The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-09-14
THE IDLER.

x X X X 4 * X X + X
The weather continues dry and the
crops are damaged very much, but,
do you know, that if the seasons had
kept up We would have had bumper
crop in this county, and as it IS [ do
not believe the crop is going to be so
powerfully short. Somehow or other
the average farmer has come to be a
powerful complainer and he complains
when it rains and when there is no
rain. And yet this hot and dry wealth
er has damaged the crop very much.
You see | was farmer once my
self, in the long, long ago, but | grew
old, moved to town and now [ can only
tell the farmers what to do and what
not to do. | want them to quit so much
complaining: I know they have their
trials and tribulations but they have
less cause to complain than any other
class of our citizens. That IS my OBJ
servation. And yet they do complain
more than any other. Now l want
them to quit. To stand up like men
and be men. Everything depends on
them and they should appreciate the
Importance and dignity Of their pro-
fession.
One thing is pretty sure. We have
good crop of corn in this county this
year and that means more meat,
hogs, chickens, turkeys, and every
thing good to eat.
] notice from the papers that some
Of these fellows who never ploWed a
furrow in their lives are going around
making speeches on farming and tell
ing the people what and how to do.
Next thing theywill be running for OF
flee on the platform Of the farmers and
the farmers will vote for them instead
of some deserving fellow who IS really
one of themselves. Well, I reckon it
has always been this way and will
continue to the end.
Now, want to give little advice.
The cotton crop is short. Last year
there was big crop. No surplus to
amount to anything was brought over.
The crop this year is sure to be short
"a good deal less than the annual
consumption. In fact when this crop
is gathered there will not be enough
cotton in the world to keep the spin
dies running until the next crop IS
made. Apply little common sense.
Do you think cotton can possibly 60
below II cents, unless forced there
by speculation. Now, you farmers
hold the key to the situation. Don't
sell below IL cents. The minimum
fixed by the Farmers Union is 10
cents. I believe it will 60 there and
certainly would If the farmers do
not rush it on the market. But don't
sell below II cents.
I was once a farmer myself and
l sympathize with the farmers. Per-
sonallv it makes no difference to me
except that I am interested IN seeing
our rural districts build up and the
success Of the farmers is the way to
do it. We want good roads, good
schools. better churches, then we want
to see the farmer making money. 1t
he does he will be willing to help pay
for these things himself. If he is not
making money he is sour, and dlsa-
greeable and opposed to all progress.
Success is a great panacea for
many of the ills Of human nature. The
man who is succeeding in his business
or his work is always more contented
and in better humor than the man
who is all the time cramped and can't
meet his obligations promptly. The
farmer in this country can soon, if he
will, be independent and, therefore,
happy and contented.
The Idler would like to be a farm
er. I know how but did not realize
what a great privilege it is to be an
independent farmer until now I am
too old to start at anything. Then
in my young days there were not the
advantages in country life that there
are to-day. The telephone puts you IN
close touch with all the world. The
rural delivery Of mail gives you the
mail every dey. It is easy for every