The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-10-08

CouStaub anu READY market, ana Cnelr pro-
ducts are Of u kind that cost little 70
transport. The successful solution OF the
Transports ion problem by the farmer,
is not necessarily in securing the min mum
price per pound for carrying his goods to
market, but in marketing them in such
form, that the freight and commission
shall be minimum per cent. of their
value.
lam we'll aware that change from
grains rowing to stock or dairy farming
cannot readily be made over large tract
OF country, neither would it be d1sira BILE
could 1t be done. The change needs TO
be t. gradual one that shall continue until
.here is balance in the proportion of all
farm products to the demands of the mar
ket. To sustain this balapce> will often
require more of certain commodity one
Year than another, TO meet the huctna
tions IN demand that results from various
causes On this account judicious syso
tenn OF mixed farming will generally be
safer for the ordinary farmer, VI no may
not be able to anticipate the wants of the
market.
Il would be most desirable thing to
d" could he West, Ms is SO often urged
upon 1t, share the manufacturing of the
country with the East and thus briug the
producers and consumers o. both farm and
manufactured products more nearly to-
gcther. But no rapid chang in this di-
rectlon can be hoped for The West is
young. not more than half century old.
1t was settled mostly by young men with
ont money, and so is now, notwithstanG-
lag her great resources, comparatively
poor. There is no surplus capital TO en- :
gage in manufacturing. Money has been
borrowed from the East for the purchase
Of farms, and for building railroads and
high interest and taxes must be paid in
co. sequence. Au1 convenient water
power is not abundant. While New
England, with factories already esIab-
lisbed, with wealth, and abundant water
power, has every advantage over Western
competition. These are some of the reA-
sons why we cannot expect to see Tue
manufacturing interests of the West grow
rapidly. They will doubtless increase,
but 1t is upon wise system of agricul-
ture that our great dependence lies
1t bebooves US then to look about us
with scrutlnizlng eye, that we may see
where the evils Of our present system
lie,and to give every cause its due weight
in the production of that evil. Whenever
any given course is recognized to be OBJ
posed to successes, it will soon enough be
abandoned. But the relations of cause and
effect are often intricate, and the danger
lies inthe difficulty there is in tracing out
these relations.
AS have before sho gn, the independ-
ence of the farmer has been taken awsv
He is now like manufacturer. the pro-
duce of a cert in class of commodities
not for his own use, but for sale in the
markets Of the world, that, with the
means so obtained, he may purchase the
supplies needed by himself and family.
He is thus brought into competition with
other producers and needs to famliarjze
himself With he fundamental laws that
govern commerce. He cannot safely lg-
more thee laws and satisfy himself by
decrying political economy. If lie shuts
his eyes to the wants of the world and
plants hundred thousand acres Of homes.
be will live to regret his unfortunate
blindness, as doubtless many present to-
day can tettify. But how many Western
wheat-growers have ever asked them
selves, "Where shall a market be found
for the surplus produce Of my farm, and
what will be the demands of that mar
ket ?" Have they not grown wheat be-
cause ten years ago it found a ready sale
at high price, instead of studying the
present and prospective demands for that
article? A course for which theyare now
paying the penalty
Like every other class of producers.
farmers are Brought into contact with the
world through the exchange of their
podncts. If'they fail to inform them
selves upon those commercial questions
that are of especial Importance to them
in buying and selling, they in so doing,
neglect their own welfare nd mthare will