St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-11-24
PRESS COMMENT.
One Contented Farmer.

We met the other day that rare bird, a
happy and contented farmer. Good
morning he said, cheerily, "a little
snappy this morning; guess twill put a
stop to fall blowing, but no matter.
What nice long spell of good weather
we've had for it. Say, you ought to
comerOver and let me show YOU the hand
soonest bin of potatoes you ever saw.
Big Weld, tell you. Clean, every one
of EN-. No matter if they ain t but thirty
or forty cents bushel guess they'll be a
leetle higher next spring" And as he
hustled off, we felt as though refreshing
breeze had met us. So different
Many farmers growl and kick. Things
are never quite right; no. they are never
anywhere near right with them. Butter
may be selling at thirty-hve cents
pound, but Gosh dang it. amt maxim
none. Cows all dry-most. Grain costs
awful too" Pork may be so high that
the hogs bristles stand up but the
farmer didn't plan ont" and failed to
start his shotes. Jest my luck" he
means at the street corner. Hav NAV
be worth SIS ton, but Il got to buy"
Potatoes Well, l got enough of em,
but can't sell EN- for nothin'.' Apples3
OFF year with me-" Turkeys? He'd
poor luck so many times didn't try none
this year. Wish now he'd"
If such farmers ever do hit it right-si
lence. Not a word of their good fortune
in turning of profitable crop. Same
old groan about the misventures. They
seem to fear that someone else will fol
low their stroke and break the market.
The farmers lot is an all round rattle. |
He plants half dozen different crops.
He keeps horses, cattle, hogs, hens. In |
the natural event, when he has good I
luck with potatoes, so do all his neigh I
bors, potatoes are plentiful, the supply /
is large and prices drop to correspond. /
When his hens cease LAYING, so do others.
eggs are scarce and prices rise. If he has
few to sell, those few bring more. The
OF big yield in any depart
nent and high prices for the product is
abnormal, and need not be relied upon,
Or lamented when it fails to arrive. By
lis very diversity Of output. the farmer is
assured an equilibrium of income that
,omes. to few others. 1t is seldom, very
eldom, especially in Vermont, that some
hing does not turn right up for him. and
make good any losses in other lines.
The farmer has the advantage of
uickly responsive market. The preacher
Who depends on a stipend fixed years
go, when all be had to buy was 25 per
ent. at least, lower than in these DAYS
nds it very hard to adjust himself to
he changed conditions Merchants turn
yer their stocks now on a relatively
mailer percentage of profit than they
i'd ten years ago. Professional men of =,
II kinds, wage earners and those with
xed incomes find it harder to figure their
'ay along, owing to the higher cost OF
wing. The farmers lot is more fortu- :
ate in this respect, and all are glad that {
is so. When he prospers, the prosperi- !
= is difiused. When he languishes. '
here is no balm in Gilead.
But just for fun, we would like to see
anne Plenty cornucopia dumped into
ne lap OF some farmers until they actual '
: cracked smile of satisfaction and a
nitted a word of rejoicing. Il would be q
'orth while to wtness.-rRandolph E
Lerald & News. /