The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-08-05
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS
ON THE FARM

Many young men in the various
occupations of the cities find their
minds turning to thoughts of the out
door life of the farm, but they do not
know how to start farming. It is the
purpose of this article to point the
way to a successful career as a farm
er. I assume the young men in ques-
ton are looking about for job that
will give them use for their muscles,
combined with work for their brains
and an outlet for their initiative
something that yields good living
and, most important of all, has pros
poets for the future.
A mere job is not enough. Even If
the pay is good, there must be some
thing to satisfy the ambitions of such
a man. The man I have in mind does
not want to be wage Garner all his
life. He hopes for independence in
middle age and the best of opportun-
tiles for his children, and he looks
forward to an old age of comfort and
freedom from financial worry.
More Chances Than They Realize
For men of that type there are
more chances on the farm than they
may realize, and I should like to tell
about few of them very briefly.
We may imagine such man put
ting himself through an examination
something like this:
GLOW much money have you?"
''Not much"
"What do you know about farm
ing?"
''Very little; but I'm good and
strong, and hard work never scared
me-
"What would you like to do for
living?"
'I would like to own farm some
where and work it. I'd like to live in
decent style and marry and bring up
a family"
1t is peculiar how the idea always
crops up that the first step in farming
is to own a farm. GA farm of your
own" is all right as goal to look
ahead to, but the man who lacks
either the requisite money or exper-
fence will reach the goal quicker by
starting in as hired man. If he has
money and needs experience, he will
not find it profitable to acquire and
operate a farm until he has gained
that skill and judgment which will
enable him to manage farm success
fully. The cheapest and quickest
way to gain this skill and knowledge
is by working on well-managed farm
in the summer and attending the win
ter short course in agriculture at the
nearest agricultural college.
The young man without money will
find working for wages on the farm
the means of saving little money
and establishing his reputation as a
skilled workman and a man of integ-
rity. With a good reputation in these
regards but little money is required
to start in as a tenant farmer, where
he can realize on the extra energy,
the better skill, and the good manage
ment he is able to put into his farm
ing business.
Road to Success Not Hard
The road is open to the ''farm of
your own," and the road is neither
longer nor harder for one who likes
farming than is the road to success in
other occupations, but the safest way
is to start in at the bottom and climb
'the agricultural ladder"
I do not remember any time when
farm labor was in such great demand
as at present, or when wages for IN
skilled farm labor were as good or
when the standard of living on the
farms was as high as it is now.
From all parts of the country
comes the demand for men who are
not afraid of work If the schedule
of the days wages in the cities ap-
pears lavish when compared with the
pay of the farm laborer, just remem-
Der that the latter gets his board and
remand usually his washing and a
lot of other things-and that in the
cities, where the wages are higher,
these things are commanding greatly
increased prices.
In other words, what the farm
laborer receives in cash is pretty
nearly clear gain. Most of it can be
placed in the savings bank and begin
to draw interest, while the wages paid
in the cities shrink to something much
less impressive when all the bills are
paid.
In the right sort of farming com
munity and the right sort or farmers
household the hired man is received
on his merits as a man. If he is q
straight, clean sort of fellow, his good
qualities will be appreciated in the
country as readily as in the city. A
great deal more so, should say, fol
the individual human being seems tC
count for more out on the farm thar