The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-04-11
SATURDAY. APRIL IL, 1885.

upon our hills is being felled, our 1Or-
ests are being cleared away, and Gar
rett is gradually becoming an agri-
cultural county. We are glad to note
the material change in this respect,
for we cannot reasonably expect to be
a prosperous and successful people
unless our farm products are increas-
ed. One great drawback to our pros
perity is the large number of young
men who annually leave Garrett
county to seek their fortunes in the
west or elsewhere. In addition to
this number, there are many who,
though they do not leave the county,
leave the farm to engage in other
pursuits, which in nine cases out Of
ten are less remunerative, and bring
with them much less independence.
This state of affairs should not exist,
Our young men who are raised on
the farm and understand the far
mers' calling, should stick to the
farm. There is no life so indepen-
dent-there is no calling or aYocation
in which a man is so thoroughly his
own master; and certainly none
which affords so much real enjoy
ment. Let our young men engage
in clearing up our forests, opening
up farms, and with industry and en-
ergy engage in agricultural pur-
suits; and, though it may be slowly,
yet surely build for Themselves homes
which they and their children after
them may enjoy. Farmers as class
acquire money slowly, but generally
much more surely than men of other
callings. Merchants, manufacturers,
capitalists, bankers. brokers, lawyers
and doctors fail in business every
day, but how rarely do you hear Of
the failure of a farmer! Another
drawback is the disposition of many
of our farmers to step aside from
their legitimate business to engage
in some outside transaction or specu
larger profits or quicker returns than
the farm. They must have IA saw
mill, or get contract Of some kind,
and so leave the farm lie idle, and
when it is too late, they realize that
life is not long enough to master the
essentials of half a dozen callingS.
Better for an individual to stick to
that which he knows all about than
to be tempted into an unknown
enterprise by alluring promises of
glittering gains. If the farmer has a
little money, he had better put it in
improvements upon his farm than to
put in some enterprise for others to
manage, where the chances are that
he may never get back the original
Investment. Another disadvantage
under which we labor is the very
large number of large tracts of land
In our county. What we need are
purchasers and settlers for these
lands-people to fill up the vacant
spots-and we believe the day is not
distant when purchasers can be had
for these tracts if their owners will
divide them and sell at reasonable
figures. Many of our people make
grave mistake by wanting or buying
too much land. They seem to ina
CINE that successful farming consists
in large number of acres, rather
than in wise management. 1t is GER
tainly unwise to own more land than
can be successfully utilized. 1t sure
ly is folly to pay taxes upon land
which cannot be used, and from
which no return can be secured. Bet
ter by far have a small farm, well
titled and productive to its fullest ca
pacity, than large farm in any part
neglected. And it is much better to
be contented with farm of moderate
dimensions than to permit ambition
to involve the farmer in unending
trouble; as it frequently happens
when his ambition leads him to buy
more land than he really needs.
What we want to see, and what we
need in our own judgment, is to have
our large tracts of land cut up into
small farms and placed within the
reach of men of moderate means.
Then settlers will come into our coun-
ty, and our population. wealth and
prosperity will increase. We also
want to see our young men who are
raised on the farm remain at home.
and engage in farming; clear out the
forests improve the land and make it |
productive, thus adding to their own
wealth and the prosperity Of their
native county. We want our farm
ers. to limit their acres to that number
which they can successfully use and
to avoid outside speculations, Crush