Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1909-06-24
THE GOSPEL OF THE pLow.
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more particularly than ever before,
to the subject of agriculture.
Farming is no longer looked upon as
a lowly occupation one to be des-
pissed and avoided. Its former
Idrudgery, that seemed to be it's
ichlef characteristic, has developed
under twentieth century methods
INTO real sclence,So broad and deep
and beautiful that the greatest
thinkers of our land and time have
fallen in love with it. The farmer
himself is no longer called hay
seed, but he is regarded by men of
all other professions as one of the
most important factors in the world 5
industry and economy, and he is
rapidly becoming an object of envy
on account of his independence. The
world has learned to appreciate him.
In this great age of commercial
ism men realize as never before that
this is a bread d-butter-and beef
steak world, and that we are living
right in the midst of the pork and
beans age of it.
Modern civilization has created
many wants in the human mind; !;
but Dame Nature created one in the
human stomach long before civiliza-
tion was born, and it was the neces-
sitv of filling that want likewise
the stomach that gave civilization
its birth.
The demands of the natural body,
which include the need of food,
clothing and shelter, must be salts
fled if we would be altogether happy
and contented.
Primarily our food. clothing and
shelter must come from the soil;
therefore, the supplying of our
greatest needs depends upon the
care and tillage of the soil ,and sure
.ly the men who by their diligence
and effort make the soil yield the
crops that satisfy all human needs
have lent to agriculture the dignity
of the worlds greatest and noblest
profession, making it worthy of the
attention of men and women of the
greatest culture and refinement.
The need of good food and cloth
ing is an ever-present one; and,
as the population of our country
continues to increase, so must our
needs increase in equal ratio. But
necessity is the mother of invention,
and she has given birth to many
wonderful creations to help supply
the wants and needs If a rapidly
growing and highly-cultured popu-
lation, and surely her creations in
the field of agriculture are no less
wonderful than those i'm the field of
mechanics.
In the early history of America it
was possible for people to live in a
from-hand-to-mouth sort of way.
Manners were simple and rustic.
and barter trade answered the
purpose Of the time. Therefore, the
people were willing to hunt and fish
and dress in homespun, but during
that period the advancement was
very slow. particularly in the field
of agriculture, owing TO the easy.
shiftless contentment of the public
mind. But to-day we are living un-
der altogether new conditions.
The eastern portion OF the United
States has become so densely popu-
lated that it can no longer feed and
clothe It's millions, and the con-
stanty growing needs of the day are
causing men to turn their attention
to the great problem of producing
the means of food and clothing, and
the solution of that problem must
be found in the future agricultural
development of the west.
In past years it was the practice
of home-seekers to try to find a loca-
tion in some part of the country we'll
favored by nature in the supply of
timber, grass and water. That slow
caution which marked those people
made backwoodsmen of them. 1t
prevented all real advancement
Men have learned in more recent
years that our settlements have got
to extend to all parts Of the country,
and, as our population continues to
increase, every acre If available
land must be brought under cultiva-
ton, and it is to that end that the
national agricultural department
has bent its energies during the
past few years.
We have as much land now as we
will ever have; 50 it is our duty as a
nation to utilize it to the best of our
ability. The swamps must be
drained and the plains irrigated
where it is possible. and, where it is
not possible to irrigate, a system Of
dry farming must be employed.
The early settlers in all the prairie