The representative., 1901-04-04
ECONOMIC LESSONS
The Machinery Problem Satisfactor-
lily Solved.


Farmer Smith was the possessor of a
section of fine land and 10 stalwart sons
Together they farmed the land in the
good, old-fashioned way. From morn
till night they toiled, sowed and reaped,
and laid by the products of the soil.
One day stranger came to the big
ters half hidden among the towering
naples.
He exhibited to the farmer pictures
and diagrams of some wonderful ma
chimes, while he explainde in detail
how they worked and the results. With
them, he said, the farmer could sow and
reap with one-tenth the manual labor
under the old way. Farmer Smith was
shrewd enough to see the advantage,
and he invested in all the machines
The following season Farmer Smith was
delighted to find that he could, with one
of his sons, do the same work he had
accomplished with TO-
One day he called his sons to him and
said: Boys, you see only need one Of
you. will keep Jim at home; the rest
of you can go out into the world and
carve names for yourselves"
The boys, nothing loath, shouldered
their possessions, and started in search
Of fame and fortune. Farmer Smith
and his son Jim worked the old farm.
and as the seasons passed 1t was neces-
sary to build new and larger granaries,
because Farmer Smith and his son Jim
could consume but q small per cent of
the products raised. AS his material
wealth increased, his neighbors spoke Of
him as shrewd financier. Occasionally
he opened his granaries and gave to less
fortunate ones. that which he could not
use. He was called philanthropist,
and was mentioned as prominent can
didate for congress.
1t so happened that the affable stran-
ger had sold his machines to many other
farmers, who also told their surplus
sons to seek their fortunes, which were
supposed to be lying around loose some
| where. Consequently Farmer Smith 8
sons met hundreds of bright, strong,
muscular youths tramping the high
ways. Everywhere they we're met with
the same answer: mo help wanted" I"
The machines had made labor a drug on
the market. Soon the bright faces and
cheerful looks and upright forms gave
place to haggard features and slow and
| faltering footsteps. Some Joined the
| army of the unemployed, some Joined
the ever-increasing ranks Of criminals,
some sought relief in the suicides grave,
and some joined the army and were sent
away to pump lead into fellow crea-
| lures.
| In another county lived Farmer
| Brown, who also had 10 promising sons.
He, too, had cultivated the land in the
old way. He had sown and reaped and
laid by the harvest.
One day the stranger came and inter-
ested him In his wonderful machines,
| which could do the work Of 10 laborers.
He called consultation, and it was de-
cided to purchase the machines. "Now,
boys" said Farmer Brown, after he had
demonstrated to his satisfaction the
success of the experiments. III one hand
can accomplish with these machines
what 10 could formerly do in the same
length of time, It naturally follows that
all of us at work. using these machines
can perform the labor in one-tenth the
time"
The proposition was self-evident and
was so accepted. And on Farmer
Browns farm the days labor was re.
duced to one. hour. with an occasional
extra one to provide for the mainten-
ance and expense Of the machines.
It was a happy household. The boys
now that 1t was not necessary to ex.
haust their physical and mental powerl
in frantic effort to keep body. and SOU
together-turned their attention to othe1
subjects and increased IN knowledge
wisdom and learning.
Farmer Smith may have been 9
shrewdy nnanciaIr bn4 Farmer Brown
was NAN.