Charlevoix county herald., 1911-05-20
TheFarmer' S Boy
Some Who Have Become Cap
tains of Industries i'm the
United States.

At meeting of the presidents of
twenty OF the nations largest cor
porations held in New York, IL was
matter of comment that of those
present, twelve were farmers bows"
When the youngster at home on the
| farm gets ''the blues" and fancies
that there is no longer the chance
| that there used to be to rise above the
mon0tony and drugery of tiller OF
the soil, he can think Of those twelve
captains of industry who started as
he is starting and remember that
when they were boys there were
| times when they too imagined that 1t
was hopeless ambition to aspire to
win their way TO the front in the
city.
He wants to remember that the
farm has envolved some OF the worlds
greatest men and some of its 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 stirring
achievements Of the farmers boy,
past and present, if he has imagina'
tion and soul he will find helpful in
spiration, when the day seems dark
and the future full Of gloom. Let US
recollect-as the world surely does
that it was the farm that gave us
A abraham Lincoln, one OF the worlds
most majestic figures; that gave US
Andrew Jackson, M Hard Fillmore,
the martyed Garfield, Horace Greeiy,
Sir Isaac Newton 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, ,00O, 900 a year to the United
States and farmers boy-Elias
Howe, who emapciapated womanhood
from the slavery Of the needle by
inventing the sewing machine.
Long before Robert Fulton sailed his
steamboat, the ClermOnt up the Hud-
son, John Fitch, the ingenious pro-
duct of a Pennsylvania farm demon
strated that boat could be propelled
by steam by equipping skiff with an
engine and sailing his craft up the
Delaware with its aid. ADother
brainy farmers boy. Oliver Evans,
sometimes called the Watt OF Ameri-
ca. was the first TO build and operate
| a locomotive in the United States
Cyrus McCormic, inventor OF the
reaper, the whir of which is heard
round the earth, was the modest son
of an Illinois farmer. The first ma
chine TO make tacks was the creation
| of a Massachusetts farm lad, Thomas
Blanchtrd and the device that fur
screw was the work Of poor Yer
mont genius. Thomas Harvey, quiet
| thoughtful farmers son. To the re-
sourcefulness of an Ohio farm boy
Charles +. Brush-who invented the
dynamo, the world is indebted for its
| present day great industrial and
power plants tnat give employment to
millions of hands. Thomas A. Edi-
sou, most brilliant of the worlds in
ventors, sponsor for the electric,
light, the photograph and hundred
other devices, was the son OF a poor
| farm laborer. Patrick b. Delaney,
inventor of the multiplox. the Delaney
relay, the telepost automatic tele-
graph aud hundred other telegraph
and cable Improvements grew up on
New England farm. From Wscon-
sin farm came G.. l.. Sholes, the IN
ventor OF the typewriter, which revo-
lutionized the business methods of
the world. X. 81. Turner, inventor
Of the acousticon, the dictograph and
the interior telephone bearing his
name, now universally used, when
not engaged on his fathers Indiana
farm used to hire himself out TO
neighboring farmers at % cents day
seeding corn, at which he was ac-
claimed an expert.
Where service is the only credential
that commands recognition and a
mans ability must square with his
responsibility, the farmers boy"
who has hardened to the call of the
big city will be found today In the
front rank of the worlds useful work
ers in every large city on the face of
the earth. He makes good and the
world needs him.