The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-03-15
Failure to Credit the Farm.

My Aeighbor Harris has sold the old
farm on which he was born, and on
which his people had begun life and
succeeded to competency. The land
was rich and productive, the locality
healthy and attractive. Here for half
century. the broad fields had ripened
their golden harvests, the woodlands
had fed the cheerful fireplace and the
orchards had bowed their strong
branches with ripening fruit, and the
pastures had provided for the contented
herds. Here, ruddy- faced, light footed,
frclicsome children had birthplace,
and every spreading old maple or OAK
by the wsyside. under which they had
played. and the brook in which they
had fished, even the paths worn by
little feet across the fields to the school
house were connected with associations
that could never be forgotten Every
thing was here but contsntment. NV
neighbor was good farmer and thrived
we'll enough. but he mad nursed the
belief that farming don't pay" he did
not see that he was making interest on
what the farm would sell for. after
throwing III all his labor.
Now. 1 firmly believe that farmers
generally do not give their land credit
for half Of that which it does for them.
In the case Of neighbor Harris, with
his family OF six persons, have made
o careful estimate OF what he should
have given his farm credit for, and the
following is the result, without encnm-
bering this article with the figur es for
each seperate item. He should have
given credit for the use of his house and
carriage barn, for tirewood, for horses
and wagons, for the pleasure of driv-
ing. for meat. including fowls. for -four.
eggs meal, etc, for fruit and vegs-
tables. for butter and lard. for milk, for
family clothing and groceries paid for
out of-the receipts Of the farm. for net
profit above all other expenses. which
would average $500 yearly. The sum
of the value of the whole of the above
for one year, according to my estimate,
is .S25. Now this is pretty good in
terest on the value of my neighbor' 9
farm-tl0.000 leaving something for
his labor also.
My neighbor has gone to the city
where he expects to live on the inter
est of his money without doing much
of anything himself, but looking after
good chances to make strike. Hav-
ing had no experience with the expen .
ses OF city living, he believes he can
live there in the same style as in the
country-for about 81 900 a year Let
us see how far he is mistaken. His
house and barn rent in the city, his
groceries and provisions, his family
clothing, his expenses of housekeeping
bis amusments,e extra church assessment,
car fare, milk bill, small swindles and
beggars, foot up for one year on q low
estimate $l,750. Nor has the worst
been told yet, for your farmer once
hurried into the tide of city life with
$4,000 in his pocket is fish for which
many a shark has a watery mouth. He
is one of thousand If he escapes the
snares of those he fondly imagines his
warmest friends.
Stand by the old farm, whoever you
are. believe that when farming don't
pay. nothing else can prosper. When
farmers are poor, the whole business
world is poor. and prosperity will
knock first at the farmers door. Let =
farmer who has an itching for city life
rent his farm for one year and make a
trial of life in the city. and we think
that In three cases out Of four. he will
be cured. When he comes to pay from
$500 To $500 rent for dwelling hav-
ing fewer conveniepces than the plain
old homestead; when he comes to buy
all his vegetables. fruit, eggs. butter,
milk. cream. in fact. all of these neces.
saries and luxuries which he enjoyed
on the farm. almost without recogni.
ton. he will find that 81, 900 will 90 no
farther toward meeting his family ex-
penses than 81 900 in cash on the farm.
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