The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-18
STICK TO THE FARM


sagerness manifested BY the young
men of the country to rush OF from
the farm to seek fortunes or IND
responsibility c. in employment IN
the owns: IS If the life Of the
farm were degradation, and work
behind the counter i patent OF no
bility. Making al allowance Tor
the restlessness. or the ambition Of
the Young, as a principle, we can
tell those Young men they make a
fearful mistake. Their exchange
is often made at the sacrifice OF IN
dependence, Of manhood, and how
often Of character. For the tempt
ations of a town life are new, at
tractiye and oyerpowerlng, and a
fearful proportion Of those SUBJECT
ed 10 the trial, fall to rise no more.
The country must always glvelts
new infusion Of yigor 10 town HE;
there must always be annual add
tons to supply the places OF those
who fail, or who pass off the stage
Of business: or, to add 10 the IN
creasing throng Of growing COM
munities. But to do this il IS lot
necessary to strip the country, nor
does it justify a common dlssatls-
faction with rural life. And this
dissatisfaction has intensified by
the uneXampled experience of the
last few years, when wealth was
the universal object, the rapid ac-
emulation of fortune the great
end, and when al the ways and
means to it were lightly considered.
Great and rapidly grown fortunes
were the reward Of many, and while
C was achieved, little stress
was laid upon sacrifice OF character.
But who can be blind to the rcIri-
butive justice which has overtahen
not only the individual, but the
whole land for its unholy worship
Of money? Fortunes vanishing as
rapidly as they yer gathered cha
~racters blasted forever us the gid
inc of wealth was brushed away,
lives ended IN tragedy by unbldden
plunges into eternity by suicidal
hands, as time and circumstance
tore away the thin veil Of legality /;
a people bankrupt, a great nation
discredited universal and almost
hopeless ruin staring every indus
try in the face. These are some Of
the fruits of the mad haste to be
rich. These are some of the temp
tations that have allured the dis
~contented, the unsophistlcated or
the ambitious farmers son.
Far happier he, if remaining at
home, he qualities himself intelli-
gently and industriously to pursue
the ayocation of his fathers. And
we say this with real reverence for
agricultural life. The country is
the very birthplace of freedom, the
stronghold of independence, the
nursery Of patriotism it is the
fountain-head Of individual com
fort, the main spring Of national
wealth-the foundation stone OF
the civilized world. lie who dis
parages the farmer, bespeaks him
self a fool. But, then, the farme.
must not put weapons IN the mouth
Of him who would belittle his avo-
cation by undertaking it himself.
And this is done effectively if sc
little attraction is given to the farm.
or 50 little application Of intellect
is given to its direction as to i'm.
press the son with the feeling that
his brain finds more respectable ap-
plication elsewhere. But there j:
his mistake. For IN the growing
demands Of an increasing popula
ton, and IN the exactions made BY
diminishing natural fertility Of soil
there is nc occupation which make.
more exacting demands upon IN
~tellect than does modern agricul
ture.
Don't be IN a hurry to abandon