Willmar tribune., 1900-03-21
THE FARMER AND HIS WORK.

lG requires brains to be good
farmer, whatever may be said to the
contrary. Who has not heard the
brilliant remark of some ld-be-wit.
"Oh, so-and-so wasn't bright enough
to study for profession, so his father
made a farmer of him.
The man who must succeed as farm
er must be a sort Of all-around man.
He must know not little of every
thing. He must be a philosopher, in
order that he meet with calmness and
courage the losses and crosses which
will surely come to him in his chosen
calling. The wind, the weather, and
the elements generally, are his foes.
Bugs and worms by the legion rise
early and sit up late to devour the
fruits Of his labor. The shiftless
hired man does his best for ten hours
Of the day to absorb the surplus cash
which finds its slow way into the farm
serassp poehetbo ok, d the tax eol Hector,
and the insurance man are always to
be depended upon to put in an appear
ance as often as the year comes around.
The farmer must have some know
ledge of the healing power that he
may doctor his horses and cattle. He
must be mechanic enough to keep his
farm machinery in running order.
He must be IL judge of Il good horse,
of good COW, so as to keep unscru-
pulous dealers from lattening on his
hacd earnings. He must have tact
and judgement in buying and selling
He must be chemist enough to know
what his land needs, and so be able to
supply the missing elements.
He must know how to work and how
to make others work. Why, when you
come to think of it, the farmer needs
to be the bestinformed man in the coun-
try. And when you come right down
tothe facts IN thecase he generally is so.
The height of shirt collar is no index
to the caliber Of brain it saws into.
The amount of perfumery on hand
kerchief conveys no idea of the intel
lect of the man who carries it. A
white hand may be a ''patent of nobil-
ity' but the hand which earns a living
by honest labor is the hand which
keeps things moving and the hand
which feeds the world.
The farmer is the vital force behind
everything. Take him out of the
scheme Of existence, and where would
the business Of the world be in twelve
months?
The cotton, the wool, the flax, the
corn, the wheat, the fruit-why every
thing that we prize and enjoy we owe
to the farmer. He keeps the wheels of
the factories moving; he makes the
business in the villages; the products
of his labor load our railway trains,
and freight our river and ocean steam
ers: his taxes run our government; his
healthy boys and girls pour the in
oDli holOA VI ollC1t youGu ttHu Vitality
into our big cities, aud from the ''way
back' farms come our most daring
and gallant soldiers, our captains of
industry, our lawyers, and judges,
and ministers. In all the world of
trades there is none more respectable
and honorable than that of farming.
Never decry your calling ye men
who till the soil, Be proud of it, and
live up to its glorious privileges.
Don't grumble because you are not
ia the front. Put yourself in the front.
Say the word resolve upon it, and
You shall be there. There is not pow
CT enough in all the trusts and syrdi-
Gates in all the Christendom to put
you in the back seat, unless you con-
sent. -,
The farmers could rule the world if
they would unite and hold together.
So brace up and lead the procession.
The winter months are over and gone,
but wintry weather will linger for
time. Doubtless we shall yet have
some northwesters, mayhap, some
snow ,storms, some frozen icicles,
despite the groundhog's determ ination
tn hraak I'M camn and hauin his forao.