Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-02-16
WHAT FARMERS NEED MOST.
That Quality Commonly Known as
Gumption-The Ability to Form
Distinct Plans and to work for Their
Accomplishment.

y great many farmeTs-I think l.
may safely say majority of those OF
my acquaintance-very strongly re-
semble cattle In some of their habits.
A dairy of COWS tramp the length of
the ancient Cow lane" year after
year, following precisely along the old
path, stepping exactly in the steps
left by preceding generations. never
realizing that little aside from the
old path the way Is smooth and easy.
They do things from habit. without
ever exercising their reason. In the
section of country In which I reside
the farms are only two or three gen
erations old. The hardy pioneers
who cleared away the forests. first
from necessity. planted corn. usually
"chopping 1t in" with axes; then as
soon as they could scratch the sur
face little with their A-shaped har-
rows, sowed oats among the stumps
and followed oats with wheat. From
this almost necessary practice arose
the wonderful three crop rotation"
which has been vigorously followed
from that early day to the present
time by nine-tenths of the farmers of
| my acquaintance. In those early
| times the farmers needed the corn
and wheat for bread and the oats to
4 feed their oxen. They were not seek
ing for money. They were strictly
| and exclusively engaged in home
making Though a large majority of
| farmers forever pursue the same old
| course, 1t Is true that our environ
ments. markets, facilities for trans
portation, demands of wealth. etc.
do change, and the farmers who are
alive to the demands of the times are
the ones who win and enjoy the fruits
| of success. Then here arises your
question, What do farmers most
need?" | shall make answer with
the single word. "Gumption."
To be n successful farmer a man
should have some natural ability. and
then he should have such a training
during his early years that he will
| be able to run his thinking machine
wit ha fair rate OF speed and power
in properly selected channels. Though
a classical and scientific education Is
not absolutely essential, yet one may
be assured that such a training will
not hurt man. 1t will, indeed, be
found to be a great aid In keeping of
the crust of inherited customs and
habits. 1t comes in at about the
| right time In life to prevent man
from becoming fossillzed; from be
coming an automaton. guided by the
maxims and precepts OF generation
that had nothing in common with the
present.
Success in farming. as in every 9th
or occupation, depends upon the man
Every soldier cannot become Han
nibal or Bonaparte, every inventor
an Edison, every statesman Glad
stone nor every fnancier a Morgan
We shall always see every degree o
success demonstrated in every occu
patton in which men engage. While
,Dere are some farmers who woul'
tower above those about them II sc
down in any State In the Union, Their
are others with equal health AM
strength who would scarcely make
living In the Garden of Eden. VIII
this difference between men OF tn
; same nationality and surrounding OF
portunities?
. 1t is not so much because they d
!. not labor hard enough as It Is becaus
their efforts are not properly directed
There are some to whom l can polr
who begin to work at the earliest daw
they pound and dig and scrape Il
. darkness settles over them, and sti
can scarcely clothe themselves