The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-03
Whose Brains Cost the Most,
IIRe Farmers or the PF04es.
GSnu.,V M N nsS 81

To the Editsrs Of the Columbia Herald:
| have often heard the remark, IN ming
hing among the people, that lawyers, ply
sicians, teachers and ministers, should
have more pay for their labor than far
mer, because it had cost them more time
and money to prepare themselves to do
the work; or, in other words, their brains
cost them more than the farmers.
OF all the professions, trades and call
ings, the farmer pays the dearest price
for his knowledge He never errs in
judgment but it costs him something. lfhe
does not prepare his soil properly, plant
properly, and reap in due season, he is
the loser. Every day develops some
new idea The change of seasons, the
uncertainty of the weather, and many like
incidents, all tend necessarily to change
his programme of operations, He can
have no chart by which he can regulate
his business. His movements are upon
the spur of the moment, depending en-
oirsly upon circumstances that he has no
control over. If he fails to adapt himself
to all these breakers and thereby steer.
clear, it is at his own expense and cost
No reward, no income for his expended
labor. These difficulties are presenting
themselves before him every day-yea,
even every hour, and there is no remedy
by which he can correct them, except at a
heavy cost.
Think for one mOment-his soil washed
away by the rains; his teams gradually
giving away; his laborers employed at la
Dor not remunerative; his farming nipple
ments wearing away; insects destroying
his crop; dry weather parching up old
mother earth; either too dry or to wet,
too hot or too cold; storms of wind sweep
ing over his crop and laying it waste
these are only few OF the difficulties
that the farmers brain has to encounter
and overcome, and that at heavy outlay
of time, labor and money. His occupa-
ton can only be followed during the day,
and not like those of the professions, who
can make as good progress at night as in
the day, in preparing to succeed in their
vocation. Besides this the lawyer may
lose his case from ignorance or careless
ness, and still he receives his fee; the
physician may not succeed in overcoming
the disease of his patient; the teacher
may fail to inculcate his text books in the
minds of his pupil; the minister may send
a soul to perdition by teaching false doc
trines; the editor may lead his readers to
adopt measures that will overturn their
government;-yet they are all remunerat.
ed for their labor in dollars and cents.
1t is through the labor of the farmer
that the muscles and brains are produced
in all the professions. They are the
foundation, the chief corner stene, yea
the very mud sill, upon which the success,
the prosperity and happiness of mankind
depend If, then, their mission is so ne
cessary, so important, so noble. why not
let them rise up in the scale of superiority
which nature and God has intended for
them, and take their position on the top
round of the ladder of fame.
1t is the farmer own fault that he does
not lule and govern the world, He has
the numbers he has the wealth, he has
the intelligence, and ali he has to do is to
have confidence in himself, Snd but reach
forth in his might, to take possession Of
his prize. The Father Of his Country
was tiller OF the soil What he did you
can do Then, being the bcnefactors of
your race, arouse yourselves to the i'm
portanoe Of your strength and ability, and
show to the rest Of mankind that you are
equal to the emergency Of the times, in
uprooting the false idea that your brains
are not as valuable as the brains of men
who belong 10 what are called the learn
ed professions FAM.