The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-11-08
FARMER BOYS,
They Should be Proud Of Their Call
ing.
THEY SHOULD STAY ON THE
FARM.

| ~
Few Words With The Boys:
81 have rarely written to any partic-
ular class in the many years that / have
contributed to your paper, but / wish
in this to talk Of and to the farm bows
who are still on the farm, but perhaps
debating whether to stay there or not
I recognize the fact that not all the
boys can stay on the farm, and that
many are needed in the various walks
of life, and will be useful and happy in
their chosen callings On the other
hand, / know that many farmers boys
are dissatisfied because they think that
| they must work harder on the farm
than in most other callings and re-
ceive for the work less pay, and that
their chances for financial success will
be greatly improved by changing from
| farm to city life. One thing which
has contributed to their discomfort Is
the fact that for several years past the
profits of farming have been affected
| by exceptionally low prices of some Of
the leading products, and drouth and
flood have greatly injured the crops.
Yet during all these years there have
been some paying products, and many
managed so lntelligently and cultiva-
ted so thoroughly that that they have
made good profit. believe that tax
ing the last ten years, which are cer-
tainly more unfavorable than any 9TH
er consecutive ten during the last forty
larger per cent. of the farmers have
lived comfortably and saved money
than Of men engaged in any other in
dustrial calling.
Gone other thought troubles many
of the boys on the farm. They see
many farmers whose lives seem to have
in them little worth living for. They
plod along in dull routine of work,
and are uncouth in speech and dress,
and seem to have either never had any
ambition to improve their condition in
lite, or to have lost it if they had, and
I do not blame them from shrinking
from such tate Now, / would not
advise boy whose tastes are SO decl-
dedly in favor of some other employ
ment that he cannot be happy and
contented on the farm to stay there,
but would ask every young man to
look all facts in the face and weigh the
matter we'll before coming to decision.
81 have had under my notice the
farmer boys of my locality, and know
how they have succeeded, and perhaps,
can give some light on the question of
hard work and little chances for profit.
Three wears ago two of them on neigh
boringing farms started in business for
themselves, one going to the city and
the other taking his fathers farm on
shares. Both were boys of good habits
and principles, with energy and pluck
and determination to succeed. The
bov who stayed on the farm has saved
several hundred dollars, and VIII in
few years have enough capital to start
in business for himself, either on
rented farm or to buy small farm,
with a fair prospect of becoming its
owner and out of debt by the time he
reaches middle life The other young
man was successful in at once securing
:, situation with a firm of good men,
and has remained with them till the
present and expects to for years to
come He began at 81 week. and
increased to S. before the year was out,
but his board and room cost So a week,
and washing, clothing and other nee
essary expenses cost $1.2O, more than
his salary. The second year his pay
was advanced to 81 per week, but he
did not quite make expenses, and the
third wear he received So per week and
spent 1t all.
"To be sure, there is an occasional
young man who gets promoted more
rapidly and begins to save money soon
er than this one, yet / think he has
had fully average success, ana posi-
Div more. The fact is, there are more
applicants than positions in the COM
II ,,orlJ opd thic yory faot EpnnS