Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-04-18

Inc groaS dAfl1e9." as they admi-
rngly Gull themselves, seldom have
much to say Of the farmers Is such, en-.
sept when they wish to make up story
which affects great deal of humor. II
they wish man to appear ridiculous.
he is painted as a farmer, usually an
''old farmer" very illiterate, . bad
speller, ungrammatical, very penurious,
and dressed In outlandish garb. Or If
not an ''old farmer" of this style, he
still has the peculiarities of ignorance
and awkwardness. aud is held up as q
type ofwhat the rural districts produce,
creature OF some use, perha IS, par
ticularly about election time. but always
shown up at q disadvantage in contrast
with the highly cultured classes with
whom he Is brought into contact
This is such a common thing that
many writers. who never 90 into the
country add mingle with the better
class OF farmers. or see them in their
conventions or other gatherings, really
think that q farmer is a synonym for
illsteracy and awkwardness, Just as
some people still think the term yam
kee" implies gawkish, whiting, lean.
garrrllous. shrewd. nasal talker, whose
Industrial tastes lead him into swim
ding agencies" or peddling, for q
living. Even 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 a
decrepit old horse hitched TO 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
II Is that their vocation, more 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
types, but rather es exceptional cases,
which they are. But when We read a
story now of farmers eccentricities or
awkwardness, there is rarely any pre-
tense OF Hmitation-it is SO pointed and
htted out that it conveys the idea that
the class is ridiculous as whole. But
whatever it might have been. say a hun
dred years ago, this is not true now, but
II is well to consider why this idea is sc
slow TO be laid aside.
In spite of all that education and
closer association have done for the adj
vancement of farmers as class, Their,
Is still 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," 90 into business or the profes-
sions. and the girls put up their noses
at the idea of marrying farmers sons
Such results are not the natural effects
OF education, but oftener than other
wise, the result of misdirected home
teachings. Some ignorant farmers who,
through previous self-denial, or the at
tainment of legacy in middle life. be-
come able to educate their children are,
themselves quite apt to look 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
ficial, and not that which develops 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 nature s
mysteries, he will not long consider il
"a wanting in pleasures. 1t Is igno-
rance and narrow views that belitt1e it,,
and which give sting to the story-tell-
er's ridicule.
To remedy the matter is not To rail at
the ignorant man, who in most cases is
not reached by anything published in
the agricultural papers or books, or ut
tered in agricultural gatherings; hut to
engage somewhat in missionary work.
The intelligent reader and farmer must
himself, in speech and act, 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 ut regard to
pre.udice, and never countenance the
silly 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 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-
ent of the ordinary business troubles OF
other callings. At present they have
little political standing rs a class. The
men sent to our Legislatures have little
appreciation of what agriculture Is or
what il needs; but they know that it is
a constituency with no conference, aud
that it is usually safe 10 disregard such
appeals as come from its foremost men.
because of the indifference of the masses
behind them. Here then is reason
enough for work.
Let me add. however, that by an edu-
alton l do not mean a long term al
school, I" finished " at last by college
graduation. That is all well when there
is 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 a
farmer specially needs as such, but ev.
erything that tends to develop him as a
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 be does wan
and can have is the ability to hold hi
own in the contests. great or small
that come up among free citizens. The
disrespect in which farming stand.
among most other classes, is due to /,
very general lack of self assertion, and
that Is founded on the consciousness o.
mental incapacity and the need of ira q
ing: In manners, intelligence and gen
eral bearing the farmer should be in.
distinguishable from other classes, anC
then he will readily hold his OWL
against them all. But if illiteracy and
uncouthness put mark upon him-anC