The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-09-14
DOES FARMING PAY?

wv. Sullivan. in Indiana Farmer
 There Is no other class of men, who by their in- dusry frugality and quiet forbearance and for the important position they occupy, in not only build ing up but sustaining all the vital interests of this country that are 90 harshlv criticised, and at the same time, deserve 90 much praise and receive so little as the farmer.
 His labors arc hard. It Is exhaustive. And be. cause his labors and duties in his calling tend to isolate him and deprive him and his family of . great many of the privileges of social culture en- joyed by many others In other callings, he is TO- garded as ignorant by the fashionable world and not possessing sufficient snap to bring himself to the front and make his mark In the social ranks of life others do.
 A part of this kind of reasoning is true. But only that part which recognizes his calling iso- lating him somewhat from society. The farmer Is not ignorant Neither Is 1t true that he Is degraded by his calling. Far from 1t. But 1t Is true-if we take the last of the United States-that the farmer does not receive fair return for his labor. But cold figures in this case, especially do not, and can not give the whole truth. For instance, there Is the matter of the continual growth of stock, c very large item Of the profits of farming, we'll other matters, that not go into the figures in manufacturing and merchandising, when giving statistics. There is another concerning farm ing which has obtained credence with some; and that is, that any without education practice can be a farmer And that skilled labor should re- ceive better pay than farming.
 Generally a mechanic manufacturer is yg farmer must learn to use many. If the skilled mechanic is mbued with the idea that any body farm nicely and easily, brief tusse ct the busi ness will convince him that both brains and dili- gent practice necessary to successfully manage both the teams, as well the vast and varied ma- chinery on the farm. So that, iu truth, to be . good practical farmer Is to be c skilled workman, and should, and does command the highest spects, from all to whom respect s worth anything the merits of the calling itself for various and very substantial reasons besides the just given to which brief reference will be made further on in this article.
 1t can not be denied, however, that there is not eingle industry in the country but that Is better organized and protected by itself than farming.
 For long time past farmers have felt keenly this want, and in casting about them for remedy, the Grange movement was an outgrowth of this conviction; and had 1t been judiciously managed, would have been productive of better results than 1t has been far. The truth however, yet remains that organization is 6 necessity with the farmers.
 Our self -preservation-the first law of nature demands it while both justice and equity emphat- ically sanction 1t.
 To put 1t in its mildest terms-to neglect this, and refuse to accomplish 1t fully, completely and to practical and successful result-whle all other industries organized-is tacit admission on the part of farmers of the absence of intelligent interest in their own affairs, without which, no industry will be able-in these "later days"-to successfully meet and overcome the current of or ganized labor in other callings.
 Another strong argument answering affirmatively the question at the head of this article is the absence of risk attending farming. Capital Is always jeopardized to a greater or less extent % 1t is placed in the channels of business There is no calling upon the earth involving necessarily, 90 small percentage of risk as farming. And % long the farmer observes the eleventh command ment, and attends to his own business, and lets other peoples alone, he is comparatively, nay, ,abso- lutely free from that temptation of speculation which has proven the destruction of innumerable thouandsi 50 that facts show that the peroentagel