Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-02-27
Produce What There is Demand For,


mechanical skill. Engines and steam.
boats are Of mechanical construction.
But is it only mechanics who are
going west9 No; nine out of ten Of
those who 60 west 60 to make them
selves new homes open new farms.
And when there they expect to get
along with as little aid from mechan.
les as possible. With their own hands
they will build their houses. They
do without fences. They expect to
wear no jewels. They will mend their
own shoes and harnesses and ride
bare backed horses. 10 short, if their
intentions are carried out, there will
not be as much for mechanics to do
as there would be here with the means
they appropriate to the purposes of
removal and travel.
There is said also to be an "oyer-
production of labor" Thousands of
laborers are idle and have become
tramps. Going west does not supply
them with labor. They do not 90
west. The change does not supply
their wants.
Mechanical skill and labor are not
the only commodities Of which there
is over.production. There Is an over.
production of whatever there is not
sufficient demand to make its produc.
ton profitable. Farmers in this coun.
try came to the conclusion some years
ago that they could not profitably
grow wheat here. IF their decision
was correct every bushel of wheat
raised for market was over-production.
They then turned their attention to
stock raising. They made money
growing pork and cattle. Every year
they increased their droves of swine
and herds of cattle. Now cattle and
hogs have become 80 plentiful that it
is claimed there is no profit in their
production. Many conclude nothing
else can be profitable in this country
and they look west. In the west thew
expect their source of profit to be
wheat. Turn all Nebraska and Kan.
sas, in addition to Minnesota and
other limitless fields, into wheat, and
what profit will there be in growing
wheat? In Iowa and Illinois corn
has been used as fuel. We may next
winter hear of the like use of the
superabundance Of wheat in the far
west. Mans reason should teach bin
some way to overcome the difficulties
of over.production. When wheat
was not successful he learned to grow
stock. When wheat and stock are
not successful he has learned to 90
west. When wheat, growing stock
and going west all prove unsuccessful,
must he perish Truly not. Man
has genius, if exercised, to keep him
in prosperity and progress though he
live forever on the field where he was
born. Canaan should be as good and
as prosperous a land to-day as when
Israel first found it. If our people
exercise good judgment, make correct
calculations, Grant County is as good
place to live as it was thirty to forty
years ago. If the farmer cannot
make good living at wheat or stock
growing, his genius should lead him
to the cultivation Of some product that
will pay. It may be tobacco or fax
or onions or beans or hunting ginseng
in the woods. The merchant supplies
himself with and sells whatever there
is demand for. The farmer, with the
"over.production" of books and news
papers at his service should in
form himself as to what Is most in
demand that he can produce and then
produce It. The changes would be
beneficial to his lands. II nature had
designed that growing wheat or cot
ton on the same spot should always
be profitable it would have made that
spot inexhsustible in the elements
necessary for the production of wheat
or cotton. But nature made the soil
to call for the mental exercise of its
tillers. The farmer needs to use his
thinking faculties and calculate what
the work of his farm should be next
year, as much as the merchant needs
to knew what the styles for ladies'
prints will be next Spring or whether
in Summer they will wear slippers or
high shoes most. 1t is folly for the
farmer to think he can make demand
or big prices for what he chooses to
grow. As well might Mr.. Strong lay
in supply OF wheat and advertise it,
saying, "Here l have wheat, come to
me to get seed" when he knows every
farmer is supplied and will not buy a
bushel of him unless he sells to them
at less than cost 10 him, as they have
to sell products 10. in demand. But
Mr.. Strong sees that the farmers want
fiaxseed; SO seeing he makes ready
to supply them. In this manner far.
mers should do business. They should
look to what will be demanded of
them that they can produce, and in
seasonable time make ready to pro-
duce it. Demand will establish living
prices. Produce what there is de.
mand for.
Mr.. BRINDLEY's bill for compulso-
~ education has passed, and the
| tramp hill ia killed.