Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-10
FARMER LIFE IDEAL
THE LOT or THE TILLER OF THE
SOIL Is TO BE ENVIED.

though the Work Is Hard and In
cessant the Reward Is Sure.
If some of the farmers who are dis
couraged because they have not made
a fortune off their farms and who feel
inclined to envy their brother toilers in
the city, imagining that life in the city
is more desirable than theirs, easier
and filed with plenty of leisure to en-
| joy all the pleasures with which the
| rustic imagination gilds and glorifies
| those distant scenes and activities,
they need only try to find out their
mistake. Far fields are green and
lose much Of their attractiveness upon
a nearer view.
10 the city man of ordinary means
and opportunities, who, like the ordi-
nary farmer, has no bank account to
| fall back upon in case of emergency,
life is one ''deninition grind" and with
out the soothing influences of nature
that surround the farmer to quiet the
fever and unrest with which the strug
gle, competition and turmoil around
him keep his nerves on the rack day
after day. AS a rule, such men are not
their own masters, but must order
their speech. demeanor and inclinations
to please the powers that have control
over their daily doings in order to keep
bread in the mouths and clot 'es ON the
backs of both themselves and their
families.
The farmer, if he does not feel well,
can rise in the morning at whatever
hour it pleases him SO to do. for an
hour or so or a day or two does not
make much difference in his affairs,
except at the most critical periods of
planting and harvesting. He can have
his own opinions, and voice them, too,
on politics and religion and all the
stirring questions of the day without
fear of antagonizing the powers that
be, who can sack him If his views
and opinions do not happen to coincide
with those of his masters or over
lord'' (the boss.
That the farmer is a hard worker no.
body can deny. Tilling the soil is not
easy work. Since God gave the COM
mand to man to earn his bread by the
sweat of his face the farmers life
has been q life of toll 1t takes some
strength and effort to dig a living out
of the ground. 1t is not easy to earn a
living, much less fortune, without
effort, and the farmer is not the only
one who "SweatS." Brain workers
hnye no Sinecure, although some per-
sons imagine that all they have to do
is to sit at desk and add up figures
or to twiddle pen in their fingers. The |
life of a salesman behind the counter |
is most wearisome and monotonous. |
The beautiful days of spring go by, |
the birds are singing as they build |
their nests, the flowers are blooming in |
the valleys and ON the hillsides, and the |
grass is growing greener and greener |
in the meadows, yet never a glimpse |
does he get of the beauty of the bright |
world except when he can take a car |
ride of an evening or on a Sunday or |
holiday.
A grocer's clerk works more hours |
and harder than the average country |
boy, who can go to the corner and |
pitch quoits and gossip with his cronies
when the city young man is just get
ting from work, and, as for the man
who delivers milk in the city, he has |
even harder work and longer hours.
At in the morning and even earlier
his wagon is heard ON the streets and
himself racing from top to bottom of
cold and sleet of midwinter's morn
ing or in the enervating heat of sum-
mer At breakneck speed he goes, and
one could almost imagine that his life
depended upon getting through his
in due season. Competition is
SO great that he must neglect nothing
and always be pleasant and obliging
to the most unreasonable of customers
- fINa |
carrying fifty pounds and often
100 pounds of ice up four flights of
stairs, which is no easy task, and as it
Is not skilled labor the pay is probably
not more than 1t should be, considering
the amount of strength expended.
Hard as the work is and moderate as
Is the pay. no man can afford to lose
MS job, so he has to be very careful not
20 antagonize his employers.
The man who does business on a
small scale and is his own boss prob
IDLY finds it no easier to make living,
or he has to do the greater part of his
,wn work, and in the case of a bad or
season is sometimes not so
we'll of as his hireling, who is sure of
IFS wa .,es at least.
That man who owns his land and
las good health is poor farmer who
annot make at least living for him
elf and family. 1t may not be sump-
uous living, but it may be compare
lively comfortable one. This cannot
'e said of all sorts of occupations.
There is another hope ahead for the
armer If he doesn't have good luck
his year, he may the next. There is
Iways a chance that there will be a
etter yield in crops and better price
n the market The element of uncer
ainty adds zest to life which a settled ,
mount of wages from month to month
nd from year to year cannot give, and 6
e is always sure of enough to eat on
be farm of some sort or another.
The time is coming and is not far dis :
ant when the farmers life will be 5