The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-07-30
How Money is Used

IUW IL OoI0s
w onder is often expressed that
farmers, though engaged in what
is unquestionably the safest bust
ness in the world, and proverbially
thrifty do aot as a rule accumulate
and have at command large sums of
money, as men of equal thrift In
other and not more profitable pur-
suiis often do. At first thought
tbis does seem a little, but if one
win reflect q strange he will see that
there are good reasons why this
should be the case. 1t is not mat
ter of making money as much as
it is of its inves tment or use as &C
cumulated'
How does the farmer use his sur
ulus money? His is a business to
which there is practically no limit.
The merchant or banker often finds
that he cannot employ more cash
to advantage in good or in opera
ting capital-but the average farm
er rarely sees the time when he
thinks he cannot advantageously
add to his acres. Investment IN
adjoining farms is an agricultural
mania which grows with what II
feeds on. A man who has once
started to add farm to farm gen
orally comes to have at last an I'D,
satiate appetite for real estate; and
the thousands amassed by the slo"
processes of agriculture can be alb
sorbed most easily and quickly IN
this way.
In these days of rapid progress
in everything few farmers feel that
they do not need some additions
to their farm machinery and I'M
provements, household equipments,
etc. besides an elevation of their
standard of stock farm. These
points have all been intensified IN
The last few years, and have
drawn heavily upon the farmer
surplus. Fine barns and out build
ings fine collections OF lmple-
ments, handsome and well-bred and
valuable breeding animals, are found
in ten places to every one known
score OF years ago. Indeed gen
eral advance in the farmers equip
ment for business and in his com
fort of living have been the dlstln-
gushing mark of this era. inns
great advance has absorbed a very
considerable portion of his cash
not to speak Of the wider recognl-
ton of the necessity of furnishing
the boys and girls of the farm with
the improved educational facilities
beyond the reach of their parents.
But the great reason why the
farmer is not as often known among
capitalists as other men are Is that
when he has accumulated some
thing more than n competency he
is very apt to abandon the farm.
The course of reasoning seems fre-
quently to be about this: 81 have
worked hard tor this, and have
earned a rest. I'll rent the farm,
move 10 town, give my children a
better chance at school, and take
life'easv." So ne rents the farm Ito
his credit be it said, he don't often
want to sell it) goes to town, and
Iputs his surplus money out IN yarl-
| ouslways-but not as a farmer. The
people do not think of it as a farm
er's Investment, and agriculture
gets no credit for it.
Though not exactly gernane to
the subject in hand, it is interest
ing TO note just here striking con
trast, which shows the desire OF all
of us to have, even though comtor-
tably situated, just the things we
DO not possess. Thus the towns
man who accum ulated 4 fortune
and scatters money IN various ways
think he has capped the ciimaE OF
investment when he has bought q
farm. That millionaire is a rare
one indeed who does not place a
| part Of, his cash in agricultural real
estate. To this has been added
within a few years d mania for stock
breeding until it has come to be the
case that the best and most noted
herds of stock in the land belong
to city men.