Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-10-11
Turning to Agriculture.

Turning TO Agriculture.
That the profession of agriculture is
at last being recognized as the most i'm
portant profession in the whole realm OF
human eudesvor, that the business and
industry of agriculture is at last to be &C
corded the first place in the affairs of the
country-the place which it has actually
held since the foundations of society were
laid-is now being seen in the almost
lndicrous way in which all kinds of peo-
pie are tumbling over themselves and
each other in their frantic efforts to be
among the first to say al told you So"
Meanwhile, We who have been most
deeply interested in agriculture have
been plodding along the same old path
which has all of a sudden been discover
ed by lot of modern advent urous spirits
in he literary world, who perhaps be-
lieva that they have really discovered
something, although great majority of
the people knew a good deal about it all
the while. We have been singing the
praises of agriculture, discussing and
solving its problems, and ever working
for better conditions and more knowl-
edge, the Maine Farmer for over three
quarters of century, and perhaps some
others longer still.
We do not object, however, to having
the farmer re-discovered by some OF the
people who had almost forgotten that
such a parsonage existed, except as de-
l,neated in the comic pages of the funny
papers or by a class of actors who ac-
quired their knowledge of the farmer
from the same place. For this re-dis-
covery is helping US to some things that
we have been desiring very much for a
long time, and it is helping because it
shows that the advancement OF agricul-
ture and the conservation of agricultural
interests is after all the most importan,
business need of the country to-day.
We are not able 10 feel that that need
is yet fully recognized, for there are still
many people who think that there are
several more important needs, and up to
vet they have been able to make such
showing that they seem TO stand in the
first places. One of these is the "need"
of preparation for war, the most alb
sulutely useless and senSeless business
in which civilized people are engaged.
IL we were not yet good deal savage,
il we were nearly as civilized as we
think We are-but that is another matter
in which there is material for more
thoughts and words than We have room
for to-day. Almost everything with
which government has had to do has
been given greater prominence than
agriculture.
And vet there is being evolved grad
ual change. There is hardly a topic
which is receiving as much, as continu-
Gus and regular attention, as agricul'
ture. All sorts of writers are having
dab at it, those who know much about
the subject, and those who know little
or nothing. With some of the writers,
as with the journals they represent,
there is a sincere desire to place the
greatest and most important industry in
the world in its proper light before the
people. With others there is only the
object of making catchy story ON a
popular topic. Life on the farm is
pictured as the ultima thule of human
comfort aud happiness, and the farmer
is played up as the chief example OF all
modern progress.
Fortunately there are plenty OF ex-
amples of splendid endeavor and cumu-
lating success in this great industry, aud
many interesting stories which may be
aid. so that there is not the slightest
lsN~d of exsggeration to show the possi-
| biliTies and the aetuaiisiSs CT -agrieu!-
ture.
But 10 the interested agriculturst and
the agricultural journal looking on, one
of the most significant signs of the times
is 10 be found in the serious and at
temptedly exhaustive studies OF the
philosophical, economical aud business
phases of the subject by philosophical,
economical and business writers, OF
prominence, near prominence and would
be prominence. A great many, we
might say all, of the great business men
of the country are giving much consider
alton to the relation of agriculture to-
ward their particular business and to
the effect of the condition of agriculture
upon the business of the country IN
general.
MANY of them are dsbbling in agricul-
ture in a second hand sort of way, sp-
parently simply for the love OF the land
inherent in their souls and the desire to
have some more or less intimate connec
ton with it. Some have recognized agri-
culture as a business worthy of their brain
mower. and there are already indications
that they are gradually working up to
the point of attempting to gain con-
trolling power over the industry, as they
have over some of the other chief in
dustries of the country; to commercial,
ize it for the benefit OF the usual small
coterie vi iusnciers to profit by.
God forbid that anything of this sort
should ever happen. We are not pessi
mistic, but we do not believe that any
effort to increase the great" agricul-
tural establishments of the country, the
great farms and ranches, 50 that agri-
culture shall stand in any such relation
TO the general business of the country as
do other corporation or trust control
| led industries, can have any other than
an injurious effect upon the people en-
| Gagged 10 the business. And after all II
is the people that need confederation
more than the business OF the profits,
especially if there is likely to be any
thing like a combination of the profits
| into few hands.
The small farm is the foundation OF
general agricultural prosperity. This Is
| a fact which cannot be successfully con-