The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-22
The Calling OF Farm Boys.

1t is a continual source of annoy
ance, or appears to be such, with
certain of our agricultural writers to
decry the plan or practice of the
country boys leaving the farm to
seek their fortunes in the city, and
urge that the farm needs all the re-
cruits that it can muster, and the
agricultural colleges should give in
struction only to those who will SOL
emnly affirm that they will. return
to the farm and thereafter devote all
their energies in building up an ag-
ricultural industry.
Is this exactly in harmony with
the best interests of our country, and
will it contribute to the best devel-
opment of our nation? In consid-
ering this question two elements are
encountered. The one is that this
country is rapidly growing, and each
day promotes the diversity of our
industries in the way of rapidly set
tied farms, manufactures of every
form and kind, railway building,
telegraphs, telephones, and fast
growing commercial enterprises,
each and all Of which promise steady
labor to one class and salaried posi-
tions to another, and a rapidly aug
mented population, on the other
hand, opens a field for brain work
in the professions, law, theology,
medicine and the arts, that have lu-
crative positions and places before
many chance ior wealth and inhu-
ence that are classed by the world
as positions of wealth and aggrand-
izement.
The fact is that we are a progress
i've nation, and to supply the needs
of the people there is call for re-
cruits to fill these created wants
that must at last look to the farm
for the material. AS caste is not a
possibility in a Republic like ours,
the occupation of classes is not ar
bitrary, but gives each and all the
prerogative of choosing a profession,
and it is this taste that is .he real
safeguard against national stagna-
ton and is the real promoter of our
national greatness. 1t should be a
matter of congratulation that the
boys and girls do not all become
farmers, or farmers wives. To con-
fine the natural increase of popula-
tion upon the farm would soon
cause a disarrangement between
farm products, the needs of the peo
pie and its final relation to COM
merce, that would soon give us set
back from which we could not re-
cover.
The demand tor agricultural pro
ducts abroad is based upon the for
eign production, and is not unlimit-
ed as many suppose. AS it is the
productions of agriculture are as full
ly up to the demand abroad, and it
is only when there is a wide spread
failure in Europe that a most pay
ing feature in farming in this coun-
try is attained. and thus it is readi-
ly seen that it is in this exodus from
the farm, and the wider scope and
spread of our other industries, that
makes farming a paying occupation,
and the call is for the best man for
the place, irrespective of parentage
or place of birth.
1t is bes. by far that the boys do
not all choose to stay upon the farm,
though the farm calls for smart men,
and has them in abundance. The
roll call of a great city would attest
the fact that the farm is grandly rep
resented, and will continue to be.
Fairly stated it is that so long as
agricultural productions are fully up
to the demand, there is an eternal
fitness in the things that prompts
the farm boys to go to college and
then to separate each to his calling,
as farmers, doctors, lawyers, etc and
it is this association in youth that
brings, and is yet to closer bind, the
profession of farming with the 9TH
ers to work together in a com mon
bond of progress that in pauses of
retrospect looks back to the old farm
and recognizes agriculture as the
true base of all prosperity and nat
ural progress.