The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-06-16
MARKETS AT HOME.


thc FARMER flnus Ills wagon Bettcf
Market Than the Railway Platform.
Farmer Brown settled i'm the wilder
ness some twenty years ago Ills first
crops were hauled fifty miles away and
he had hard times. After awhile rail-
way came and station was established
three miles away.
Then he stopped feeding wheat 20 his
stock and stopped burning corn. lie
could ship them off east, hc could ship
pork, beeves and some other products
which would bear transportation.
Times grew better with him, but no
often regretted that he was SO far from
markets. The railways got an awful
slice, the steamships took another bite,
and middlcmen all along the line nib
bled or bit until his bushel OF wheat or
corn, his hundred weight of pork,
looked SO small. net, that he sometimes
felt that it was not worth tho labor.
lie felt that there were too many
commissions, too heavy freight charges:
that the railway platform was dead
ly enemy, and that farming did not
pay.
Just now fellow from somewhere
cast came along with money and open
eyes He saw the water power, or the
timber or the other natural resources,
and proceeded 20 put up some indus-
trial works. Perhaps It. was IA sawmill,
a Touring mill, n tanncry, furniture
factory. These brought workmcn and
enc enterprise another until the little
hamlet grew to be n town and the town
a city
In these days things changed. These
worlsmen did net raise crops, hey ate
what he and other farmers raised. His
wheat went 20 the homo mill an he
got his pay check with no reductions,
no freights, no commissions, but good
hard cash ut the bank. Instead of
whistling 20 the distant mar.sts he
was able 10 sell all he could raise right
at home He had 10 skirmish To get
enough 20 supply the demand. lie
sold his farm products from uc acdgon
bor 10 the families OF those who worked
at the factories. 7Acy gave him good
prices and charged no commission. lie
had the sale before his eyes and was
not helpless victim Of some one in
Chicago or New York.
Do you suppose he wishes these mills
20 close up and these people 20 turn In
despair 10 that last resort, the farm?
Not muchl win IL bc possible TO con-
vince him that IL is better TO buy for
cign goods English calico, for in-
stance than 20 help build up home
market? Let Us wait until next No
vcmbcr and sec what we shall see.
He has learned by hard lSnoclSs what
college theorists cannot get out of
books-that the village, now grown
into town or city, Is n sure, net cash,
market for every product Of his acres.
lie knows that lac can go in person,
sell 60 whom he chooses, get the top
of the market, hold his produce until
the prices suit him and put the 'chole
product deep down into his pocket or
his bank lie does not have 10 ship.
and trust, and pay freight, only 90 be
whitfield 20 the fine edge OF nothing.
The farmers OF the northwest arc
thinking big chunks OF this sort OF
practical hard-hcadcd wisdom and ar
ranging TO act accordingly. Ideas
may come slower on the farm. but
they arc clearer and moro definite and
they last longer. THY summer and
winter with the farmer lie has cal
lous spots on his hands and he intends
90 mako these count for money, for
good homes, honest labor and mdi-
viduai prosperitv.