Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-27
Farmers Virtues and Deeds.

American hcSlSUcF.
The Agricultural Rtritm, Joseph II.
Rcall, editor, SO Park Row, New York
city, is the foremost publication of its
kind in the United States. Advance
sheets from tic next months number arc
before us. These are surely sectional and
designed to direct Immigrants and miGra-
tory Americans to districts along the
isOthermal line Of New England. We
would be better pleased il the Reatcw
would inquire whether Southern and
Western ATTITUDES be not equally attrac-
tive to farming populations. Southern
farms cost less and produce iaoie ard "A
greater variety of crops. Ana yet :he
Rer;em devotes the twenty-five closely
printed pages before Us to commendatiuns
of hyperbOrean regions, in which wheat
must constitute the sole marketable crop.
Farming, as the Rerit0 insists. is be-
coming an exact science but it is bcg giE-
ming its upward march. The great mass
of workers ia the soil are on the outer
edge of progress. With tie rapid ad.
vance of civilization their Wants have
increased, and while many have surround
cd themselves with the comforts and some
with The luxuries Of life, the great proper
ton have secured bus few OF either, while
the increasing development of civilization
adds to ;heir wants. Intelligent farmers
can no longer delvc. As their. fathers did,
satisfied with a life of hardship and toll.
and deprived of every comfort and priv
!esc. Pas: generations of farmers were
content to spend lifetime clearing up =
farm for their children to enjoy. OShef
men were on par with them then, 0: #
4 few degrees above, the farmer rccog.
nized the station and paid homage to
mercantile or professional superiority. But
railroads, telegraphS, steam, and the
thousand discoveries and inventions, nave
raised the standard Of living; and more
than that, the vocation of the farmer has
come to be recognized as most honorable.
Tic farming class is recognized as the
conservative element OF society they arc,
as a class, the least inclined 10 agitation
and ratiicalisrl. There is nG communism
or ilubbeliism amongst them. he.
licinn and morality find their m:,isl
aud chief support with them. But they
are also the enterprisinS class. They Ge,
veiop lew countries, found new towns,
and ..rc always in the forefront in tie
nlaicl. of civilization ana Improvement
This seems a strange paradox, and VIC
have never seen tho point discussed, but
it needs only tie exercise Of tho power OF
memory to show that tho farmer is always
the first settler. He goes to L new cuun-
try, clears and plOushs the land, aud pro
duces a crop. Others follow him, and
when sufficient number have located in
section, and the first steps are made
towards the improvement of nature, the
mechanic comes !; then the tradesman :,..t
professional man schools and chuIc che:
follow !; banks, and all the elemcuts o.
the town, come in, and we have city
the only exception to this in the set
tlcment of tho entire United State:
with its hundreds of thousands o.
villages, towns and cities, scattered
over thousands Of miles of territory, au(
representing rapidity and extent o
development Eevtr before witnessed, il
in tie mining distiic and lumber regions
Tns farmer, therefore, does moe then
furnish the commerce OF the world. IL
originates the growth OF tho country, from
it's single house in an unbrokcr, unin
habitcd region, and founds the great city
with its manufactures, fine arssc, grea
warehouses, palatial residences, shipping
and all that makes life, in this last quar-
ter of the nineteenth century, the grand
est experience that man has ever Known.