The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-25
fHE NAN IN Ttis Fuf Il JW
What the Farmers aro Dt :ag FOX the
Country.

7. j. Marrow. in the Atlanta EGnSL-
tuition, says the les6ing farmers OF
Georgia have their grips pscked and
are inquiring the way to Tybee. They
have heard OF Tybee light and know
that il is near Savannah, whore, once
upon time, Ned Brace astonished the
natives by showing what an up coun-
tryman could do. T'ybee, in the mean
tine, is anxious that the farmers
should net lose their way and is max
ing every effort TO make plain the
path and Guide the tillers OF the soil
toward the little stretch Of sand beach
which has become 50 famous in Geor
gia.
That the farmer should have his va
cation is as right as i: is natural, fer
| it is upon his labor that the prosperity
Of the state is built. In the hurry and
hustle of business those who trade
upon the worlds products ere apt to
overrate their Importance and pay but
little regard to the man in the lnrrow.
They talk shout their development Of
trade, relating their enterprise in fos
tering the public interests, and the ln-
dustry with which they have worn
themselves down. They rush through
q winter of great activity, which IAN
guishes somewhat in the spring, and
when the hot term comes they HE
themselves to cool retreats, Leaving
their business affairs in possession OF
care takers. Then they begin to count
upon the opening prospects OF coming
fall, when, 10! all their calculations
depend upon the work of the farmer.
Thus it is that the importance OF the
man in the furrow gains recognition.
Ignored all the year, be becomes the
pivot upon which the business world
rests. What yield will the cotton crop
give, upon which the world awaits lis
fabrics What is the news from the
wheat fields, for whose bread the hun.
ery world looks in solicitude2 And
from the great corn fields, with be
hind them the accompaniment Of meat
products, what is the promise9 Hope
bo unds high as ths man in the furrow
shouts back the word of progress, that
the cotton bolls sre opening their
wealth, the wheat is bulgiog in lis
head and'the corn is full in the ear
The farmer clothes the world and
feeds it, and when its business man
drops by the wayside with the dry rot
he rushes in and fills his place from
the great reserve force of nature.
How little think those who would
array country against city OF the fac!
that it is the farmer himself who fur
nishes the actual brain as well as the
raw material which keeps the city act.
live. Go from one business house TO
another and men like the late Nd. Q.
KiSer, and the living James G. Ogles-
by will be found to be but recruits
from the farm who saw their chance
to build up in the city. Go to any city
establishment Of thirty years exist
ence, when the founder is resting lis
burdens upon younger shoulders, and
it will be found thai it is not the city
mans son who is coming into the
management, but the clear-minded
and strong .linbed countrymen, who
bu. few years before decided to try
his fortune in the city. So true is it
that the sons OF the city 90 to seed
without a harvest and their places are
taken by the young men from the
cCuu'ry that it occasions no surprise.
The city boy grows up in contract
ed space. The square upon which he
lives is his world, the little things OF
earth he dispises, and he begins to
burn the candle Of existence too soon.
For him there is little opportunity for
the display of sterling manhood, or
the enjoyment of life in its relation
to nature. TIE country hoy is, from
the first, child Of necessity, and ear
ly learns the lesson of how to make
ends meet. The ways and means OF
life is a hard and effective school from
which to graduate. The pupils therein
cannot sit down with folded hands
and wait for help, but they must help
themselves, and at once. The broad
fields give scope to the mind and
strength to the heart-the country
boy is man at ten, though he does
nof know it, and at twenty he stands
a young giant, whilst his city cousin
is the dyspeptic victim of vile cigar
cites and bad hours.
The other day l was Watching the
crowds which pass and repsss at the
junction of Broad and Marietta streets,
| when I was attracted by two figures.
The first was man with pipestem
legs, haggard face, and nervous man
ner-a man who talked lightly about
silly things, and who, though young,
had evidently spent the force Of life.
He was hurrying to some central OF
fee work, where he was but part of
the machinery Of the building. Meet
ing him was a solid, substantial coun-
tryman, wearing home made clothes,
but with breadth Of coattail which
indicated that he wanted room, and
feet encased in square.toed boots which
gave weight to his step. There wes
about him conscious air Of proprie'
torship, a feeling which springs from
the possession Of acres. The contrast
between the man who obeyed orders,
who lived on a crowded lot, and who
kept time to the town clock and the
masterful man from The country, &C
customed to think and TO direct, was
so marked as to excite comment from
those who looked on.
"The country is the making of a
man." said Mr.. Hugh T. Inman the
other day, while LOOKING over the
French Broad valley from the gallery
OF Battery Park hotel. - was born
not more than eighty miles up this
valley on farm where, with my
brothers, l had to work from early
morning to night. Not long since I
visited the old place for the first time