The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1874-04-23
Wnlf rYPrRIEyCE HAS fluenf.

Vi I" NC" country usually commence INC
: labors with tho impression that the day
| of hard and earnest toll were immediate
ly over when they lett the old states, an
that the pathway to fortune IN the IA
West was covered with roses. Sue
! were tho thoughts not only ofthose VIII
had always followed the pillow but ,hos
who had learned the professions, or ha
been mechanics, or tradesmcn. Pcrhap
ministers of the gospel, even, fancie
they were coming to an earthly elysiun1
where their christian teachings woul'
be limited to the reproduction of thei
old sermons. II was the idea of nearl,
all classes OF men that the West was al
Eldorad0 wherein fortunes were as thicl
as grains OF sand on the sea shore, which
could be picked up as one would stool
for curious shell. They left home al
confident OF overcoming the material
wealth of the new land to their own al
vantage as easily rs Xerxes thought te
conquer the whole of Greece. But cx
perience has dispeiled this popular illus.
ion in q summary manner. Lawyers
who had thought only of multitude OF
elic-ts flocking at their Office door at
early morn have been driven by necessi-
ty to act simply in the capacity Of cap
tains of mulo teams. Mechanics have
found instead Of contracts which have
yielded fortunes by simple turn Of the
hand, fair wages, and often no employ
ment. Merchants who had calculated
upon ranking among the "princely" in
q few months time, by realizing 100 per
cent. for their wares, found earnest COM
petition, and often bankruptcy. Thus,
{" air castles" dissolved as the mornins
mists, before the sturdy blows dealt by
inexorsble experience. The painting
of the West had been colored deeply
from imagination, alone. Tho idea Of
Of escaping active toll and gaining wealth
by steady and legitimate employment,
was the remotest thought in nearly every
breast. Speculation and vasabondish
disposition ruled too many. On the
other hand, the few persons who came
with the object of following their old
pursuits and TO labor the same as ever
have found no canse TO complain. They
have learned "to labor and TO wait"
and find this line as applicable to sue
cess in the West as in any other country.
As We nave stated above, too many of
our farmers have neglected their fields,
and have consequently been unsuccess-
iul. Some thought that the rich soil of
his country ought to and would return
hem the richest of harvests with the
east amount of labor, while they could
die away the hours in the shade. Ex-
'erience has taught them that they must
cork, and when they have worked, they
ind, indeed, that rich harvests are re-
urned to them. Others of the farmers
ave neglected their fields to engage in
he Texas cattle business, thus hoping
o realize the fulfillment of their fond
opcs of making fortune in the West
Tithout resorting to the tedious labors
f the plow. And how many have sue
eeded at this? Few, if any. We re-
ard the Texas cattle business which we
ave had in this county for several years
$ having bred more shiftlessness and
iIcness among our farmers than could
ave been created by any other causes
Hown to mon. 1t struck severe blow
t our agricultural prosperity, from the
fleets of which the county is hardly re-
ovcred. As soon As the traffic ceased,
here was perceptible change-more
Ind being broken and moro acres cult
ated. Farmers commenced to labor
D recover the money they had lost
, the longhorn speculation. Granaries
cyan to take the place Of cerrals, and
arrest effort was made by them to re-
over the advantage ,h:y had so unwise-
: abandoned. The pas, two years have
cen prosperous ones for the farmers,
nd the present one is full Of golden
They have found that it
ays to farm when they are willing 10
Ibor, and arc entering upon more ex
snsiyc and systematic plan of farming.
lost of Of our farmers are devoiinS their ;
'holo time to the farming business, and
ealizs how much more profitable it is to
'ork steadily away at one branch of
usiness. They find good market for
II they raise and lose few crops.
TRADE RULES THE SANE.
The junction CITY Union knOvs of a +.