River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-04-26
FALLS, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, APRIL 26 1877
THE FARMERS AvooATIoN-HoN
oRARLE AND PROFITABLE.

-
o. s., asks the question, how shall we
divest the occupation or the farmer OF
its odium
Now take the position that the oc.
cupation of the farmer is not odious.
He says the farmer produces all the
comforts for mankind, yet enjoys but
few himself.
Let us see. Does the farmer pro
duce the machine that travels around
his field, cuts and binds the golden
grain without the need of hardly a
thoughts Is it not comfort to man.
kind, and farmers in particular, that
such machine has been put into sue
cessful operation I
Does the farmer produce the steam
thresher that saves the over-worked
horses SO many days work of the hard
est kind of labor ! Is it not comfort
for the farmer at night to know that
his faithful animals have not been
overworked Is it not comfort for
him when his days work is done, that
he can rest instead of preparing
places for from twelve to twenty-four
horses as was his wont.
Does the farmer produce any of the
labor-saving machines for which we
in this country should be thankful
Our seasons are short, and without
them we could not perform the
amount OF labor that is necessary "
be done. He says it takes fourteen
hours labor every day on the farm to
support family. while much greater
luxury and comfort can be obtained in
the city for ten. Let us see again.
We will suppose he Las good farm;
he aims every year to add from one 10
three thousand dollars, besides sup
port ing Il family. This is what takes
the fourteen hours of hard labor. Will
any other business with which we are
acquainted furnish any more favorable
results with the same certainty 1
think he will admit that but few occu-
pations furnish that steady growth
toward competency as good intelli-
gent farming.
But, about the comforts and luxu-
ries let him ask the thousands that
live in the cities, particularly the poor
and middle classes. They will, i'll
ninetv-nine cases out of every hun
bred, tell him that they long for the
comforts and luxuries of the farm.
Again he says, agriculture is the
mother of all other occupations, and
furnishes to manufacturing and COM
merce their sole foundation. Will he
not admit that manufactures are quite
as essential to the farmer as the farm
er is to them. What could we do
without the machines they produce
And is not the price of wheat en-
HANGED by the competition which COM
merce affords! But still he thinks
the farmer is the butt and jeer of the
world. / think not. Every body re-
spects the respectable farmer quite as
much as they respect the blacksmith,
carpenter, or any other tradssman.
He says all laborers in other spheres
fix their own prices for their labor,
but the farmer, who does nearly all
the labor that is performed, has no
voice in fixing the price of his pro-
ducts. Again: do the millers set the
price when they come around, as they
have the past few days. and ask you
what you will take for your wheat !
| think not. But you answer that you
will take one dollar and fifty cents per
bushel. think you fix the price.
Does the butcher fix the price on your
beef or pork by Offering a price you
do not choose to accept think not.
You fix the price yourself by offering
to take a given sum. Does the labor
er that comes almost daily to our doors
asking for work have all the say as To
what wages he shall receiver Do the
carpenter and smith charge the same
for their labor that they used to ten
years agol Would they not charge
the same if they could command it
Is it of their own choice that they now
labor for pay that barely keeps the
wolf from the doorl No. Times and
circumstances control these things.
DO not try to make us farmers believe
that we are not as good or thought as
well of as other people. Respectfully
ty will command respect in any com
munity, but when you say ''let US ed
ncate our families" then, my friend,
give me your hand. Education and
knowledge is what all are looking af
ter more than ever before in the his.
tory of the world, and with equal ed.
ucation the farmer will compare ia
vorably with any other class.
April 10th, 1877. TRoY.
ST. PAUL, ROCHESTER, ESTATE
LINE RAILROAD.