Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-23

WHAT HE KNOWS ABOUT FAuNrxG IN THE oLDEN
TINE

WHAT HE KNOWS ABOUT FAEMING IN THE oLDEr
TINE.
When | was farmer, in the olden time
IN Illinois, they used to fence 100 acres o
hand with two dogs. When | was n farmer
they used to haul wheat 200 miles in wag.
on and sell it for 80 cents Il bushel and bring
back about 300 feet of lumber two punches
OF shingles, II barrel of salt and a cook stove
that never would draw. When was IL far
lner they feasted on corn and bacon, and
didn't know very well how to cook even that.
We had poor houses and no barns The
horses were put in straw sheds, and long be-
fore spring most OF the straw would be eaten
away and it took all the oats and all the
corn We could stuff into those horses to keep
| them from actual starvation. In those days
most farmers thought the best place for q
| pigpen was Immediately in front of the house.
and the wOOdpile, as a general thing, con-
sisted of one log upon which an ax or two
had been worn out i'll the fruitless effort to
make kindlng.
No farmer can afford to sell his whea; and
corn and oats lie should sell horses, not
oats sheep, cattle and pork, not corn. He
should make every profit possible ont of
what he produces. So long rs you ship your
corn and oats and wheat, so long will you be
poor Just so long your farms will be mort
gagged to the insurance companies and capi-
talists of the East Just so long all the profit
of the industrious in this glorious State will
be given to pay the capitalists of other
States. When our farmers ship their pro-
duets in the shape of stock, then = wave of
prosperity will sweep over our State and
Illinois will become the most populous coun-
try in the world.
In the old times when was II farmer, not
n tree was set ont once in ten years not
grapevine was planted ; and about the house
not a Hover could he seen. When yOu went
to their houses You We're not met by flowers
and trees loaded with fruit. but by yellow
dogs that came bounding over the worn fence
like wild beasts There is no sense and no
profit in such life. 1t is not living it is
hardly existing. | ask the farmers of Hi
nois to beautity their homes, surround their
houses with flowers, to make everything
beautiful and attractive, You don't live up
to your privileges. In every farmers house
there should be bathroom. You have no
Idea of the civilizing influences of the bath
When you come from the field, tired, cover
ed with dust, nothing can bc So refreshing as
bath. Keep clean. am not one of those
who think that in order to raise hogs you
must be one. tut on clean clothes, take a
seat in the yard under the trees and amidst
the perfume of flowers, surrounded by your
family, and you will know what it is to feel
like gentleman.
1t is not necessary in this age of the world
for the iitrmer TO rise i'll the middle of the
night and begin his work. This getting up
80 early III the morning Is n reic of barbar-
ism. 1t has made hundreds of young men
curse the business There is no Feed of get
ting up at three or four o'clock i'll the winter
morning. The farmer who persists in doing
1t and persists in dragging his wife and
children from their beds ought to be visited
by missionary. 1t is time enough to rise
after the sun has set the example. For what
purpose do you get ur? To feed the cattle:
Why not fee d them the more the night be-
fore? 1t is waste of life. In the Old times
they used to get up about three o'clock in
the morning and 90 to work long before the
sun had risen with healing upon his wings;
and AS a Just punishment they all had the
ague, and they ought to have it now. The
man who cannot get living upon Illinois
soil without rising before daylight ought to
.tnlye. Eight hours day is enough for any
frm.r to work, except i'll harvest lime.
The laboring people should unite and pro-
tect themselves against all idlers. You can
divide mankind into two classes tie labor
ers and the idlers, the supporters and the
supported, the honest and the dishonest.
Every man is dishonest who lives upon the
unpaid labor of Others no matter whether
he occupies II throne or lives III poorhouse.
All laborers should be brothers The labor
ers should have equal rights before the world
and before the law. And | want every far
mer to consider every man who labors, either
with hand or brain. as his brother Until
genius and labor formed partnership, there
was no such thing us prosperity among men.
Every reaper and mower every agricultural
implement, has elevated the work of the
farmer, and his vocation grows gIander with
every invention.
IL the olden time the agticu,turist was ig-
norant. He knew nothing of machinery.
He was u slave of superstition. Through
machinery, through the science of agricul-
ture. the farmer has been elevated. He
should not forget the debt he owes to the
mechanic He should remember that all
laborers belong 10 the same great family.
There Is not IL scarcity of money, but there
is IL scarcity of business. And this scarcity
springs from lack of confidence in one an
other. SO many presidents of savings banks,
even those belonging to the Young Mems
Christian Associations, run of with the
funds so many railroads and insurance
companies are in the hands of receivers,
there is SO much bankruptcy on every hand,
that all capital is held i'll the nervous clutch
of fear. Slowly but surely We are coming
back to honest methods in business. Conf
dence will return, and then enterprise Will
unlock the safe and money will again circu-
late Ms of yore the dollars will leave their
hiding places, and every one will be seeking