The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-05-23
The Farmer and His Vocation Vindi-
Gated.
Or, a Review of Geo. T. An.hony's
Address Before the Union
Asrisr:cuIturaI Society
Of Ridgeway and
Shelby, Jan.
8, 1862.

IL is sustained, >ophistry, and the theory
reduced To practice As a basis OF Education,
sad mista X c, entailing bad results upon GU
children
Soil culture is eoeval with mans exis;
ence. Labor has been regarded honorable
dignifed and enobling from that period t,
the present. Prominent among the re
quirements OF mans Author is the CON
mand to labor for his subsistence. To say
that the duty is undignifed, degrading anc
debasing, is rejecting upon the wisdom o
omnipotence. Inspiration teaches Us that
all things terrestrial and celestial wtr,
formed by the exercise OF Divine Energy
and surely If labor was not beneath iht
dignity of the Creator why the creature
Example and rrecspt are given, and even
in this degenerate age are worthy oil lmIta
ton. l. Dor. SO Tar IRON ''entailing bad re
suits" upon the laborer is promotive OF the
most beneficial, especially when not misdi'
rected; and our speaker is speaking Of la
Dor in its broadest acceptatiCn. Ii Is, IL
fine, the only sure, permanent and reliable
'basis" on which TO rear character OF true
and substantial excellence. If | und,r-
stand Alright the object Of Agricultural SO
cieties, il is 10 awaken an interest in all
the industrial portions which patronize them.
| Instill into the minds OF the toiling millions
the idea that labor tends 10 depress the
spirits, beiittle the mind, crush ambition
and blast hope" and an injury isdOne more
disastrous than the parracidal war now RAJ
ging in our land. Reduce such a theory 10
| practice. and chaos and old night would
| roll upon us and crush us beneath its leaden
| pail. Let such sentiment prevail, and
| the farmer and the artisan would not Vie
| with each other in exercising their physical
| and brain power Our fairs would lose
their attractions, and lack the Thousand and
one articles that enhance their interest and
promote their benefits they would be-
come MYTHICAL in every sense OF the word.
The Hum BUG would take 10 itself wing
and Az away into nOnentity. If our fairs
are to come up 10 and meet the expectations
of their promoters, don't divest them Oi
their prime incentive, and stigmatize labor
as degrading-at The very foot OF the social
ladder.
2d. "Man holds M higher relation TO the re
suits OF labor than the OK: II gives neither OF
them character, but SUI dues ana depresses
both"
If human wisdom and goodness are very
far short of perfection, ~ human folly and
wickedness are rigidly limited. 1t Is well
that il is 70. God made man purposely,
and He is not TO be wholly disappointed in
him. History infUrms Us that be imam
WAS made but little lower than the angels !;
Mr.. Anthony teaches us that the inexora-
bic law OF labor places him in the social
scale with the ox-both occupy The same
level neither derive character from their
vocation. The unreasoning instincts OF
the OK impel TO action; labor depresses
and sinks man TO the same eonditlVn-to
the same status Reverse their condition:
place the yoke on Mr.. AnIhony's neck !;
attach him to the plow by the "swiveled
chain" with OK for driver, (were it possible)
or a southern chattel if you please, and
methinks HIS dignity would come down to
zero he would experience the fallacy of
his argument, and admit a very wide d.,
tinc,.on relatively. | think his ''profouId
convictions would undergo a material
change, and honestly acknowledge the en-.
obling influences and purifying trnden-
cies OF labor on man over that OF The bl asst
The position is 50 untenaile that II Is use
less to multiply words TO refute 1t; 1t falls
by its own weakness.
ID. Work Is the inp,acab}e enemy of
progress everywhere Let me entr.at you
NEVER say to your children, be industrious u
you would be good, and labor ii you """'u
become great
This is a general rev. rsal OF all teachings,
whether human or Divine. In order that
the Divine may harmonic with the I'M
PROVED human precept, 1t should read,
"Idleness exalts 4 nation, while industry
is a reproach to any people" And, ae.
cording to poor Richard, ''God gives all
things TO industry idleness. The no.
blest and purest men that ever liv. d have
inculcated industrious habits. 1t has been
the redeeming i.hpulse ever dwelling and
working in the liberal heart of humanity.
BY needing the injunction, man Is indeb'-
ej Tor his pre-eminence-for all that make
M the sum total of his greatness lnau-
gurate the ides. and practically exemplify
| il As indicated in this new light, OF latter
day revelation, and untold evils would fol-
| low. An insult to the image, and libel
| upon the providence Of God sould be in
| iicted. The degrading influences and de.
plorable consequences OF such mode oil
teaching could not be measured by any
| microme,er vet invented. Strange doc
trine .sbe NOT industrious il you would
| I've pood-labor NOT if You would become
greae,-autsgoniStic to all former health
fnl teachings. Idleness is said to be the
DEVILS workshop; therefore be idle that
the cold Fellow" may make You good !;
throw off the restraints and ignore labor
tina; YOU NAV become great. Is this the
preyailiur instruction of the nineteenth
century? l. this sugar coated" philosc-
nbv al "Youny America" TO be received
IN contradis,inction to the old Puritanic
sv.,em which so surely develops the dig
nity of human nature Is society TO be
| metamorphosed thus? 1t would be well
TO remember that human society Is a living
thing-a tangible reality; 1t canno, be re-
\ formed by the moral chemistr.A OF dlsolu-
ton, transmission, precipitation, or suoii-
nation. IT MUST CHANGE WITHOUT DE-
\ srRUCrroN. II industry is the weakest and
worst thing in il, though essentially and
vitality a part Of it, it must be preserved,
,ilI. instead of the old, which has become
| inc,pable, the new, which is needed, ac-
cordipc TO this new dogma, shall occupy
its place and Office as the human body
1.-THE best symbol OF society undergoes It,
daily deaths in healthful life; mingilng
nutrition with disintegraticn, so as TO grow
and retain rs vitality while undergoing re-
nairs. Rut under this new order OF things
This new philosophy, this cannot be; so
eie,- must perish II the healIhiul restraints
OF ino7siry, mans .rue sres am s,os are
thrown or IL is Transforming tnT IN ie':lo
Of universal experience: ialeness; n W. CIV
ilization without Christlsniiy, tends 70 q =
rioiate the morals oil society 10 transit "a
that which is fair, and beautiful ana Gu
obling, to an ulcerous scar "a fostering sc'i::
to produce picture Of degeneracy S"d
desola,ion worse than though sconrge" "y
the locus;s of Egypt. Human society { n
not be reorgani4ed on such a basis; n.n-,
ty-nine in one hundred, including the IN
| unull rppari II ION