The Hazlehurst signal., 1884-04-17
The Rldlcule OF Farmers.

ringly call themselves, seldom have
much tn say Of the farmers rs such, cx-
cept when they wish TO make up story
which affects great deal Of humor. III
they wish man to appear ridiculous,
he Is painted rs farmer. usually an
''old farmer" very illitcrate. n bad
speller. ungrammatlcal, very pcnur GUS
and dressed In outlandish garb. Or "
not an odd farmer" Of this style. he
still has the pcculiaritics Of ignorancc
and awkwar,lncss. and is held up rs u
type ofwhat the rural districts piaducc,
n creature of some use. PERHAPS. par
ticularly about election time. but always
shown up ut IA disadvantage In contrast
with tho highly cultured classes with
whom no is brought into contact
This is such common thing that
many writers. who never so into the
country and minglo with the better
class OF farmers, or SEQ them In their
conventions or other gatherings, really
think that n farmer Is u synonym for
illitcracy and awkwarlness, Just as
some people still think the term "fan-
kce" implies gawkish. whiting. lean.
garrulous. shrewd. nasal talkcr, whose
Industrial tastes lead him into swim
ding agencies" or pcddling, for q
living. Even prominent agricultural
paper could not illustrate rural scene
some years ago without putting an old
couplc-man and wife-ln the fore
ground, both decrcpit, aud driving a
decrcpit old horse hitchcd to u rickety
wagon of fifty years ago, rs its idea ot
what Is To be seen In rural localities.
1t Is worth while for reading and re-
Elective farmers TO ask themselves why
il Is that their vocation. more than any
other, is the one chosen for caricatureP
Dickens, in his stories. usually selects
individuals from among the low city
classes; vet he hardly takes them rs
types. hut rather rs exceptional cases.
which they are. But when We read y
story now of a farmers ecccntricities or
awkwar,lncss, there is rarely any pre-.
tense of limitation-it Is SO pointed and
fitted out that II conveys the idea that
the class is ridiculous rs u whole. hut
whatever it might have been. say n hun
drcd years ago, this is not true now. but
il is well Ia consider why this idea Is SO
slow to be laid aside.
In spite of all that education and
closer association have done for the adj
vanccmcnt OF farmers rs u class, there
j. still large remnant Of illteracy In
rural communities, the wisdom Of which
is sometimes boldly defended. IL 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 "abOvc their calling
The boys, when they "gct an cduca-
tion," 20 into business or the profess
sions, aud the girls put up their noses
"a, the idea of marrying farmers sons.
Such results are not the natural elects
OF education, but Oftcncr than other
wise, the result Of m'sdircctcd home
teachings. Some ignorant farmers who,
through previous sclf.denial, or the at
tainmcnt Of u legacy in middle life, be-
come able to educate their children are,
themselves quito apt 10 looS upon farm.
ing rs unworthy an ambitious mind,
and frequently So express themselves
before their children. and thus poison
their minds. Besides, the education
given in such eases is usually super
iicial. and not that which develops the
mind. When u farmer sees something
more than labor In his business, finds
en- oymcnt in its wondrous transforma-
tions, and reflects also how far such
work is really above that Of most
other callings In its usefulness to man.
kind and in its closcncss 10 natures
mysteries, he will not long consider il
as wanting in pleasures. IL is ignO-
rance and narrow views that bclittlc il,
and which give II sting to the story.tcll-
er's ridiculc.
To remedy the matter is not to rail nj
the ignorant man. who In most cases Is
no, reached by anything published IN
the agricultural papers or books, or ut
tered in agricultural gatherings; but to
engage somewhat in missionary work.
The intelligent rca'lcr and farmer must
himself. in spc ,ch and act. encourages
everything which aims Mt the farmers
advancement, and not be brake To his
progress. lie should practice the best
system of farming without regard 10
pre- ,udcc. and never countcnancc the
silly idea that mental development. can
harm the business. He should rcmcm-
Der that all the drawbacks To its useful
ness. and tO its influence rs q force in
the Government of the country. are due
To Ignorance and n habit Of mental dc.
pendencc on others for political guild
ance. Farmers should be rs indepcnd-
cnt in thought and political action rs
their business fits them to be independ-
cnt Of the ordinary business troubles OF
other callngs. At present they have
little political standing rs class. Tho
men sent to our Legislatures have little
appreciation Of what agriculture Is or
wha, il needs; but they know that II is
n constituency with no conference, aud
that il Is usually safe To disregard such
appeals ~ 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-
cation | do not mean long term ut
school, FINISHED ut last by college
graduation. That Is all well when there
Is a taste for ii and the means to graf.
ify IL, and IL there has been no "soitcn-
ing of the BRAN" before going. there
will not often be aftcrward. Educa-
ton should comprise not only what n
farmer specially needs as such. but ev-
crything that tends to develop him rs a
man and 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
tcrsely in occasional speeches. His dress
on the farm, and his complexion, arc OF
little account; but what he does want
and can have Is the ability to hold his
own in the contests, great or small,
that come up among free citizens. The
disrespcct In which farming stands
among most other classes, Is due to a
very general lack of self. assertion, and
that Is founded on the consciousness OF
mental incapacity and the need Of tram
ing. In manners, intelligence and gem
eral bearing the farmer should be In.
distinguishable from other classes, and
then he will readily hold his own
against them all. But II illiteracy and
uncouthncss put q mark upon him-and
especially il he himself encourages
these as advantages-he will DO tho
football OF politicians, and stand but u