The Forrest City times., 1901-09-13
FARMER AND PLANTER
CAN WE AFFORD IT7
A Question Frequently Arising in tn c Daily Life of the Farmer Upon
 Which Much Hinges.

afford to do this?" It may be the pur- chase of new farm implements; it may be the construction of some building. or it may be the investment of money in any one of the hundred and one ways which arise on the farm that calls forth this query, and it's settlement is matter of no small de- gree of consequence to him whose mind is striving to reach the best pos sible answer to it.
 It is a somewhat dangerous thing for one man to attempt to say how another shall solve this vexed ques- tion. So many and so varying are the circumstances surrounding each in- dividual that what would be best for one farmer might not be the right thing at all for another. For that reason he who would advise on the multitudinous problems which are arising from time to time on the farm must be very careful indeed. But there are some things one may sug- gest whicii will not iH the least em- barras the man who reads in his de- sire to know what may be best for him.
 It seems to me the farmer can af- ford to have a comfortable home. Comfort and extravaganza are terms widely divergent. The man who is not wealthy may yet possess everything worth while to make himself and his family comfortable. Only the rich can be eXtrayagant. The sooner we learn this the better. Thousands of farmers are keeping themselves poor trying to keep pace with the wealthy. Very unsatisfactory is it to have a house full of luxuries and know that they had been purchased at the expense of peace of mind. But good house, warm clothing, barns which keep all within is comfortable, and bright, cheery prospects all around, every farmer certainly can afford.
 Again, none of us can afford to bring our boys and girls up in idle ness. likeness on the farm? Yes. We all know of farms on which the boys and girls are not expected to do any thing unless they feel like it." It is too much for them to lend a helping hand to father and mother unless they are so inclined. They have no regular duties. Life for them has nothing of responsibility. They have no earnest ness of purpose, and by and by they will start out in the world for them selves, wholly unprepared to meet it's demands. Failure can only follow. Every farmer boy and girl ought to have fairly good education. The boy should know all about preparing the soil for the various crops, and under stand the proper use of tools con nectcd with their proper sowing and harvesting. He should be able to do anything bearing upon the internal economy of the household. No farmer can afford to send his children out in- to life in these days of sharp compe- tition without just this kind of prep aration. If he does he is in a. great measure responsible for the failures which may ovcrtake them. He may not be able to send his boys and girls away to college or to give them in the fullest sense finished education, but within the reach of every young man or woman of the present day is the opportunity to gain knowledge of all subjects sufficient to enable him to go through the world holding his head up with the best man of his as- quaintance.
 It may seem almost unnecessary at the present time to speak in tks way, and yet l know of many and many q boy who is growing up unable to do more than write his own name and read after a manner, wholly unac- quainted with all the rules of busi- ness. It has been my fortune to come into contact with many men in a business way, and l have often been pained to hear men say: You had better write my name there and let me sign my mark. l can't see very well, and have left my spectacles at home." 1 knew well enough that this was only pretty fiction to cover up the fact that they could not use the pen well enough to sign their names to the paper before them.
 Once more, the farmer can afford to keep up with the best thought of his time. What a chorus will go up when men read that sentence! You do not know how busy l am. Every moment of my time is taken up with my farm work. I have no idle hours to spend with books and papers. If you are fortunate enough to be able to sit in the house and read, I am glad of it. l envy you, however" And so the objections rise. Well, I do not believe there IS man in all this world who is busier than he who pens these words. For him there are no Idle hours from years end to years end; and yet it is his pride that not less than 30 papers find their way regularly to his table. Some of these are purely agricultural, some for the good wife, some for the children, some for us all. Not every word in