Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-09-06
AGRICULTURAL.
THE COMING FARMER.

AL PVitauce tilat IL Is inter
esting to consider the probable fptnro
condition of those engaged in a
The life of the farmer is so uuiat,,
passed and his contributions to tho
wealth of the Nation SO unostents.
tiously made thar he and his imno,.
tant pursuit are often forgotten q,
unappreciated in the buster walks 30
life. Yet it is to the farmer that wa
owe our National prosperity and tina
existence of our hope that Americ,
will achieve success as a Nation nm.
paralleled in the history of the world
Our magnificent cities, which rear
their spires and monumental gran.
deur from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and from the lakes to the Floridas
look to the hills and the plains for
|sustenance and grow vigorous upon
the sweat of the farmers brow. II
is the music of the reaper and thresh.
ing machine that attracts the immi.
grant to our shores and soothes him
into contentment. When the hus.
bandman folds his arms and the soil
sleeps, the proudest city starves, the
shipping weighs anchor and seeks
other harbors, the iron rail of the road
rusts for want Of use, the immigrant
turns back and postpones his coming
to a more favorable time, the mechan.
ic locks up his tools and waits for the
waving of the harvest to beckon him
again to work, and desolation like a
funeral pail spreads over the earth.
1t is Of the utmost importance, there
fore, that the fields be kept in blossom,
that the pillow be kept bright and the
cultivator kept active. But it can
readily be perceived that the farmer
can be reduced to a condition that
will make him less efficient and that
in consequence the bramble may
flourish where grain now waves and
commerce sicken for want of vigor-
Gus nourishment from the fields.
Such condition, however, must be
the result of his own lethargy. The
American farmer is master of the sit
uation, he must be the architect Of
his own fortune. He can permit Of
Legislation being turned into commit
tee rooms for scheming against his
interests or he can permit monopolies
to devour his substance and reduce
him to serfdom, or he may not. He
may disable himself by neglecting to
avail himself of the abundant educa.
tional facilities which surround him,
and plod on in the darkness of ignor-
ance, or he may exhibit the strength
which comes of knowledge and cul.
ture. Will he permit the visitation
of such misfortunes while he can so
easily prevent it? Probably not. AT
least the patriot cannot breathe a
kindlier wish for his country than
| that the farmer may grow in indepen.
dence. In all probability the coming
farmer will be recognized power in
every sphere of usefulness. Com
merce will give him the credit which
is due; politics will shape from his
Judgment and will; society win con-
TESS his worth and acknowledge his
title to nobility-at least the only no.
bility that should ever exist in this
Republic-and he who to-day occupies
a comparatively obscure position, will
be an American leader. When the
true men-the tillers Of the soil-be
come the Legislators and lawmakers
of tho land, just and equitable laws
will be the rule and the tendency to
aristocracy will be discontinued. AS
a matter Of course, the husbandmanoi
the country must be the first to dem.
onstrate his own merits, and he must
aspire to the position which belongs
to him if he would have it, and he
must strive TO fit himself by study,
culture and thought to fill the place
| that surely awaits him. When the
farmer shall have demanded the posi-
ton which belongs to him, and by
energy and perseverance secured II,
every farmhouse in the land will
wear an air of cheerfulness that will
excite the envy of those who think
and often rightly-that life on farm
| is cherries drudgery. Neatness and
taste will mark everything about the
house; the garden will pour forth It's
fragrance from Its roses the vine
| will creep over the neatly made trei'
lis, and nature will be compelled to
| spread her richest mantle upon every
lpath and pour out her choicest offer
lings on every field. Music will re-
| sound through the rooms and halls
of the farmhouse, and the library VIII
look out from the walls with as mucn
appearance of being at home as II "
were in city mansion. Then the
boys and the girls of our farms WIZ
mot hasten to turn from the hills and
dales and streams Of their country
homes and seek the monotonous
scenes and sitting atmosphere OF tho
great cities. For the good Of human
ity, may the time be not far distan'
when the Nation shall greet the COM
, ing farmer.-,Sdn Francisco C1lro7l1e's'
An exchange gives expression U
tho followino saueihle words: "U