Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-03-10
The Farmers Accounts.

when one comes in at night after hare
days work of gathering corn or haul,
ing wood, or what is worse, handling
stone, his hands feel as rough Of
graters, and each digit is an independ
ent quantity, and they can not work
together on 80 small a thing as a pen.
Gil or penholder. Their prehensile
power is good for the handle of a
pitchfork or a grubbing hoe. but il
cramps them to hold the pen. We
have felt the WEAKNESS of the grip
when trying to propel a faber
No. 2 after holding the pillow all day,
Yet each day on farm has Its
history. Business has been tranact-
ed, crops planted or harvested, ami.
mails bred or sold, tools bought OF
repaired, obligations made or discharg-
ed, all of which must be kept in mem
DRY or recorded in book. We have
more faith in book than our memory.
We do not think Plato was right
when he taught his disciples to COM
nit everything 10 memory and not
to paper. 5
Accuracy in accounts saves many
dollars, much time, sand promotes
honesty and.good feeling. The man
whose accounts are at loose ends can
not always tell whether he is making
or losing. He can not be sure
whether his methods of farming and
of feeding stock are paying or not
At least he can not tell with sufficient
accuracy to be sure that his methods
are the best he can do. The man
who is negligent in keeping accounts,
not only loses many opportunities for
making where now he is losing, but
he surely loses the comfort and peace
of mind that correct accounts brings
one. Then, too, the man who from
year to year keeps careful accounts
is forming good habits, and each year
becomes better posted in his business
and quickens his mind and fortifies
his judgment. His methods of doing
business improve, and he understands
himself and his business. He is
protected in large measure against
the tricks of sharpers, The tricky
mechanic or merchant will be more
careful to have their accounts with
him correct in every detail. The
oyerreaching shippers and rascally
agents will not attempt their ways that
are dark and tricks that are vain on
the man who is habitualiy accurate
in his accounts and ready with fig
ures, provided he has ripened his
experience and Judgment by atten-
ton to his calling.
We hear many farmers complaining
that their business don't pay, and that
after they had paid their accouns with
the merchants and mechanics in the
village they had nothing left. We
have heard men with large families
on farm which did not cost $4,000,
utter such foolish complaints. Some
are born grumblers. We are not
hoping to cure them now; but there
are farmers who are making more
with their capital fourfold than the
manufacturer whom they envy.
The tradesman who, with capital
OF S., 900, can comfortably support
large family and send his children to
school, and take an occasional airing
in the country has good business.
To do this he must make not less
than 20 per cent on bis capital. Few
do that, and thousands not only fail
to make enough to support them, but
lose all. About 95 per cent of the
merchants in our country fail sooner
or later. Very few are the excep-
tions of business men who have con-
Quoted business successfully forty
years.
Until recently it was the exception
when an old farmer failed. The fail
ures that ,,have come to the farmers
as class came from dabbling with
stocks, or getting into wheat corners,
or meddling with some sharpers paper
that they know nothing about.
1t was an Legitimate operation,
outside of farming proper.
If every farmer in the land will
this year keep bis name off Of his
specializing friends paper, and will
keep strict account with his farm,
and the cost of running it, he will find
that he is not worse off than the man
who lives in grand style in great cities,
and know little or nothing of comfort.
When the complaining farmer
strikes balance with his business,
he charges to the farm all he has
paid for the piano bought the daughter
the watches, buggies and harness
bought for the boys, the money paid
the preacher, the teacher and the doc
tor, and the addition built to his
house or barn, and the half mile of
the new fence or ditch made, as we'll
as the cost of labor, seed, repairs and
new implements and interest on
money employed.
The merchant. wishing to know the
result of his years business, takes
an inventory of unsold stock of avail
able accounts, of money on hand,
after paying his rent, his clerk hire,
his discounts, insurance and Incl
dentals of the store, but does not i'm
clude in his business account the
jewelry and dry goods, and carriages
and horses, upholstery and PIANOS,
fine cutlery and glass, &C., which so