The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-10-19
Head-WOrk vs.. Hand.WOrk.

We can readily understand why our
neighbor who rises at seven in the
morning, and spends two or three hours
of almost every fair day in the town OF
village talking politics, does not pros,
per at farming. We say sometimes,
perhaps heartlessly, that he does not
deserve to succeed, and that we have
no sympathy for him. But most of Us
will not have to look very far to lind
another neighbor whom we rarely see
away from home, but who is generally
found in frock and overalls plcddine
at his work, and yet this farmer is not
growing richer, but rather poorer.
How are we t. account for this?
We once knew of very skillful and
industrious carriage manufacturer who
failed in his business after a long and
hard struggle. Another succeeded
him, and the tables were turned al
once. With no other facilities than the
first enjoyed, the new conner soon built
up thriving and profitable business.
He was once asked why his predecessor
met with so signal failure; he replied
He worked too much; he spent his
time at his bench when he ought tc
have been attending TO his sales anc
purchases and overseeing his work
men, Is not this answer suggestive:
May it not account for the TACT that
some of the most industrious farmers
never rise above mediocrity?. Some
farmers do overestimate the Importance
of the labor of their own hands.
Suppose a man has two teams and
four men at work on his farm. 1t is
obviously of greater importance that he
should keep all advantageouslv en-
ployed, every hour in the day, than that
his own hands should be kept constant
~ busy. Few men are able to DO good
hand-work and good head-work at the
same time. Better lay by the hoe or
the pitchfork and plan the work, SO that
every stroke shall count. and so that
there shall be no delays or blunders.
Every farmer should have a carefully
laid plan for each day operations before
beginning work in the morning. With
out such forethought things cannot go
on smoothly. The whitfietrees will be
needed on the wagon when they are
three fields away on the pillow; the hay
rack will have to be repaired after the
hay is ready to haul to the barn; or the
team and the men viii be kept waiting
to grease hot axle. The farmer who
keeps himself wearied and worried with
manual labor is in poor condition for
plan-wisdom. His mind will be ham
pered and fretted, and annoYances that
would scarcely ruffie a peaceful mind
are enough to stir his troubled spirit to
A foam. Things seem arrayed against
him-not because they are so, but be-
cause he is overtaxing himself.
The farmer must make a difference
between his own work and that of his
hired man, or he will sooner or later
fail in body and in business. His man
has but one subject to engross his at
tention, the work upon which he is en-
gagged; but with the farmer there are
many weighty questions TO be consider
I'd There are the arrangement and
timing of his work. There is the sub
feet of implements and machinery. OF
farm improvements, of rotation of crops
and of varieties, all important CUES
ions. Thon there is the commercial
aspect of his business, which he can
certainly not afford to overlook If he |
deals with these subjects wisely he does |
well without putting his own hand TO
The pillow. He is poor business man
whose head is not worth more than his |
hands.
There are doubtless farmers to whom |
moderate manual labor is true pleas
ure. 1t is not work as privilege, but
work as duty, that we are denouncing.
The farmer whose mind is so large and
whose farm is so small that the care OF
it is no burden, and who takes delight
in moving his fertile soil and his golden
grain with his own hands, is of all men
the most enyiable. But we all agree
that such farmers are too few. We find
many more who come to the shady side
OF Life with the back bent with toll and
the brow furrowed with care. 1t is fol-
this class that these words are meant
RnraI New Yorker.