Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-14
"scrub Farming" Again.

We could not help wondering all the while
we were reading the letter Of "W. s." which
we printed recently, that writer evidently
so intelligent should take up the side he did
and we somewhat suspected that his sarcasm
had two edges, one for us and The other for
the scrub farmer" We have now sec
ond letter from his pen, as follows;
M. Editor,--As you have Published an ar
tcle Of mine in the WArcHNAN Of June Both,
with somewhat lengthy comments thereon, take
the liberty to send you this with the hope that
may tend to set MS right both between our
selves and our readers You say first That
misrcpresented tho tone and tendency Of your re-
MARKS in the article referred TO- and intimate that
did it purposely.
Let me say here that Icertainly lid not intend 10
mirepresent anything you said To my apprc-
honsion, the language used by You expressed as
plainly as language could the sentiments which
have ascribed 10 it, but rs you disavow all such
sentiments Of course have no further controversy
on that point
But, Mr.. Editor you have misreprcscnted me
not Intentionally Of course, for no true gentleman
would do that Allow me to say then, am not an
advocate Of scrub.farmng, neither would belittle
my own calling / believe the cultivation Of the
soil to be one Of the highest and most honorable
occupations that men can engage IN. believe ill.,
and practice keeping good stock, and keeping
them we'll making good butter, and as much as
possible, and selling it for good price 1 would
make all the Improvements possible on the farm
in order to increase It's produotiyoness to the high
est point, AZ Won as to beautify and adorn
would have the farmer give his children as good
an education as bis means will allow--oyen ma
king sacrifices to that end II need be | would
have him read books periodicals. and newspapers,
and take pains to inform himself on all subjects
as much as possible would have him and his
family dress in broadcoth and silks whenever he
can afford it, lie may adom his house with pic
lures, cover his tables with books, and in short
try every means in his power to make home attac-
tive and comfortable
The farmer should be able to take his place by
the side of the other great men Of the land He
ought to be elected to the highest offices in the
gift Of the people and would, have no doubt,
fill them with greater ability and more honor
than the majority Of those who are elected from
other professions
In this we agree, Mr. Editor; only in the matter
ofneezingo the ignorant ones do we differ Isay,
II they not willing to learn, land think very
few will come under that head, let them live let
them scrub; give them equal rights; do not crowd
them, but be content to live and let live ] might
say more, but forbear. At some future time
may contribute an article on some OF the him
ORANGES to the success Of the farmer For the
present We will leave the subject to ADLER hands,
while we 20 into the fields to labor, and study the
works OF the Creator. W. SPRINGER
Cabot, July sd, 1915,
Now this is the kind of letter we like,
and we hasten to apologize to Mr.. Springer
for thinking and intimating that he nten-
tonally misrepresentcd our meaning in the
article he was criticising Bnt while we
cannot now doubt that he wrote in good
faith, we can hardly aequt him of hasty
reading, since we have submitted our article
to several persons of intelligence for the pur-
pose of learning whether the impression Ia
ken by Mr.. Springer was likely to be gen
eral and we find that they do not see
anything in it inconsistent with what we
said in commenting upon his first letter.
We hardly like such reflection upon oui
own common sense as is involved in the sup
position that We think it possible to freeze
out scrub farming by any consensual nc
ton on the part Of good farmers No sucl
conspiracy could be set on foot among FIRE,
people, and if attempted, it would, ant
ought, to fail ignominiously. In the articl,
noticed by Mr.. Springer, we were critcizing
the proposition of Mr. Sturteyant to max,
education compulsory, and declared our be
lief that even this will not work.
We but repeat again what we have twice
said, when we declared that our sole hope
in this matter comes from the consoling fact
that illiterate farming pays worse and worse
every year" 1t is by the working Of the
natural laws in accordance with which Coo
governs his creation, and by aid of which al
progress is alone possible, that we look tc
see scrub farming extinguished The fac
is, such is the disposition TO let well enough
(and poor enough alone, that the majorit,
Of mankind win rarely mend their ways be
fore they see poverty and ruin staring then
in the face. As regards agriculture, W,
now confront that lion in the path. Capita
invested in farming pays less, on the ave
rage, than capital invested in any other legiti
mate business. As Mr., McAlister demon
strated by the memorable logic of figures, a
the East Berkshire meeting Of the Board o
Agriculture, farmer who makes one hun
dred and fifty pounds of butter per COW
must sell it for thirty-one cents pound, il
order TO receive ordinary wages for his labor
AID six per cent. upon the value of his farm
What then is the condition Of that larg,
body OF farmers who are making less than
one hundred and fifty pounds of butter, am,
receiving less than thirty-one cents for it
Is it surprising that the silk dress does no
appear in their farmhouse that they can
not bear the taxation necessary for goo,
schools; that their children are oyerworked
have little enjoyment, and but a poor prepa
ration for gaining larger returns than thei
parents from the FARM Is not the ten
dency of such agriculture constantly down
ward, and does there need to be any conspir
acy TO freeze it out Suicide" is writ
ten all over this kind Of farming. We bu
seek to raise the alarm before this down
ward course shall have so reduced the pro
ductive capacity Of our state that no return
is possible without a social reyolution-lus
such a revolution as "W S." thought W,
desired, rather than deprecated aud dreaded
as the fact is
For when the producing power of oul
lands shall fall, by unintelligent and ex
haustiye tillage, to the point of utter un
proftableness, what must follow but that i
will fall into the hands of the capitalists
who, before the scrub farmer utterly sue
cumbs, will have shingled it over with mort
cages? We may be sure that when larg,
tracts thus become the property of wealthy
and intelligent men, an effort win be made tc
restore productiyeness by the use Of money
and science, which together have worked
such revolution in European agriculture.
Then the capable farmer, be he foreign or
native, viii take hold of the land as a renter,
under long lease, that shall protect his in
yestments Of capital necessary to restore the
soil 10 fertility and the sons of the scruh