The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-24
Dignity of the Farmers Calling.


Governor Cleveland IN his excellent adj
dress at Ogdensburg dwelt upon the error of
too many country-born and country-bred
young men who leave their homesteads TO
adventure on failure in cities. In this con-
Rection he said Broad fields. we'll titled,
not only secure comfort and an income TO
the farmer but build up the commerce OF the
state and easily supply the wants of the popu-
latoD None of these things result except
by labor. This is the magic wand whose
touch creates wealth and great State. SO
All OF VS. who work are i'm our several ways,
engaged in building TO higher reach and
Dobler proportions the fabric OLA proud Com
monwealth. Those who make and execute
the laws Join with those who toll from day To
day with their hands i'm their several occupa-
tons all alike engaged in building up aud
protecting the State. | am sorry To
see the disposition. too preva-
jent among young men, to leave
the farms and workshops OF their fathers TO
engage in some other occupation which they
think less laboTious, or in some profession
which they deem more honorable. In this
way many men that would have successfully
maintained and enlarged their fathers man
uIactory or who would have made more
fruitful the old homestead. are found high
and dry ON the shoals of failure aud discour
agemcnt.'
The sense and truth OF this new and timely
.Testatcment of plain needs and facts are evil
dent The response they find in thoughtful
minds is immediate and unmistakable n
they have All effect of impressng on the
farmer the Importance and elevation OF his
work, himself and hIs work will alike be the
gamer. Indeed there IL room for reflection
ON the subject for men of the town and city
as we'll as Tor men In rural regions. The
comparative consideration OF human callings
gives that Of the farmer no secondary place
and il calculated To abate the pride OF those
UhO have hpQn won't Ia lOal down nn0n
Einphatically, the farmer is the inheritor
OF the earth ut first hand. For him the sea-
sons are. To him speak directly the thou
sand voices OF nature. For him the sun
warns and the clouds water the earth. For
him the rivers rise in the hills and permoate
the plains All other occupations are sec
Ondary TO his I'M time and dependent on
some conditions of his for their full success
He develops that diversity of soil which
makes diversity of toll aud taste. Thence
come the enterprise Of commerce and the in
genuity of trade. The farmer Is the first
witness of civilization. Savages hunt, rob-
bers war, hunters live on the fruits of the
chase or the sea but those who lay the
foundations OF states, break the ground. put
in the seed and uprear the home, be it n hut
or n house. They gather their families
around them. The crack OF the rifle gives
way to the music of the sharpening scvthe.
The knife combat H. exchanged for the fash
Joining axe. The war horse, heralded in
history. immortalized in marble, and cele.
brated in poem, and picture, yields room 10
the unsung plow horse, who steps afield %
the whistle OF the pillow boy, whose patient
feet trace the furrow, who heaEs the call OF
the thrush under the hedge, and notes the
sound of the woodpecker on the echoing
trees, in whose nostrils the breath of the
clover is sweet and in whose name the
little children Irvine the daisies that grow
among 1he waving grass