The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-04
BROTHERS STORY
1t Shows the Contrast Between
City and Country Life.

This is the instructive STORY of two
brothers who married sisters in 1910 and
came West to grow up with the country
These sisters had each inherited $1,000,
and it was with this capital that the two
families commenced life iii Northern Hi
nois The two young men had an even
start not only in capital, but were of
similar excellent character, were equally
Industrious and thrifty, of approximately
the same physical strength, and each had
about the same quantum of intelligence
and ambition. The only material differ
ence between them wassthat one was a
mechanic and naturally settled in town,
while the other had a taste for farming
and settled in the adjacent country. The
careers Of these brothers afford an eX-
cellent opportunity to compare the advan-
tages of average farm and town life In
the central West. D5aH ei.oN ~eae--sT
The brother who settled in town bought
two lots with his wife's money and erect
ed a small but comfortable home. He
sought work and generally obtained it at
the highest going wages. He was never
idle except when i'll or when no work
was to be had. He was economical in his
habits, a devoted husband and father,
and respected citizen. But, strive as
he would, he was never able to get much
more ahead than he had at the beginning.
If the waters were too high or too low
the factory shut down, and he lost his
time; IL there was business disturbance,
and 1t was desirable to, close down, he
was again out OF employment, and his
ss Rene BIS u M aaa omitted ted
from the pay roll AT the end of fifty
years. when he could work no longer he
gave his home--his wife being dead-to
her husband care for him until death. The
house and depreciates In value as fast as
the lots had appreciated, hence, although
kept in good repair, his home was worth
kind Of a life had this brother led dur
ing, the fifty years? At no time had he
been his own master. He went to work
every morning when the whistle blew and
half day off he had to explain to the
foreman, and. if granted permission, his
wages were docked. He was in tread
mill which he never ceased revolving I'M
I'll too weak longer to stand. In a word,
he lived the life of most of those of the
artisan class. and was pushed aside in
tayor OF younger man when he became
old and useless. Although at times he
would get money in the bank, a bad year
would soon come, and through no fault Of
his own, his little surplus would be dis
sipated. tai
into the country secured 800 acres of
land, built log house. bought team,
q few tools, COW or two, some swine
and started In to, make farm. He lived
the same fifty years In the country that
at first was hard, but as the years went
by the log house gave place to large
and attractive farm home. commodious
barns were built, blooded stock grazed
in the pasture, while In the family strong
box were certificates of deposit and stock
in the town bank. In his old age an in
dependent farmer went and came, worked
or rested. just as he. pleased. and when
he died, through the increase In value of
his farm and its invested earnings, he left
his children provided for amply. And
during these fifty years he had been no
mans servant. No tab had been kept by
another on his comingss and goings. Hard
times did not deprive him of chance of
making livelihood, and during the
greater part of his life he was a man of
consideration and influence, and able to
give his children much better educational
advantages than his town brother could
give his children.
The difference in the careers of these
two brothers is typical, not exceptional
The farmer boy hears OF the wages paid
in town and they seem high to him. He
forgets the necessary expense of town
not regular. 1t is only after years of dis
touraging effort that he learns, when 1t
is too late. that, except a very few, the
wage earners Of the town work harder
left at the end Of a year, than men of the
farms We can safely Judge of such
matters only from averages, and 1t is UNI
questionably true that the average farm
err at the end of his life, has accumulated
for more property than the average city
wage worker has accumulated at the end
of his life. A very few-and these gener-
ally from the country-attain glittering
success in the cities, but the vast major
ity, after the first few years, toll on hope
lessly, their ambition paralyzed by the
knowledge that in short time they will
be relegated to the ranks of the super
animated, while younger men get their
places. Study urban statistics and you
will see how few city workers own their
homes. They pay rent because they must,
not because it is their preference. The
prospects for independence and happiness
Tor the average man are far greater in the
country than in the town. There may be
season of hard work and loneliness and
sacrifice at the beginning, but the toll
is lightened by the thought that the flu
ture Is being securely provided for and
that the reward for present efforts is
reasonably certain competence. The city
may be the better place for the excep-
tianal man. for him whose talents are
commanding in some particular direction.
but it has been proved again and again
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