Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-05-28
farmer cannot put himself in the true


things on the farm. Have some
thing always ready for market, but
at the same time keep the financial
affairs I'm such condition that there
will be no compulsion to sell when
the market Is depressed. BE always
ready, but watch the market, aud
keep so posted that some Speculation
who Is always wide awake for good
opportunity, cannot on sudden rise
get the prof IS the farmer was wait
ing for. Every year, and almost ey-
cry month, for the last fifty years,
we have witnessed the producer rob
bed of all his profits by being always
behind the the times. If there he a
large and sudden advance in hogs,
cattle or grain, he never knows 1t till
some sharper has gobbled up his
stock at two-thirds its value. Many
farmers are always kept poor, and
their families almost in want, for the
reason that they never know what
their stock or produce Is worth.
There is a constant cry that money
Is scarce. But why is it 50? 1t is
because Iowa has nothing to buy it..
Produce and stock are commanding
living prices, and if we had it to sell
money would flow upon US. The
currency may be inflated to an un-
limited extent, but If we have moth
ing to exchange for IT, how are
we TO have money plenty. Farm
ers are eating up and wearing out the
crop now sprouting from the earth,
and many Of them will be hurried to
thresh their wheat to pay bills for
machinery and family supplies.
This goes Immediately out Of the
State to distant implement manufac-
turers, and TO pay merchants eastern
bills. Then there Is no more to be
had until another crop Is raised. All
Of the farmers of the State are not
thus shiftless, but we have an enter
prisiDg class who are condensing the
produce OF the country, and are ac-
cumuating property, and so far as
they can are redeeming the financial
condition Of the State. But the ma
jority are merely farm scrabblers.
The true farmer needs little, il any
money in bank, but he should always
have produce or stock Of some kind
always ready for market, so that he
can turn i: into money when he may
need funds. In this situation man
can be comfortable and he will new
or be heard complaining about the
hard times. But when there Is moth
ing to sell, money has no road to
come in upon US. 1t has only one
way Of travelling. 1t IL through the
channels Of com merce.
Wheat Is a fair price, and there
has been no failure In crop. Corn,
barley and oats are selling as high as
they ever should, for the prosperity
OF the country. Others have to live
rs well as farmers. Wool is selling
at remunerative prices. Pork and
beef pay the producer. Dairy pro.
ducts have been high for the last five
months. Potatoes are dollar q
bushel, when they pay good profit
at half that price. Yet with all these
advantages the farmers pockets are
empty and the merchants have to
sell their goods on credit. And all
this grows out of the bad manage
,ment and wrong system of farming.
All see this, but still persist in their
practices. They plead necessity for
quick returns, whereas, they really
never have any return, for their la
Dor or rents OF their land. They sell
their shoats, calves and yearlings to
cattle buyers. They haul their corn
to the neighbofing town or more
thrifty cattle feeder. They spend
their winters In idleness, and the
whole year in complainings and
croakings. But any energetic farm
er, who fully appreciates the sittia-
ton, reads the daily paper, and
studies the demands Of tho country,
may have at home on his farm II
true farmers bank, on which he can
draw drafts and have them honored
at any month In the year. Agricai-
turai Department State Register.
One Idea.