The herald., 1897-04-18
DOES FARMING PAYe

there is no money in farming" And in
what business is there any money,
money certain and continuous? Isthere
any business that does not run In waves
with the seventh wave long way on
and a painful amount Of low tide and
bare mud-fiats to greet the ever-hopeiul
vision?
All business is but an exchange Of la
bor and all money is but reservoired
labor, the same as IL we were still In the
old state of barter. The substitution of
money for convenience In making the
exchanges in no way affects the princi-
pie that when one deals with his grocer
he is simply exchanging labor for labor.
The grocer keeps goods handy for his
customer and also compensates for the
labor of the man who produced the
| goods. For every one therefore to make
money and make It continuously would
| be for every one to have a constant sur
plus of other peoples labor. 1t would
puzzle a pretty intelligent Populist to
ngure out now this can be brought ABOUT
with any mere amount Of money, no
matter what its quality.
The great world discovered these prin-
ciples many ages ago, and all wise men
in all times have taken advantage OF the
big waves to lay up something for the
days of low tide In our progressive
country, however, this has, in more re-
cent days, come to be considered an old
fogy proceeding, very suitable for the
peasants of Europe and folks generally
who do not know how to live. The mod
ern American style, especially in some
parts of the far west. is when you get
any money to proceed to "blow it."
Even with the greatest Of care in saw
ing the proceeds of the good days it has
in all times and places been an uphill
task for the majority in every line Of
ddSinefsb dsyi to ss, laE pR pRa anything fer raiAY
chant. doctor, lawyer, or other man ever
does in life is to make fair living ana
have a few dollars to smooth the pain
down the last hill. If the merchant
keeps up his stock of goods and mas
II out of debt to sell when he comes to
retire he has done better than the av-
erage in any time. place or country that
history tells of. The idea that he Is
going to do any better here because this
is the great United States of America
is not patriotism, but conceit. for our
great country is but labor exchange
where we all have to compete with the
smartest laborers in the world.
How is the farmer to escape this Inn
,tation? Until very lately no one ever
| tried to. Even now very few do IN many
Of the older states. In Minnesota, Wis
| consin. Iowa and many other places the
| farmers are really the best off OF the
| whole. because they have their living
| out of the place and few dollars over
keeps them out of debt, so that they have
the farm clear to sell when they wish
| to retire. This was the old style OF farm
ing everywhere, and though few were
in debt, the majority of farmers were
more free from it than any other por-
| ton Of the community.
! How is it with us today on this pro-
eressive coast? Do we not remember
how many years in succession the fruit
growers of this part of California re-
ceived several hundred dollars an acre
for the products Of their orchards
Those reports were true, too. The books
of the buyers, showing what they paid
for the crop on the trees and on the
vines were seen by dozens who had nc
interest in lying. Take one place thai
we all know we'll that received as high
as 5000 per acre, with $500 for com
mon figure, for several years. Wha'
would an old fogy in Europe have dom
with that money? How many years o.
depression would it have carried the
owner over had he saved 1t? And wha
became of it? Do we not know too wei
what became of the money OF those wh'
are now complaining? And how is i
that those, like the alfalfa growers, whit
hardly got tenth of what the others
did, are almost all In good shape toda!
and avow most stubbornly that farm
ing does pay? Simply because they dit
not make enough to turn their head
and make spectators of them, and the!
worked the place for living, and count
ed the living as part Of the profits
the soil
And why is not the living part of tn
profit? What else does the averag
A
tradesman get, or the lawyer or doctor
Wherever this test is applied and tn
profits of unusual years saved, farmin
and fruit growing of almost every kin
: where conducted on proper soil an
t under proper conditions have paid an
Z paid we'll ever since a market was opene
years ago for our products. Even befor
5 that it paid for those who were conter
with a living and little over. Com
: mon farming has not only paid, but pal
., WELL and is paying now when estimate
Y in that way. Give it the attention tha
G is needed to make a success of tobacc
e shop; apply to it the energy and er
O durance necessary to make ones sa
{ out of saloon; put in the leg pow'