Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-07-24

BYRON GRANGE No. ss7. Meets at Justus Dur
KEGS, on Tuesday evening, on Or before new
moon. EDWARD GLEASON, Master.
A Farmers True Bank.
All farmers should so arrange
their business that they will have
something to sell at all seasons of
the year. The products of the farm
we'll condensed, always sell, and at
renumerativc prices. Fat steers,
good mich cows, hogs, horses, fat
sheep, chickens, turkeys, etc, can al
ways be turned into ready money in
case of necessity, and are better than
money in the bank, as they increase
in value, while the money seldom
draws any interest. Depending up-
on the two staple articles of wheat
and corn will make farmers and
farms poorer every year, and selling
these articles in their raw state, they
seldom pay for production, leaving
out the rent or interest of money in
vested in lands, implements and
teams. 1t is true every farmer can
not put himself in the true position
at once, but we urge them to bend
their energies and intellect to bring
about this condition of things on the
farm. Have something always in
readiness for market, but at the same
time keep the financial affairs in such
a condition that there will be no
compulsion to sell when the market
is depressed. Be always ready, but
watch the market, and keep so post
ed that some Spectator, who is al
ways wide-awake for a good oppor-
tunity, cannot on sudden rise get
the profits the farmer was waiting
for. Every year and almost every
month, for the last fifty years, w
have witnessed the producer robbed
of all his profits by being always be-
hind the times. If there be a large
and sudden advance in hogs, cattle
or grain, he never knows it till some
sharper has gobbled up his stock at
two-thirds its value. Many farmers
are always kept poor, and their fam
lilies almost III 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 SO? 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 in 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. Farmers are
eating up and wearing out the crop
now sprouting from the earth, and
many Of them will be hurried to
thrcsh their wheat to pay bills for
machinery and family supplies. This
goes Immediately out of the State to
distant implement manufacturers,
and to pay merchants Eastern bills.
Then there is no more money to be
had till another crop is raised. All
of the farmers Of the State are not
thus shiftlcss, but we have an enter
prising class who are condensing the
produce Of the country, and are ac-
cumulatihg property, and so far as
they can are reducing the financial
condition Of the State. But the ma
jority are merely farm scrabblers.
The true farmer needs little, if any
money in the bank, but heshould al
ways have produce or stock of some
kind always ready for market, so
that he can turn it into money when
he may need funds. In this sit,,a-
ton man can be comfortable. and
he will never be heard complaining
about the hard times. But when
there is nothing to sell, money has
no road to come in upon us. It has
only one way Of travelling. 1t is
through the channels of commerce.
Wheat is fair price, and there
has been no failure in crops. Corn.
barley and oats are selling as high as
they ever should, for the prosperity
of the country. Others have to live
as well as farmers. Wool is selling
at renumerative prices. Pork and
beef pay the producer. Dairy pro-
ducts have been high for the last 1--WE
months. Potatoes are a dollar per
bushel, when they pay good profit
at half that price. Yet with all
these advantages the farmers peck
cts are empty, and the merchants
have to sell their goods on credit.
And all this grows ont of the bad
and wrong system of
farming. All see this, but still per-
sist in their practices. They plead
necessity for quick returns, whereas,
they really never have any return,
for their labor or rents of their land.
They sell their shoats, calves and
yearlings to cattle buyers. They
haul their corn to the neighboring
town or more thrifty cattle feeder.
They spend their winters in idleness,
and the whole year in complainings
and croakings. But any energetic
farmer, who fully appreciates the sit
uation, reads the daily paper, and
studies the demands of the country,
and has at home on his farm a true
farmers bank, on which he can draw
drafts and have them honorcd at any
month in the year GARRISON.
Butter Factories.
The success of checse-making on
the cooperative plan no one in Yer
mont questions, but butter factories,
though they have been in successful
operation in the State of New York,
have never been introduced here.
We can see no reason why butter
can not be manufactured in this way