Hi
who denies the proposition bccaus,
he has failed to verify it, is either ,
very poor farmer or, what is greatly
to be deplored, has q very poor acite
Were there time, examples of success
full farming could be given in the State
which cannot fail to show that farm
ing can be made profitable, whateve
the common practice may be. ar
aware of the present depression in til,
pursuit, of the low price of many
products, of the high cost of Labor
and transportation, Of the burden Of
taxation, and the reluctance on th,
part OF the young man and young
woman to engage in the wort whicl
the farm and farmhouse ,.smand
and what have said in this respec
has reference to the possibilities 0
the vocatlon-to that which is real
lied when capital is rightly EN-
: ployed and intelligence is sum
moned to the aid of labor. | know
that too many farmers occupy stelil
soil are remote from Market ar,
destitute Of capital, and do not worl
half as diligently as the mechanic
and are not rs stu1ious as the mer
chant or the manufactures.
l have no word Of encouragement
to induce that class. of men to continu,
in their course. They are not farm
ers, but have driited into the rank.
because their circumstances have ex
Guided them from OTHER occupations
But including them, even, farmers will
sustain favorable comparison in re
garu to property, responsibility and
financial standing, with any othe
class. The fact s,there is a greater
equality among farmers in this respec
than among men of other occupations
Statistics tell us that only one mer
chant in the hundred is fullysuccessful
Laboring and intelligent mechanic.
do not become rich, and the estates q
professional Elen are seldom as large