Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-03-22
tory will do well to keep track of the
changes now taking nlacn.

tory will do well to keep track of the
changes now taking place.
And why do we say that the farmer
Is coming to the front and his work is
to be recognized? Simply because the
same methods that have developed our
manufactures and perfected our trans.
portation systems are now being APP
Piled to the upbuilding and expansion
OF agriculture. This oldest trade or
calling of man is the latest to receive
the attention of men of scientific train
ing, keen in original research and In
genious in the application of labor
saving devices. We might put 1t in
another form: Agriculture Is beginning
to be considered as a process Of man.
ufacturing. and the principles of sue
cessful manufacturing are being ap-
piled to it with the promise of most re.
markable results.
Farming is the production from the
soil, directly or indirectly. of sub
stances for feeding and clothing hui
man beings. The farmer produces
wheat, the miller converts the wheat
into flour, and the baker turns the
flour into bread. We have considered
the miller and the baker to be manu-.
facturers-henceforth we must reckon
with the farmer also as manufactur.
err; and he is so in n more complicated
and more important form than either
Of the others.
ASolMtion of Labor Problem.
The great expansion of manufac-
lures and of transportation and their
increasing attractions for money-mak,
ing, have drawn away the surplus pop.
ulation from the farm and, as con
sequence, the farm labor question has
become a factor in agricultural prob
lens. One solution is the employment
of labor-saving machinery. and thus
we see first impetus has been given
to the application of machinery to ag
riculture, that arising from dire neces
sity.
The introduction of machinery Int,
the great manufacturing Industries OF
Britain was met by stern opposition
on the part of the operatives, who
thought they saw in these new tangled
machines instruments that would de
prlve them of work or at least cut
down their wages. The very opposite
has been the case. The expansion OF
the great Industries has drawn an in
creasing number to the great mills
and factories has resulted in short
ening of the hours of labor, and has
increased the average wage. And SC
we may confidently expect 1t will be
In the case of agriculture. The intro
duction of high-class, improved ma.
chinery will increase the output. re
lieve the drudgery, shorten the hours
of toll, increase the wage, and gradual
ly raise the status of the workmen.
All this should result in making farm.
ing quite as attractive as city work
for the laboring man and thereby, in
time, settle the farm labor question.
The humiliation of Waste.
The application of machinery tt
manufactures has resulted In making
the latter an exact undertaking and
has gradually annihilated waste In al
lines of manufacture, waste has be
come by-product, and the world is Ell
riched thereby. Agriculture still car
ries the burden of waste, and it is .
very heavy burden. There is n vast.
in land, unutilized from II great varie
ty of causes: there is the woefnl waste
from weeds; waste in curing. handlin.
of poor seed; the destructive waste