Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-07

The work OK the year 1870 Is nearly
finished, anl:f. fruits have been garnered.
40 far 81 possible they have been made
m iiqii late the claims Of creditors and
satisfy the wants Of those Ivy whose labor
they were produced. The old score is no;
all wiped out, nor are present necessities
all supplied. Considerable Indebtedness
must be carried over rs an incum brance
upon the Efforts of next year. and many
things required to render life comfortable
may be wished for but not enjoyed. The
great mass Of those who TIL the soil in
Minnesota are perhaps beyond the reach
Of actual want, but In many cases this
condition may be attributed 10 the fact
that the exemption law is so liberal as %
allow the debtor his home and winters
supply Of food, Notwithstanding that he
may owe more than al his possessions are
worth.
A small proportion Of the farmers are
in good circumstances and in condition
to make rapid Accommodations. These as
\ rule know how to make the most oct Of
their business, aud they have the means
with which to do it. Those Who have
but little capital, except their labor, 1nd
it difficult to 90 vary their prodsctions
as to realize ~ much o they shosld for
what they expend. Every man Of any
agricultural experience knows the neces-
ity ofdiversifying. but Oil orc not able to
prob, by their knowledge. 1t takes
money to buy stock and provide suitable
shelter for it and tor the fodder which it
requires; and many have nothing that they
can spare from the actual processes of
production, hence they are in one sense
compelled to raise wheat from year to
year, although by co doing the crop grows
less and less annually, and soil poorer and
poorer Ivy the practice. If . season is un.
profitable, the returns are scarcely more
than sufficient to pay for the labor and
seed, and there is nothing left with which
to provide for the comfort Of the family.
Such is 10 some extent the condition OF
farmers this year. Many are not only
compelled TO let accumulated claims go
unliqudatcd, but to use their credit q 4
means Of procuring the necessarics of life
This condition it seems to Us should incite
thought and lead to 4 revolution in the
business Of agriculture. Instead of cult
waiting such large areas az some do, and
raising but single kind Of product, il
seens to Us that 1t would be better to limi,
the wheat business some what-to plan,
more corn, raise more oats, keep more
COWS, raise more cattle, aud more horses
and more hogs-to so plan that if some
one item fails to be renumerative the loss
will not be uncomfortable. Aside from it:
being a diversity, it will be better in an
other respect. 1t will, to some extent
distribute the labor through the entire
year, whereas wheat crowds it all into si1
months of time. This is question thai
should engage the earnest attention Of
agriculturists, for upon its successful solu
ton depends, in \ great measure, the vel
fare Of that great class of laborcrs without
whose intelligent efforts the fertile soil o.
Minnesota would BE- Of but little more con
sequence than the sands OF the desert
Unless the men who till it can gain com
petence by their labor, the product o
lands will be of but little value to the com
mcrcc Of tie world, for it is truth uni
versally recognized, that no business cal
be generally successful that does not gen
crously compensate those engaged in th'
primary processes of the work. Therefor
before Minnesota can become Z great pro
ducing State, her industries must be 81
diversified and perfected as to enable tn
elementary workers not only to live vel
by their labor but to accumulate some
thing by it.