The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-12-19
FARMER AND PLANTER.
ON THE FARM.
salient Pointers Applicable to Current

nationai finances lately, proba bly,
more than at any time in our history.
This has been campaign of educa-
tion sure enough, and every one who
desired information on almost anv
subject could get his fill of it for the
mere asking. On one point almost all
are agreed, and that is that we have.
curing the past two years. seen the
hardest times that have afflicted the
country in about 20 years.
Ehe man who took reef in his sails
when the present wave of adversity
ioomed up, and began to practice the
closest economy, is not now in a very
tight place; but he who failed to cor
rectly interpret the signs of the times,
and continued to buy on credit and
extend his business. that man is being
sadly squeezed, If not entirely smashed,
financially.
his panic, or stringency, or what
ever we may term it, has been very Sc
we're on farmers, especially tenant
farmers who are paying high cash
rents. Many of them will be unable
70 raise the amounts due their land
lords, and there is certain to be con-
siderable distress the coming winter.
considering the prices received for
farm products the pasttwo years, land
rents nave been at least 40 per cent.
Zoo high-fully 40 per cent. more than
even good and careful tenant has
really been able to pay. If there ever
was time when landlords should
ce lenient, that time is now. We can
not afford to crush the spirit of farm
err who is striving to pay his just dues,
and live.
Don't drive a willing horse to
DEATH" is good advice when applied to
the equine race, and it is not only
good, but also Christian advice when
applied to a tenant farmer who is do
ing his utmost under adverse condi-
lions. The tendency of people toward
the cities is strong enough, anyway,
let us not increase that tendency by
enforcing demands for dues which we
can, by a reasonable amount of econ
omy On our part, get along comfort
ably without.
There is change coming--in fact, l
feel safe in saying that it is almost
here-a change for the better. Every
thing has been awaiting the outcome
of the election at hand. a.
fact we can not even if we would.
ignore. The indications are pleir
that confidence will soon be restored.
and with restored confidence will come
loosening of the purse-strings OF
capitalists. and great revival of that
spirit of enterprise for which the
American people are proverbially
famous.
Then will our mills, factories and
mines be opened. and workers who are
willing to work be employed at wages
that will enable them to buy the
products of the farm. When there is
demand close at home for our pro-
ducts, prices quickly rise to living
rate, and we prosper. When prices
are below living rate, as now, and
our chief market is in foreign coun-
tries, and we are obliged to pay freight
thereto, there is very little left for us,
and we can barely sustain ourselves.
If our markets were flooded with
cheap foreign wheat, naturally there
would be little or no demand for our
wheat, and we would have to grow
something else or quit farming Any
body can understand that. When our
markets is flooded with goods of for
eign manufacture, there is no demand
to speak of for ours, and consequently
our factories are closed aud artisans
thrown out of employment. And
when they can earn nothing, how can
they buy? An old farmer said few
days ago: II tell you, boys. am a
great United States mani l believe in
the United States. We can grow the
best feed in the world on our farms,
and our fellows can make
the best goods of all kinds in
our mills and factories, and / feel q
heap more like swapping with them
than with some foreign cuss that
doesn't care copper for us SO long as
he can got the best end of the BAR
gainr'
feel satisfied that close at hand is
the beginning of an era of prosperity
for this whole country, and especially
for the farmers thereof, and now is
the time to prepare for it. The best
stock never was cheaper than now.
Experience has convincingly proved
that the best is the cheapest to raise
and feed, and brings the most in the
market. If you can raise the money,
now is the time to buy males of the
best quality. If you are unable to
purchase for yourself. by all means
breed to the best in the neighborhood.
This certainly will not cost you much,
while you will be doubly recompensed
for the outlay.
Get rid ofthe scrub stock at the ear
liest moment; you can not afford to
keep and feed it at any time, least of
all now. Breed up your stock until It.
comes into demand for breeding pur-
poses. Improved stock creates in the
owner an intense interest in it, and an
earnest desire TO build upa model herd