The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-18
The Ridicule Of Farmers.

~ 80 SSSAJ
which affects a great deal of humor. II
they wish a man to appear ridiculous,
he is painted as a farmer, usually an
"old farmer" very illiterate. a bad
speller, ungrammatical. very penurious,
and dressed in outlandish garb. Or il
not an '-old farmer of this style, he
still has the peculiarities of ignorance
and awkwardness, and is held up as a
| type OF what the rural districts produce,
a creature of some use. perhaps, par
ticularly about election time. but always
shown up at a disadvantage in contrast
with the highly cultured classes with
whom he is brought into contact.
This is such q common thing that
many writers. who never 60 into the
country and mingle with the better
class of farmers, or see them in their
conventions or other gatherings, really
think that a farmer is a synonym Tor
:lliteracy and aw~kwardness, gust as
some people still think the term ''Yan-
kee" implies 4 gawkish, whiting, lean.
Sarrulous. shrewd. nasal talker, whose
industrial tastes lead him into swim
ding agencies" or peddling, for \
living. Even a prominent agricultural
| paper could not illustrate a rural scene
some years ago without putting an old
| couple-man and wife-in the fore
ground, both decrepit, and driving q
decrepit old horse hitched to a rickety
wagon of fifty years ago, as its idea of
what is to be seen in rural localities.
1t is worth while for reading and re-
Elective farmers to ask themselves why
it is that their vocation. NOR than any
other. is the one chosen for ~caricature?
Dickens, in his stories, usually selects
individuals from among the low city
classes; yet he hardly takes them as
typcs, but rather rs exceptional cases.
which they are. But when VIC read q
story now of a farmers eccentricities or
aw~kwardness. there is rarely any pre-
tense of limitatiOn-it is so pointed and
fitted out that it conveys the idea that
the class is ridiculous as a whole.
In spite of all that education and
closer association have done for the adj
vancement of farmers rs a class, there
is still n large remnant of i'll teracy in
rural communities, the wisdom of which
is sometimes boldly defended. 1t is
urged that We are going too fast in the
line Of schools and education, because
one direct result is to make farmers
children feel "above their calling"
The boys, when they '.get an educa-
tion." 20 into business or the profess
siOnS. and the girls put up their noses
ut the idea OF marrying farmers ons
Such results are not the natural effects
o. education, but Oftener than other
wise, the result OF III sdirected home
teachings. Some ignorant farmers who,
through previous seli-denial. or the at
tainment of 4 legacy in middle life. be-
come able to educate their children are,
themselves quite apt to lOoa upon farm
ing as unworthy an ambitious mind,
and frequently so express themselves
before their children, and thus poison
their minds. Besides. the education
given in such cases is usually super
Lcial. and not that which derelOps the
mind. When a farmer sees something
more than labor in his business, finds
en- Oyment in its wondrouS transforms
tons, and reflects also how far such
work is really above that of most
other callings in its usefulness to man.
kind and in its closeneSs to natures
mysteries, he will not long consider it
as wanting in pleasures. 1t is igno-
rance and narrow views that belittle it.
and which give a sting to the %story-tell-
er's ridicule.
To remedy the matter is not to rail at
the i.norant man. WHO in most cases is
no: reached by anything published in
tered in agricultural gatherings; but to
engage somewhat in m ssionary work.
The intelligent reader and farmer must
himself. in spe 'ch and art, encourage
everything which aims at the farmers
advancement. and not be a brake to his
progress. He should practice the best
system of farming with mt regard to
7 eiudice. and never ntenance the
sill y idea that mental development: can
harm the business. He should remem-
Der that all the drawbacks TO its useful
ness. and to its influence as a force in
the Government OF the country. are due
to ignorance and a habit of mental de-
pendence on others for political guild
ance. Farmers should be as independ-
ent in thought and political action as
their business fits them to be independ-
emit of tie ordinary business troubles OF
obici CiiiiiiSA. al pfc>cHt tutS HdNc
little political stand ne as 4 class. The
men sent to our Legislatures have little
apprec alton of what agriculture is or
what it needs; but they know that it is
4 constituency with no conference, and
that it is usually safe TO disregard such
appeals a come from its foremost men.
because of the Indifference of the masses
behind them.
Let me add, however, that by an edu-
cation L do not mean a long term at
school, FINISHED" ut last by \ college
graduation. That is all well when there
is a taste for it and the means to graf
ify it. and if there has been no $50 ten
ing OF the bra n before going, there
will not often be afterward. Educa-
ton should comprise not only what q
farmer specially needs as such, but ev-
erything that tends to develop him as q
man and a citizen. He should be the
equal in culture. in speech. in address,
of other intelligent men. so that when
he associates with them he is not likely
to appear singular from awkwardness
of manner, ungrammatical talk or want
OF capacity to express himself in con-
%versation or on paper, or clearly and
tersely in occasional speeches. His dress
on the farm, and his complexion, are of
little account; but what he does want