The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-08-07
Editorial Netings.

ize how much importance attaches to a
small advance in the price of what they
sell. The greater part-very much the
greater part, usually-of the money re-
ceived for products represents their
cost, which, when realized, leaves us no
better, if it leaves us no worse off, for
our work. If fifteen cents a pound
represents this cost in pound of but
ter there are two ways open to us in
which to seek prolific reduce the
cost and to advance the price. Econ
omy in production and improvement in
quality are the double gates by which
we must enter into prosperity as dairy
men: and the same is true of all
branches of our business. What cheer
would be spread through all our bor-
ders if in this way even few cents
could be added to the net return on
each pound of Vermont's staple product.
STEADY ATTENTION to the "main
chance (which is no less than this
chance for net profits required of
every farmer; and this necessitates the
possession or requirement of business
habits and modes of thought on the
part of every farmer. Farming is bust
ness, and a close business, too. The
farmer, as a rule, is the producer of
" staple articles" in which there is I'M
limited competition, and for which,
therefore, the artificial protection
of law affords no relief. What folly,
then, to say, or think, that "any man
can farm!" Any man may learn to
scratch the ground and when men
farmed for living, and were Cor had
to be) content with what they could
scratch out of the ground, there was a
poor, dying sense in which anybody
could be a farmer. But who, now, is
satisfied to be that kind of farmer
Even the occupant of a Dakota shanty,
or Kansas dug-out, scorns the thought,
while subject to the reality. lie
is looking forward TO the time, and
that soon, when he will be "making
money"
MAKING MONEY, in a farmer, as in
manufacturer or trader, depends
upon personal qualities, highly trained
and thoroughly utilized. Who among
us quite recognizes this truth ? Each
of us ought to hold constantly in mind
the making the most of himself.
About-right and well-enough {"
men are poor, and will always remain
poor in this strenuous striving time.
There is no longer even "room enough
up high" for fierce competitor reaches
from bottom to top in every sort of
unmonopolized business. Down low
there are no chances at all, except the
chance to eat the bread of bitterness
and drink the cup of sorrow.
No MONOPOLY is possible to the
farmer except the monopoly attached
to his own personal qualities and his
own personal efforts. Our country has
thought it best to adopt the policy of
entire free trade within the territory of
our continental national limits. The
Hollander may be legally protected y
against the Belgian, the Frenchman
against the German. the Italian against
the Spanard but a Vermont farmer
has to stand fat-footed in competition
with every other state, with heavy
discrimination against him in the
means of access to market. He is pro
tected only against the poor ca
muck but the poor canuck is still
his competitor, and Canada hay, butter
and potatoes come into our market JUS
the same.
Is IT NOT PLAIN that the American
farmer, and especially the New England
farmer, needs to be good deal of man
He is a good deal of a man. When W.
see how comfortably many of them man
age to live, and how much " ahead o
the world " fair proportion of then
are able to get, there can not be any
doubt that the high personal qualities o
hundreds of our New England farmer
place them we'll up in the scale of abso
lutte manhood. If the farming occupa
ton is despised in the cities, it must b'
only by those who do not realize wha
it is in these days to be ID successful
farmer.
But THERE ARE Too FEW of whicl
this can be said, and too many amoni
us are laboring under Encouragement
that kill out spirit and energy. The
are doing a business which they do no
sufficiently well understand to make
profitable. These are like the small
store-keepers and manufacturers in tn
cities. The world seems to have 90
tired of them. There is no longe
place for mediocrity in business-eveI