Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-11-12
DO NOT GET DISSATISFIED
MoIIIe o'Brlen Advises Farmers NOT
to Be Discouraged Over Pres
ent Short Crops.

My farmer friends, do not let the
present short crops and apparent hare
times discourage you. These unfortu'
nate natural events have happened
and will happen in all ages, writes
Mollie O'Brien in Co-0perator. 1t Is
beyond the power Of man to foresee
or prevent the disastrous farming
seasons, but the intelligence Is given
to each farmer to prepare against
any restitution resulting from the
occasional short crop year. And this
intelligence teaches US that the only
certain remedy is to raise enough and
always keep a surplus Of the neces-
saries Of life on hand; not only
enough Of the necessities for your
self and family, but also such as are
needed for your horses, cows, hogs,
etc. Let cotton and other sale crops
be raised as your surplus crops. This
Is the only way you can ever become
prosperous and contented, and about
the only way you will ever be able
to dictate prices on your cotton, or
even your surplus produce.
About all the prosperous farmers
we find are those who raise a living
at home, and these are about the only
ones we find who are not ready and
anxious to sell their lands at some
old price and move to other sec.
tons. And this selling and moving
seems to be epidemic In the south,
and quite as contagious as an cpl.
demic Of measles or smallpox. But
this does not help conditions any.
and Is no relief from their same old
ways with its resulting discourage
ment and failures.
Now listen: II you have a home,
1t Is worth as much more to you than
any one else. II another man
can afford to give you $40, $50 or
500 per acre for your land with the
expectation Of making a profit out Of
the trade, even six per cent. interest
on his investment, 1t shows that you
have a good place, and II you are not
making anything out of 1t, find out
the reason way. The fault is not
usually in the lands, it is in the man
himself; otherwise one man would
not make a success on the same lands
where another had failed. Instead Of
spending money looking for other
lands, put that amount of money on
the home you have and add as much
more thereto as you need or can
spare. Study your lands; study your
crops, your horses, cattle, hogs and
chickens and find out what pays the
greatest income. Get rid of an un.
profitable expenditure in both time
and money and keep or add only
such as will produce a reasonable
profit. Do not try to make a success
Of too many things at one time; do
uOI ONOllOou yOuloC DuI lew ucu
are capable Of successfully manag.
ing big affairs. Above all, keep
your home and work for success.
If you have no home, get one az
quickly as possible, for lands are
cheaper to-day than they will ever b
again.
Another thing most Of the farmers
imagine every one has an easier time
and live better than they do, and this
causes some dissatisfaction. A big.
ger mistake was never made. The
farmer who raises his living at home
is the best fed, happiest and most
independent man the world can pro-
duce. There are but few profession
al or business men who reach mid
die life without any intention or de-
sire to own a small home farm where
they can live in quietude and comfort
in old age. These are men who have
: worked hard eight to twelve hours
7 each day for years with but few rest
days except Sunday. Talk about hard
: work, just ask any successful bust
: ness man about his labors.