Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-03
THE PHILOSOPHY OF UNCLE IKE!

(Written Specially for The Bulletin)
 Do you keep cows?" asked the city gent, as he talked across the fence with Old Uncle Ike. one morning, some years back.
 Uncle Ike looked at him for a sec ond: then slowly turned his eyes to- ward the herd of forty milkers that were feeding in plain sight in the next pasture.
 tN-no," he answered with studied deliberations Il don't keep no cows; but them cows out there keep me-
 How is it with you, brother farmer :? Do you keep cows; work for them. pamper them; sweat over them; board and lodge them; become their valet and nurse and chambermaid:-or do your cows keep you? Are they the ject and purpos and explanation of their lives? Are you their servant or are they yours?
 How is it with you. brother farmer, in the still larger view which takes in your whole vocation? Do you own your farm, or does your farm own you?
 Are you the master of your acres, or are you their tied and haltered bond servant, shackIed to them as securely as ever was galley slave shackled to his bench?
 Do you use your farm for Nour own benefit, or does it use you according 10 it's own every season varying Ehims
 Are you wearing yourself out chas- ug a farm across the hilly years, or have you got that farm under sub lection. where you can make it work Aor you?
 In other words. which do you con- sider of higher rank and most inn Dortance, the farmer or his farm? the nan or his fields?
 In still other words; which is Boss, you or your business?
 Nowadays, there is great todo About the need of better business methods" among farmers Nor do l much wonder at it. 1 know farmers who, if they saved half of what they books. I know farmers who, if they used better judgment in buying, might be driving pure bloods instead of ox-teams. know farmers who, If they would only farm for their markets, instead of expecting their markets to take what they chose to raise, might be able to pay up their back taxes and put new roofs on the old barns.
 There is no doublt that some farm CTS are shiftless and thriftless and slack: no doubt that they might be better off if they would only be a bit more business-lik
 5ut-there are at least two ideas about that term "business" I have been reading, lately, various articles by self-confessed successful business men. Whether they say so in plain words or not the intimation which is conveyed in every anecdote and every illustration and every suggestion in their writing is that, to succeed in business; one must make every thing else secondary to that business He must eat, drink, and sleep business; he must think, dream and live busi, ness: he must butter his rolls and syrup his Waffles with business: he must work business and play busi- ness; he must make business his best god and dearest devil; he must bow down before it and worship it.
 That is the idea which all these writings and interviews of successful business men tend to convey as being their idea of what is meant by "busi- ness like"
 How does it strike you? I confess that, for one. l am disgusted with it and ashamed of it. If being business like" means one thing, namely being honest and fair minded and fore sighted, and energetic, and economical and industrious. and intelligent, ana capable,-Why, then there's need of it diIlOIS us 1dIUlEIS. bul II II means the other thing, that which these self appointed advocates and self-erected eKemplars seem to make it out as meaning, then l should say that it is about as wicked a waste Of life as war or yellow fever Have they who preach il really succeeded? To be sure We others may have to take the dust of their automobiles. But it is better in every way to be men. walk ing erect and unafraid along the high ways of Gods good world, than to be mere "business" machines in human similitude. even though you be honk cd smokingiy across the face of the offended landscape in another ma chine of steel and rubber and ill., smelling gas.
 Moreover, l should class it as one of the greatest privileges and bless ings of our calling that we farmers don't have to be "business-li like" in that sense of the term We have the opportunity to live. as well as the cempulsien to do business. I'm not going to say word in derogatfon of
 Protect gEap
 Yo,,,.eaye