Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-06-04
UnbelIeving Farmers.
BY JOHN SCOTT.

ing to knowledge. Tn certain de
gree he believes in the influence OF
the moon on other things than tides:
in like manner he refers to the signs
of the Zodiac; he sees that the wealth
er on certain days influences the
weather Of certain months or seasons
he watches for the sun on ground
hog days, and is clated or depressed
according to his faith; he believes i'll
quack doctors, quack lawyers, quack
preachers, Quack patents, q; ack med
icines and quack politicians, and in
common with his fellow Americans
Of all classes, he invests in all sorts
of humbugs with a faith and simple.
ity that it is refreshing but humilia
ting to see. He bows to pretenders
Counterfeits Of all kinds are passed
on him; he pays the fiddler while
others dance. The proper name, how.
ever, for this sort of belief is not
faith but credulity. But of faith in
the Great Oliver Of good things, he
has fair share.
Yet, while he is more credulous
than other men in some Of the things
above mentioned, in some other great
truths he is slow to believe. He has
too little confidence in himself and
his calling. As to himself, it is pos
sible that the untavorable compari-
son he makes between himself and
others is not SO much in undertaking
himself as in over-rating them. We
are prone to attach Importance to GER
tain things we do not possess, and
among many such there is none that
comes up SO magnificently as fine
clothing. Our calling will not adj
nit of expensive clothing as habit,
for in its nature it is destructive Of
both gloss and substance. The far
mer must wear substantial clothing
from crown to sole. Even the best
Of overalls will not preserve fine
clothing, either in the field or stable.
In his daily avocations, the farmer
caunot but contine himself to substan-
tial apparel, irrespective to great
extent of appearance. The profess
sional man may array himself in pur-
pie and fine linen as a daily habit, at
comparatively small cost; the farmer
must not do it at all. Here, then, Is
an outward badge Of our calling that
we are compelled to put on. All
admit that we are the architects Of
our own fortunes in free America,
and that we are entitled to credit as
we exhibit merit, still there is diff
erence extended to mere clothing to
which it has no claims, and those
who do not wear the best are envions
md inconsiderale of those who do.
There are none who are more affect
ed by this weakness than the farmers,
Is 4 class, and none to whom it is
50 grievous a wrong. This wrong,
10 Il great extent, is self.infiicted, be-
cause they give the matter undue i'm
oortance, more than others give to it.
But to still greater extent is he
influenced in the same direction, by
The Difference paid to education, and
Us to this scarcely know what to
say. Learning may be over-rated; Of
and knowledge it is i'm
possible; all Of them are valuable,
out to learning, erudition, literature,
The. farmer deiers more than to
knowledge. Perhaps he is open to
criticism only III this last respect
But education, knowledge, learning,
Ill are compatible with his calling;
Ire even necessaryto the highest sue
cess therein. Now, if the farmer
must pay such tax to learning, why
loes he not avail himself of the adj
if not for himself, at least
for his children? Unjust be because
IF his want of thorough conviction
IF the advantages which he yet
strongly suspects; his suspicious are
strong enough to induce him to con-
;cdc superiority to the learned, yet
his faith is not sufficient to induce
him to seek the better way He is
one step short of the utterancc ofthat
notable prayer: "Lord, l believe;
help Thou mine unbelicf." To this
extent he is an unbeliever.
But the average tiller of the soil
acks faith in his calling. He is
prone to regard the earth aud its
seasons as capricious, and wanting
in sympathy with his labors; he
evinces this in his forebodings as to
The future and his discomfort with
The present. He imbues his sons
with the same feeling, and they for
sake the farm for the shop, for trade
Dr. for a profession. His daughters
lake the same idea, and they favor
the suit of the fne-haircd youth III
fine clothes, rather than that Of the
bronzed and brawny young man
who faces sun and storm without
fear or care. The children follow
the father in contempt for the sub
stance and admiration for the shad-
ow. He farther shows his want of
faith in the business Of tillage, by
failing to investigate its principles,
10 note carefully its teachings. Sue
cess is too often regarded as the re-
suit of chance; and misfortune is
rarely imputed to aught else than
'bad luck" The lesson of facts is
a theory based on credu-
lily occupies the theme.
With the kindest feelings for
those whom l criticise, it can only be
said that much of this is wrong. 1t is
not consistent with proper views ola
benifcent Creator, to suppose that
this is the true character and place of
the calling Of those who subsist the
people Of the whole world. The
temperate zone of the earth is proven
to be that portion best adapted to a
high degree Of civilization, and it is
a direct imputation upon Divine
Wisdom to assume that its seasons
are inconsistent with the supp ,rt Of
its population, or that the occupation
which more than all others, is es-
sential to mans progress, is umcer-
tain in its results, or wanting in all
true elements of dignity, successand
happiness to its votaries. Irepudiate
all such theories; and will impute
my failures to a want OF knowledge,
to lack Of energy, or some weak
ness of nv own, rather than to any,