St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-07-12
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
OPEN DOCS FOR YOUNG MEN.
The Southland Presents the Open
Door of Prosperity To the Young
Men Of the Country.

l
Never in all the generations past
have there been such opportunities
open to the young man as greets
him to-day. And nowhere else are
these opportunities SO numerous and
SO inviting as in our own southland.
A variety OF causes have contributed
to bring about this state Of affairs.
We have not time, and this is not the
place, t. enter into q discussion OF
these causes, but the fact remains
that the opportunities are here. The
young man who wishes to work, is
willing to work, and knows how to
work, can find plenty OF room for his
energies and talents. Never were
character and capacity at higher
premium. True, swindlers and sharp
ers abound, and incompetency stares
us in the face at every turn. but still
there is room-abundant room-for
the honest and faithful discharge of
duty.
In every department of human
energy and human effort, competent
| young workers are in demand. The
rapid multiplicity Of mechanical in
,ention does not do away with handi-
craft, but only calls more loudly for
skilled brains and trained muscles.
| The improvement Of mechanical APP
pliances increases the call for intelli-
gent superintendent. Men move
faster, think quicker, want more, and
thus consume more material and call
for more energy.
But it is not our purpose to under
take to discuss the vast field that
opens up just here. We wish particu-
larly to call attention to the oppor-
tunities presented by farm life. The
number of mouths to be fed, bodies
to be clothed, and increasing wants
to be supplied call for greatly in
creased quantities of agricultural
products.
The recent rapid rise in the prices
Of everything necessary for comfort
able living makes it easy to make
money on the farm. The consequent
decrease of the supply of cheap labor
shows us that the time is come when
more intelligence and more machin-
cry must be employed if we keep up
with the profession.
We have every advantage that good
air, pure water, mild climate, cheap
and yet productive soil, and abound
ing health can give. Any young man
who will take the trouble to study
the science, SO as to practice the art
of agriculture in sensible way, has
sure and easy way to Independence.
It requires less capital to start to
farming than to start any other bust
ness. Any young. man who has the
resolution and is not ashamed of
work has capital enough to start up
on. He can rent piece of land and
buv a horse or mule on time and get
credit on the cotton crop he expects
to plant, and make a crop which will
pay for all of these and leave him
something with which to start the
next crop. If he does not like that
plan here is another: He can find
plenty of men who will furnish the
land, mule, and tools and seed against
his labor and give him half he can
make. We do not know any other
business that will do this. A shrewd,
Industrious young man, working on
this plan, can soon save up enough
money to buy the whole farm. Yet
there are many ready to give this
chance.
We know full we'll that farming
heretofore has not seemed attractive.
Large fortunes are not often pade
on the farm in short time. But
good, comfortable living is sure TO
everyone who plans wisely and works
well.
Why should not a man be content
with a comfortable home, plenty of
everything to live upon, good health
and happy family? We venture the
assertion that ten men will reach this
condition on the farm where one of
equal ability will do SO in other pur-
suits.
: We are aware that the presence of
the negro as cheap and improvident
laborer has heretofore made farming
somewhat undesirable.
We are also aware that the old and
slow and improvident methods in
vogue in the south have made it I'M
profitable.
But a new era has dawned upon US.
New machinery and new methods and
more intelligence have brought about
a change. All cotton made us poor.
Diversity and education will make us
rich.
More than two dollars can be
cleared from an acre in the south to |
one in any other section. Fruits, /!
and cattle make this posi- |
BILE. Another great advantage we have |
found in the fact that we can often
grow two crops in single season
on the same soil.
While a young man with improved |
can do much of his work |
he need not do it unless he prefers to
do so. Cheap labor abounds and it is
easily managed if you stay with it
and personally direct.
Young man, the open door of sue
cess is before you. Will you walk in
and reap the reward; or Will you
wear yourself away as somebody's
servant at salary that barely let's
you live?
On the farm you can not only make
a man OF yourself, but you can make
men and women of your children,
such, as it is very doubtful you can