Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1891-04-24
CONTRAST OF CONDITIONS

New York Tribune: If farmers
could serve three months apprentice
ship Of some kind in a city where
they would be brought into contact
with the worlds workers it would cure
some Of them of their discomfort.
Just now prices are low for most
farm products; it requires close
economy to support a large family
and not run behind; but there are
many compensations connected with
a farm life. The farmer does not,
as II rule, do so much hard work in
a year az the average worker in the
city, for in the busiest season rainy
days are to him rest days, and these
in year give many holidays. Then
the winter is largely vacation time,
and in December, january and
FEBRUARY not one farmer in ten works
half the time, and many do not try to
do anything but care for their stock;
and this, with good barn and we'll
arranged stable, is ordinarily only
enough for pleasant exercise. So
much of the work of the farm is now
done by machinery that the days Of
exhaustive muscular labor are few.
Moreover, the farmer is not Shut up
in an office porting over columns of
Figures, nor obliged to stand behind a
counter higgling with customers, nor
to watch and guide a machine in its
tiresome repetitions from years end
TO years end. In his work there is
infinite variety and pleasant aud
healthful surroundings. In the
growth and development Of both
crops and animals there is always
something to interest and to call out
skill. The doing of each thing at the
best time and in the best way, the
taking advantage of the best condi-
ton of soil, call for exercise of judg.
ment and care, and keep the mind
bright and active. 1t is not the man
who works hardest or the most hours
in the day who gets the best return
from the farm, but he who PUTS most
thought and care into his work and
guides it by the best intelligence. 10
watch the growth Of animals and
plants, and see that intelligent
management gives a more perfect
development and greater value; to
work with singing birds and busy
bees around, with no cloud Of smoke
overhanging you which calls for
lighting the gas by the middle of the
afternoon; your eyes are delighted by
green fields, blooming flowers, ripen-
ing fruits and wavering grain rather
than by squalid children, reeking
alleys and slatternly housewives.
The mistake made when we contrast
the lot Of the farmer with that of
dwellers in town is that we compare
him with the wealthy and successful
men with ten times the capital in
vested in their business that the aver
age farmer has. Farmers by the tens
of thousands are making a comfort
able living and rearing and educating
large families on farms valued at
$4,000 to $1,000, and the interest on
this amount, if safely invested, would
not pay the rent in a respectable part
Of the city for as good a house as most
of them live in. With his small
capital, the farmer in this age Of
monopolies would stand poor chance
to engage in business for himself, and
usually must join the army Of wage
workers, whose income depends on
keeping everlastingly at work, and
who must always run the risk Of being
thrown out Of employment, and that
the wants Of the family are 50 fully
supplied BY it. its q comfort also
to the farmer to know tha: the world
is richer, not poorer for what he does;
| that he contributes to the general
wealth. 7 rejoice that We have q
large class in this country who can
mot get rich, and are not in danger of
being poor; q class trained to study
industry, who only need TO know
their blessings and to be contentea to|
4 a Il