The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-08-25

portance to every community, they
render it much easier for the farmer to
market his products. and do more than
| anything else to cause the stranger
within your gates to go away with
good impression of the county.
Here in this county we find splendid
churches in the villages and amid the
farms. Also schools unsurpassed l
believe in educated farmers, for the
farmers are in reality the strength and
hope of the Republic. Good, educated
farmers make good citizens, and make
good soldiers. In all our wars the farm
ers bore the brunt of the conflict and
did more than any other class of our
citizens to carry the stars and strips to
glory on the Republics battlefields,
where the God of our Nation brought
the Eagle of victory to nestle with the.
dove of peace,
The schools are indeed priceless
boon to every poor man, Tor they alone
can give his children chance for eleva-
tion in our social and political system.
And the sturdy American farmer should
learn that they are the very ark of his
safety, the bridge across which his
little ones may reach place and power
and higher planes Of usefulness in life.
They are his Aladdin's cave wherein
they can find the precious jewels OF
education that will fit them to become
sovereigns and rulers indeed in the
grandest of Republics.
Parsimony to the school means death
to all the grand hopes of free labor, and
death to all the wonderful possibilities
in store for the children of those who
toll.
AS in the old days, when the Imperial
Eagles looked down upon consolidated
Empire from the Orient to the Occident
"All roads led to Rome" 80 now, in the
passing centuries in this new world of
as vast extent and more varied inter
ests all roads lead to this Republic.
Whatever there is elsewhere of thrift,
of energy, of prosperity, whatever of
intellect and culture, this Republic
gathers tribute of the harvest Here is
the reservoir of the worlds wealth. and
of the worlds energies. Here are
collecting the great intellectual forces
of the nations.
Therefore it is upon the intelligence
and patriotism of the masses of our peo.
pie particularly those who till the soil
and fill the nations granaries, that this
Republic must depend for its still
greater progress in the years that are
yet to be.
Farming offers wide field to the
young man who desires to live a useful
life. In this field there is ample op-
portunity for studying natures laws.
The study Of the soil, to learn what
crops are most suitable; the examina-
ton of seeds, to ascertain which are the
most potent; the study of the different
methods of culture, the changing of
crops seeking better results, the scien-
tific researches as to the best means of
fighting against the various broods of
insects that annually infest the fields,
the cheerful labor in the orchards, in
the berry patches, in the vineyards, in
the gardens and in the flower beds, all
furnish most interesting and profit
able realm in which to find exercise for
brain and muscle.
It,c ;,,1z Of e
the farm products of this Republic
reaches the enormous sum of five
billion dollars. And yet it should be
much more. Indeed one of the dangers
that to day threatens the future of the
Republic is that too many boys and
girls become weary of the old farm and
flock to the large cities, seeking their
fortunes, believing that there it will be
easier to make living. But alas too
soon do they find out to their sorrow
that in the cities competition is a
thousand times sharper and as it takes
more money to meet the expenses of
living there, it will be necessary for
them to earn much more money than
they earned on the farm.
Indeed there is not much music in the
rattle of the cable or electric cars; there
is not much joy or pleasure in the dark
ness of musty Office in the attic of
lofty building; but there is inspiration
in green fields and fruitful orchards;
there is music in the hum of reapers
and mowers and there is gladness in
the songs of birds as they carol amid
the trees. And there is pure air and
health, and sunlight in the harvest
field, in the meadows and amid the
shady groves.
Truly if the country boy longs for
the excitement of the city let him com
pare the pale-faced, narrow chested
clerks as they stream forth from board
ing houses with vigorous, sun brown
sons of the farm and he will soon be
able to estimate the penalty which
mistaken pride has to pay for wearing
good clothes and having clean hands
all the timer
BY the sweat of your brow shall We