The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-08-27

A correspondent, who is farmer,
writes:
"a farmer in good circumstances, re-
siding in neighboring township, pur-
chased thoroughbred shors-horn bull,
well built. Of good pedigree, and what
rendered him still more valuable IN this
dairy region, he descended from family
ofsuperior milkers. One would suppose
that the money was invested to excellent
advantage, but aside from the improve
ment of the owners stock, he never half
paid for the food he ate. The owner
charged the enormous sum Of three dol
lars TO insure, and though / have known
many Of his grades TO sell for more at
one year Of age than three year old ma
tives would bring, yet the neighboring
farmers would not pay three dollars for
a calf. The triaing amount TO be invest
ed would have doubled the value Of
their cattle at one year Of age, yet they
growl about hard times low prices Of
Stocks &c. Their stock onght to be low
] can find an abundance Of native year
steers throughout the country that would
hardly make a back load for a good
strong man. The large, mellow, meaty
grades which drovers 40 delight 70 han
die are not to be found here, but in their
place Tor in the place that should be oc-
cupied by suchl, are to be seen little
skinny scrubs which at three years old
average eight or nine hundred weight.
Every native steer that is brought to
maturity on our farms is raised at dead
loss 10 the amount which il costs 10 keep
HIM for one year, which at a low esti-
mate may be set at twenty-five dollars.
Talk about hard times being caused by
middlemen, when in the case under con-
federation, an outlay Of three dollars
would have yielded more than 700 per
cent. interest. And I can point to ex-
amples where a similar outlay in the
improvement Of different hocks Of sheep
would have returned a proportionate
profit upon tho investment
"And these very prejndiced, one sided
| envious men, who would not pay three
dollars for calf from a thoroughbred
bull or half a dollar for a lamb from
Cotswold buck, are the men who are
continually snivelling about kigh taxes,
exorbitant tariffs and like nonsense.
Hard times, indeed! You deserve to be
made to squeal when you pinch you're
selves, pinch each other, and try to
pinch those who would delight in seeing
better class Of stock upon every farm
in the country. You ought not 10 COM
plain, for if you don't get more than
forty-fve cents for your wool when your
neighbors all about you are selling for
ffty.fve cents, or two dollars per head,
while others can sell readily at twice
that amount. You may have the con-
ISOLATION Of knowing that the middleman
makes the most on that he has paid the
aost for. Let il be hard times for such
men. They are damage in any com
munity where those who would like 10
see progress and improvement are in the
minority. OF course they do not see Il
in the light that others zee it, and they
never willard why2 For the simple
reason that they stand just where their
fathers left them. They never read
agricultural journals or books because
it costs a few cents to pay the subsorip-
tion price, and If anybody is so silly as
to advise them to try some other plan,
they believe nothing in il, and are ready
to tell you 80. Let them alone"