Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-06-03
stanton Spectacle,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE Sd. 1891.
Tho Needs Of the Farmer.

III LILO SOSMUUUtnuU LuNyNStSS AVA y SAHS
is published prizs article upon the needs
of the farmer, contributed, among large
number of others, in response to an offer
of several hundred dollars for the best
essay on this interesting subject. Abner
L. Frazer, of Milford, Ohio, is the author,
and he is practical farmer. If that fact
were not well known otherwise, says the
Norfolk Landmark, it would amply appear
from the strong, sensible words he writes
about the occupation, difficulties and ad-
vantages of farming in the United States
The article is most interesting one, full
of sound suggestion and full of encourage
ment for the farmer. We can only glance
at the writer's conclusions and good points
in the small space at command. MIR.
Frazer says in the beginning, what we
have often asserted in these columns, that
modern social demands, increased expenses
of living aud labor, and perhaps less pro-
ductive soil enter largely into the problem.
While the whole social plane and style of
living is on higher level than in the days
of our forefathers, it is equally true that
the farmers cannot be expected to drag be-
hind the other classes.
With all the complaining, however,
there are farmers who prosper, and the
writer from Milford declares the future of
the farmer to be bright under favoring con.
ditions. 1t is interesting to know what the
conditions are which this practical man
points out, for he is not at all radical. The
development of iron, coal, gas and manu-.
featuring, he says, has disturbed the rural
population in recent years and the base of
agricultural supply has thus moved west
ward. Growing population and weakened
soil have brought much of the rural popu-
lation to the towns and cities. These some
what unnatural and unfavorable conditions
will adjust themselves under the operation
of supply and demand. Manufacturing
will require the products of farms, and
small farmers will meet that demand
Agriculture and manufacturing 60 together.
They must be fed and each others wants
supplied by each other.
1NOW tuO 1dAmOL ouAOAc AuOoe bOSoNSS ~--S
products are in excess of the home demand
and he is hampered in disposing of SUI
plus on account of lack of reciprocity in
trade. The typical farmer of the country
will be in the future, more even than in
the past, the intelligent gentleman, not
merely the honest toIling tiller of the soil
with few comforts and no aspirations. He
needs more than the log cabin and the
forest There must be proper education,
skillful use of implements, intelligent care
of live stock from some knowledge of their
anatomy, chemical knowledge of soils, &c.
Skilful, economical farming. The move
ment of gigantic, aggressive monopoly
should be checked by legislation, food
authorizations and fraudulent sale of imita
tions of farm products should be forbidden
and the law against them enforced. There
farmer, who labors too long for health
There should be prohibition of some kind
upon largo ownership of land, especially by
foreigners. No vast money and land
Western farmer is fully alive and awake to
the needs of the agricultural class, and his
article is one of the wisest discussions of
the practical question Of what tie farmer
should do and DO that we have seen any
where. He thinks the solution is largely
with the farmer himself, aided by reason
able legislation, which will insure equal op-
portunities for all.