Norwich bulletin., 1911-06-24

written specially for the Bulletin.)
Lots of us farmers. especially if we
are youngish and pushing farmers,
having the big farm itch. We want
more land We think we can't turn
around on the lant. we have. We are
forever looking over our line fences
and wishing we had the field to the
east of us, or the farm to the south
of u.s. Or else we want to swap the
little old place and move to some
other part of the town where we can
buy a good big farm. Or, even yet,
some of us want to sell out here in the
east and go west where we can have
ranches" or ranges pillow with ten
furrowing traction-engine plows, raise
wheat by the township and pasture
our cattle over whole counties.
"Ify is the word constantly on our
lips. "If / had that next farm L could
do something" IF I had a hundred
acres more to put under the pillow I
could show the neighbors a thing or
two" IF had a big enough pasture
I'd soon let folks know that there is
money in dairying." And sou on, after
some such fashion.
OF course. a large part of this dis
content with our present possessions
is just the natural human state. At
least. it is so common that it seems
natural 1 mean the state of wanting
what we haven't got and despising
what we have got. What says the
poet2-
"As rule mans fule.
When it's hot he wants it cool;
When it's cool he wants it hot;
Always wanting what it's not;
Never pleased with what he's got:-
1 maintain, as a rule, mans 8. fule-"
We're all of us inclined to think that
we're having just few more troubles
than other folks. Every lad on the
farm thinks that his row is a leetle
harder to hoe than fathers. Most OF
us are never out of that state of mind
We all know where our own shoes
pinch. and we don't feel the hurt of
the other fellows -corns. But that
doesn't prove. by any manner OF
means, that the said other fellow may
not have a hidden crop of those COM
forters. If we could only, every time
and everywhere, put ourselves in that
other fellows place, We might have
some more sympathy and respect for
him we surely should be slammed into
cessation of some of our own grumb
lings
I've been led to these reflections by
Just reading a long plea for the small
farm, written by a. man who farms
huge ranch, known as bonanza
farm' in North Dakota This man,
IL
d., has had experience with both sorts
OF farms, big and little. and he sets
Forth the advantages and disadvan
tages of both in an unusually clear
way.
For instance, the big farm can usual
ly get hires help easier than the small
farm, because most travelling farm
workers like to be with big crews,
and dislike the chores which they
have to help with on small farms.
Consequently they can be had easier
and cheaper. Per contra, Mr.. Twich-
,ell has found that this class of. helpers
take much less interest in their work,
care less for their employers profit
are wasteful of his time and des-
tructive to his tools. while they
work at a little less wages, their labor
really costs more"
Then again. the big farmer can buy
his supplies a little lower, as he is
able to buy in large quantities. He
can protect himself against the un-
reasonable extortion of speculative
buyers and handling charges, which
the small producer must submit to.
Again per contra, he finds that small
farmers can protect themselves against
this latter form of robbery, if they
only have sense and ability to CO.
operate; while the benefits of cheaper
buying are more than neutralized by
the breakage and waste caused by
recklessness among the hired hands.
Various other evident advantages
OF the big farm are mentioned by this
experienced bonanza farmer, and the
other side pitilessly pointed out He
makes it very clear that big farming
in the boundless west, with traction
engines and regiments of hired men,
isn't all fun and profit. Its advan-
tageS are apparent, rather than real.
And even these apparent advantages.
he charges, are directly 1.-The result of
unbusiness- like methods on the part
of small farmers" They can general
ly create as advantageous conditions
through cooperation" Let me quote
a few lines from Mr.. Twitchell:
"If there ever was a time when big
farming in North Dakota was wise
that time is passing. Big farm
ing does not, nor can it be made to
square with the economic rules that
govern other big business. 1t is put
ting square peg in a round hole. 1t
does not conserve waste but rather
multiplieS it. AS a business PROPOSE
ton it is fundamentally unsound. It
will have to go. The owner of a bon
ANA farm has missed his calling. He