River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-04-19
THE FARMERS AVOCATION-HOW
SHALL WE DIVEST 1T OF ITS
ODIUM

The farmer produces ali IHe Coni-
forts for mankind, yet he enjoys but
small portion himself.
On the farm it takes at least four
teen hours labor every day to sup
port a family, when much greater
luxury and comfort can be secured in
the city for ten hours labor.
Agriculture is the mother of all 9TH
er occupations; it furnishes to manu-
featuring and commerce their sole
foundation, and nearly all of the
food and raiment for civilized man,
yet it is the butt and jeer of the
world which is dependent upon it for
life.
Whilst all others, merchants, manu-
facturers, carriers, tradesmen and Ia
borers in other spheres, fix their prices,
the farmer who does more honest toll
than any of his fellows, has no voice
in fixing the price of his products;
and the man who never did an honest
days work in his life, as he rides
along in his pleasant carriage, splash
ing honest labor as he goes, can tell
better how much it costs to produce
pound of beef or pork, o. hushel of
corn. than the man who does it.
Why should these things be so !
Farming is the most ancient as well
as the most honorable occupation of
man. How often. from fair to fair,
from year to year, and day to day,
does this threadbare and more than
hypocritical, yes, acutely ironical as
severation bewilder us with its audaci-
ty. As we reflect, that ever since
God said unto Noah, 81 will establish
my covenant with all 1esh,' or to
Adam, SIN the sweat of thy face shalt
thou earn thy BREAD" the farmer
has been spurned and his vocation
deemed the very foundation of drudg-
cry.
These questions agitate the intelli-
gent farmers mind to-day, and with
increasing vehemence demand an an
swer; they cannot be averted, but
must be met.
And if ever adjusted upon the basis
of equity, then indeed will this bust
ness become, in verv truth, as honor
able as other business.
But the solution will never be
wrought out by those whose business
it is to fleece the farmer; he, himself,
must rise out of this serfdom it is
the work of the farmer himself.
We must enthrone intelligence in
the farmers family; there must be
brain, as well as muscle, there must be
thought, as well action. He must
read and study and become intelligent,
and learn how to apply his labor so
that ten hours will avail as much as
the fourteen formerly did; he must
learn how 20 market crops, which is
equally as important as how to produce
them. He must turn over new leaf,
and discard the credit system,
prolific fountain of the farmers woes,
and he must learn too, the proper
value of the goods, groceries, imple-
ments, and commodities of all kinds,
that he wishes to purchase, as well as
the proper freights and costs of ex-
change. Then having the intellectu-
al, as well as the numerical strength,
lis business will become in truth,
honorable and honored.
If the farmer would be respected he
must be dignified and respect himself.
Too long has it seemed the height of
his ambition to foster the monopolies
that lmpoverish him, and now he
reaps the harvest of his follv. But
there is a commotion. spirit of inqui-
~ abroad amongst farmers, and it is
a glorious opportunity, for in success
is a mighty reward in union there is
strength. ITO your tents, oh Israel. !"