Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-09-10

VIII the Farmers Striker!
In these days OF strikes and threats
Of strikes one never knows wherc
the NEXT one win come. Until recent
ly professional people like teachers
ard actors have been above using tie
tool Of the manual workman. bit
they have At last been driven 10 il,
they aver. NO doubt with, some jus
tice. strike has even been S-o-
posed in Congress. II would not be
a surprise II the farmers 5ecar.e in
fected with the same germ. and
threw down their hoes and rakss in
disgust The Manufacturers Record
thinks such a strike Is inevitable un.
less the government takes the lead in
bringing about chang IN the meth
DDS Of labor union work ami &C.
mands. and calls attention 70 what
would happen if the farmers should
quit. 1t says:
Imagine for one moment what wouli
happen II the farmers of the country
Should 90 on z strike and permit the
crop. There would follow such imam
cial and industrial panic as the world
never saw, and civilization would stand
An the blatant outcry Of politicians. ali
the wild theories put forth in Washing
ton, and by demagogues everywhere,
an an. tss Hiid rennneiatl9s BY newspaper:
The farmer would have simply accept
ed the lesson which this nation 10 In.
dustriously teaching its people through
ers. The union labor leaders are bring
ing about a situation which threatens
the ability. OF their people to buy a sin
gle pound Of foodstuns except at 4
now prevails. and even then starvation
would rule everywhere. for the supply
would be wholly Inadequate to save
millions Of people from death by star
walton.
This !s the road to which the labor
unions. heartily supported by the Fed
eral government ever since the war be-
gan. are heading the nation.
In addition to the long. hard hours
CT labor which the farmer and his
wife and children must put in for
which the return in cash is absurdly
small compared with that Il the
mason or carpenter whose wife snd
children do not have to help him) the
farmer has to be the greatest gam
bier on earth; he has to take twenty
chances every "a hours where The
mason or carpenter takes ono: the
farmer has to figure always on .be
weather: heat and drouth may kill
his crops and make his pastures too
short for the cattle; his entire water
supply may give out; IN tire o.her
hand long continued rains may rot
his seeds in the spring; drown his
young lambs and chickens: preveat
him from blowing and planting Il W
land; and in summer may spot; his
hay crop. Frost may kill young
plants in June or nip ripening CROPS
in August; gales may hurl a fruit
crop to the ground 50 bruised tina: its
value Is almost nothing: ice and
snow work their will with the farmer
as with other people. bu: he las 10
bear a harder part Of 1t.
And there are the pests. At least
one bug or worm exists for every
kind Of plant, not to mention the
rusts. biights and b,isters that are
more difncult to dsh:; no. to NEGLECT
the animals. the farmer has to waxs
war. on dies. lice, ticks, worms and
all the rest SO well known to every
boy who has been broush. up on
farm. Diseases and accidents among
animals are as ever imnainen. DOS.
sibility for which he must be pre.
pared and which often caus, the
heaviest losses.
Not the least of the farmers trou.
oles Is the labor problem. One man
cannot properly do the work on any
farm alone, no matter how small It
may De- II he has sons-or daush-
ters-they work for him only as long
a. they are minors and have 70. A
soon - they legally can s.r away.
they 90 ana seek more profitable and
pleasant employment. The farmer :.
sometimes able to hire youths Of III.
tie VT who cannot do anything elre
to do chores and cut wood, but r.. I.
up against 1t hard and fast vhen h.
tries to get men Of ability and en-.
perience on a farm. They slmp,v
win not go. for any wage tina. ne car
offer.
A successful farmer must be tn,
most versatile man In the world. anS
ought in consequence to get tn,
highest wage. He must be at nat.
ural lover and tanner Of animals, b.
must know the secret Of making
things grow in the soil: he must b
q sIkillful mechanic; a student Of
chemistry Of the land; often he must
be his own herseshoer and black
smith; he must be something Of Z
veterinarian ana surgeon; he must
be . shrewd business man and man.
ager; and withal he must have an
inordinate capacity for hard work
with other minor qualifications. too
numerous to mention.
Would you blame the farmer II he