Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-04-04
MORRIS, MINI, April >, 1888.

MIR. EDITOR:-
In the last issues OF the Olive Branch
am taken severely 10 task for having
the temerlty to express my views on
the great and mOmentous question
now agit"ting the public. First, am
charged by Granger with not having
5lsc tNtHre iL4teEaSts ~ t;e cnuHty at
iln2}.!. .tf this l.o hitnWs nothing And
SHOULD have said nothing. And that
=! stepped tla, mark, ard that my
arGunt"nt WAS an ahsurLliy. Now, if
he really tilulght so he would not
have written column and Il half to
show it. And before he gets the first
half written, is agreeing with me in
my statement that fof falmers in
moderate circumstances, it is best and
in fact the only way that they can
change from raising grain to raising
stock Is TO change as they are able.
Then he asks why it is that the aver
age farmer is not i'll such condition
that lie Wouli be able to start any
thing ne ptt:tscs? [ want tc say right
here, thAt the farmer who can start
ala, t,::I...::: 'se .:'eas4e j. apt the aver
age farmer. lie then admits that the
farmers "hn come poor are the ones
that have now laid the foundation of a
good home and valuable farm. ask
him 10 answer fairly, did he get his
start from raising grain or cattle?
But as do not intend to refer TO this
after ;ilis tin4e. ! will take ;hp liberty
70 3nsWc? nlSseif. i Eoor fellow goes
on Il claim without much money,
hardly enough to pay for the improve
lnents required by law; he. however,
by working tor others, who raise grain,
for the first year, manages to break
a small piece and raise a small
crop, that probably gives him more
money than he ever owned before, and
in many Instances lie is able to get Il
team, and may he q :ai5e. That il the
lit3t ~;art on tic road 10 prosperity,
ana If he has average luck for few
years, then lie can get some stock and
both combined is soon independent.
If you refer to the first communities
ton on this subject, think that in
tile matter of large farmers we do not
differ. He then admits that an inn
mediate change is not just what is
desirable. think that is the gist of
my whole letter. He then complains
of the length of time it would take to
do what large amount of booming
would do in a short time. All! my
friend there is where you are mis-
taken, for although it may take few
years longer, to reach the same end by
the old and honest way. The founda-
ton Of general prosperity has not yet
been attained by booming, and per-
sons or localities that 60 up like sky
rocket are apt to come down like the
stick. did not say in my first letter,
nor do | now want any Que to think for
one minute that | do not believe in
stock raising, for the first thing for
any one to do when he engages in
farming IS to get some COWS and mares
and keep all the young stock that he
raises for few years, when, together
with his crop, he will have started on
the way to prosperity. Nor do l wish
to be thrown entirely in the shade for
advocating the raising of grain, as
Granger threatens to, when his idea
of raising stock has shown to the world
the greatness OF his mind. I am glad
he thought of it, and hope that he will
give me credit for praising the bridge
that has brought us over safe, for
am not yet convinced that wheat is
not the greatest part of wealth of the
state, and Granger further says that
where cattle are plenty that money is
seldom scarce. In this he is right. for
cattle are seldom plenty except in old
and settled parts where the men that
own them have gone through the mill,
if may use the expression, and have
gone through that part of their exist
ence that we are now in, and if you