Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-02-09
MEXICO
WHY BOYS LEAVE THE FARM.
An Article Of Interest to Business
Men as Well as Tillers of the Soil.


From the Chicago Breeders Gazette.
To the Gazette.-The other day l
heard an old farmer complaining that
bis boys would not stay on the farm.
He said he did not understand 1t. Now
If every one who has wondered why it
is that his boys are so eager to get
away from the farms will honestly an
swer some Of these questions / think
he Will see why.
Do you treat your boy as an equal
partner In the farm business or do you
not rather treat him as servant,
ordering him to do this or that with
out telling him the reason why. You
should talk with him and sometimes
take his advice You should plan with
him as to the crops, giving your rea-
sons. You should be willing to give
him some of the benefits Of your ex-
perience. II there is a fair or circus
or Fourth Of July celebration coming
do you say: 'Johnny, you hoe this
field or watch the cows while l go to
town to get something I think /
Ineed.' Now the boy II he is wide
awake fellow would see and find out
twice as much as you would II be was
allowed to go and he is probably as de-
lserving of the trip as you are. You
should not tell him he does not know
,anything or has little sense; most like
lily he inherits his disposition from you
If you think the farm paying institu.
tion let him know 1t or rather let him
have some OF the profits. ] know a
farmer who seems to think that If the
boy gets two pair of overalls and q
pair Of shoes year he ought to gel
down on his knees In very shame al
being so wasteful.
| Do not make him think you are or
the way to the poor house and expect
him to believe farming pays. DO moi
begrudge him money that he honestly
learns; money cannot hire man thai
will be a son to you. 1t is difficult Il
make children believe farming pro
fitable when they never have penn.
land see their neighbors children
whose father perhaps is a laborer
have plenty Of spending money. Ant
labove all do not begrudge your son O
daughter an education; they will neve
be young again. Give them a chanc
| to go to school while their minds ar
young and fresh. A boy In this da
and age growing up without a goo'
common school education, and bette
one if you are able to give 1T to him, !
handicapped for life. 1t is an obliga
tion you owe your children, and
your parents did not do their duty b
you it is all the more your duty to Sc
to it that your children are not so de
prived. Farmers should give thei
lchildren the advantages Of the cit
little ones and II the farm pays Sc
that the youngsters have a share {
the profits as well as the work.
know of a man who expects hi
lchildren to do all the work and neve
lgo anywhere, as the horses are to
tired. (He does not think that pei
haps the children may also be tired {
one steady grind.) They must neve
ask for money; he is expecting th
whole family to land In the poor hous'
4 They must not invite company; th
, company will have to eat and tn
: children will not work SO well Will
q the guests are there. ALI the none
e made on the farm, goes down into th
old gentleman's pockets and some
Q liz into tobacco. Then he wonders wh
b his boys wants to get away. He doc
not want his children to get an edl
0 cation for fear they will know mol
q than he does. How could the worl
$ psogress IL each generation did nj
know more than the lastp This ma
a never talks and reasons, but curs'
/ and swears like an overseer would
Q his slaves. He never goes to churc
e He thinks he Is better than IL
Q preacher because bis horses are restin
s He tries to make his family belie'
o the same. / believe such treatmel
L will turn love into hatred and is OF
q of the best methods Of driving bo
r from home. l should like each on
Is who has wondered why his boys lea
Is home, to ask himself II be has not BET
acting In some such way. You shou
not drive your children to hate "
"a instead of loving and obeying you.
-. A MOTHER.