The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1905-09-16
THE MIDDLE CLASS.

Une mlOOIe SbfdJd Vi SWIFTLY 10 wei
and beautifully expressed in Henry
wadsworth LoDgfellow's little poem
1.-THE Village Blacksmith" After
the poet cmunerates and extols many
good qualities OF this God-fearing
man, he comes to virtue, which is
one Of the most precious, yet very
often the least considered by some
human beings-that OF paying ones
obligations. Listen how the poet
views this seemingly trifling virtue:
"His hair is crisp, AID black, and
long,
His face is like the tan,
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
Aud looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man."
1t seems to us that there Is more ola
sermon In these six little lines, than
in pages of manuscript from well in
tending pulpit speakers. How many
of us overlook little thing like a
debt: an obligation to fellow being?
How many Of us think, "well, my cred
itor knows that III pay sometime, and
/ need these funds for something else
right now, so he can waltz" But.
how many Of us ever think that our
creditors need those funds as badly as
we do? or course all these are person
al thoughts, and we can't go into de-
tail about them, but we can say few
words about getting into debt in the
first place.
How many OF us really need to OBJ
ligate ourselves TO begin with? We
dare say that very few Of us, If we will
do little Hnanceering for ourselves.
The trouble with most men, particUl-
arly those who live in an agricultural
district is that they live "a year be-
hind" instead of 'year ahead" We
will explain what is meant by these
terms.
Suppose, sometime in July, A goes
into machine shop and wants topur-
chase mower. He is told that the
price is $50, half to be paid the first OF
next November, and the remainder to
be paid year from that time with 10
per cent interest added, If time is ask
ed II il is a cash transaction, the
implement man will probably ask him
S55 as a starter. Now If A has the
cash in hand, and he thinks the price
Is high, he can demand a reduction
and nine times out Of ten he gets it.
Supposing now that A has no ready
money and asks for time. He is at
the mercy OF the machine man, but
needing the same, he takes 1t at the sell
lers terms. When settling time
comes he find that hay, wheat, pota-
toes, rye and all farm products are at
the lowest market price; it being the
fall of the year but the sale must be
made in order to meet his note. This
Is done, and the first payment Of $50
is made. The next November comes
around, and $50 note plus s3, must
be met. Again he sells his produce
at reduced figure, in order to keep
faith with his machine agent.
Now what are the losses sustained
by the farmer in this credit transac!
tion? In the first place he must pay
S64 for S55 mower, but that is the
smallest part of the losses. AS has
been stated, he must sell his produce
at a period OF the year when he re-
ceives the lowest prices. Had he
not been in debt, he could have wait
ed until the spring demand opens, and
placed his own price on his products.
This is where some farmers pay the
penalty for asking credit. Their loss
es for their year behind" policy will
upwards OF thousands, and by
rights this loss should be their pro-
tit.
IL has been said OF the late Pres. w.
ii. Lewis, that he always had farm
products to sell when the prices were
highest. To a certain degree this
alone were responsible FOR his pheno-
menal success as an agriculturist
lie dictated his prices on his pro.
ducts, because he could wait until
that period OF the year when the de.
mand was greater than the supply.
And why could he wait? Because
"he looked the whole world in the
face, for he owed not any man."
The example OF this man is worthy
of emulation, and we are glad to say
that there aIe many other men, who
follow farming in this community.
who can be held up as shining ex.
amples in farm tinanceering. Never.
theless there are many others who
live "a year behind" and who If they
would only figure, could save them.
selves pounds where now they pick up
pence.
The agricultural districts are not
the only ones that have the burden OF
debt upon them. The laboring class.
es are likewise afflicted, but usually
from snnIFp aapen- -.