The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-05-26
The Farmers S Boy.


At a meeting OF the Presidents o
twenty Of the nations largest cor
porations held ia New York, the
other day 1t was matter OF comment
that OF those present, twelve were
farmers boys"
When the youngster at home on
the farm gets "the blues" and fancies
that there is no longer the chance
that there useti to be to rise above
the monotony and drudgery OF a
tlller of the soil. he eau think OF
those twelve captains Of industry who
started as he is starting and remem-
Der that when they were boys there
were times when they too imagined
that 1t was a hopeless ambition to
aspire to win their way to the front
10 the city.
He wants to remember that the
farm has evolved some OF the worlds
greatest men and some Of It's most
conspicuously useful ones and that
with the increasing activities OF the
nation In all directions there is now,
more than ever, room at the top FOR
the exceptional man.
In the contemplation of the STIR
ring achievements of the farmers
boy, past and present, If he has
imagination and soul he will find
helpful inspiration, when the day
seems dark and the future full Of
gloom. Let him recollect-as the
world surely does--that It was the
farm that gave US Abraham Lincoln,
one Of the worlds most majestic
figures; that gave us Andrew Jackson,
Miilard Fillmore, the martyed Gar
1eld, Horace Greeley, Sir Isaac New :
ton and the brilliant Carlyle. 1t was
a farmers son-Eli Whitney, who
created the cotton gin, which laid
the foundation for the growth Of the
cotton Industry, now worth 5000, ,OOO,-
600 year to the United States and a
farmers boy-Elias Howe, who
emancipated womanhood from the
slavery OF the needle by inventing
the sewing machine.
Long before Robert Fulton sailed
his steamboat, the Clermont up the
Hudson, John Fitch, the ingenious
product Of Pennsylvania farm,
demonstrated that a boat could be
propelled by steam by equipping a
skiff with an engine and sailing his
craft up the Delaware with its aid.
Another braiDy farmers boy-Oliver
Eyans-sometimes called the Watt OF
America-was the first to build and
operate locomotive in the United
States. Cyrus Mccormick, inventor
OF the reaper, the whir of which is
today heard round the earth, was the
modest son OF an ordinary Illinois
farmer. The first machine to make
tacks was the creation OF a Massa
chusetts farm lad-1homas blanchard
and the devise that furnished the
world with the modern screw was the
work OF poor Vermont genious--
Thomas Harvey, quiet, thoughtful
=, farmers son. To the resourcefulness
OF an Ohio farm lad-Charlcs f.
Brush-who invented the dynamo,
the world Indebted for It's present day
great industrial and power plants
that give employment to millions ol
hands. Thomas A.. Edison, mosl
J brilliant of the worlds inventors
| sponsor for the electric light, thu
photograph and hundred other de
vices, was the son OF poor farm
laborer. K. NJ. Turner. inventor O.
the acousticon, the dctograph anl
the interior telephone bearing hi
name, now universally used, whel
not engaged on his fathers Indiana
farm used to hire himself out Il
neighboring farmers at 25 cents |
day seeding corn, at which he wa
acclaimed an expert. From a Wis
consin farm came 0. L. Sholes, th
inventor Of the typewriter, whicl
revolutionized the business method
of the world.
Where service is the only credentIa
that commands recognition and
mans ability must square with hi
responsibility, the farmers boy
who has hearkened to the call Of tn
big city will be found today In th
, front rank OF the worlds uscfu