u . 1 1 . ,1.-_~..-.. ....—- ..-...- - "tr ..='.=r_,.-- nus‘ I 989110.’) iuannlioixfiv “TIIIC ]".ll1'.1IEl.‘ IS 01" .ll()I.’l'.' (,'(/.\'.S'I1'(,)L'E.‘\'(,'E '1']/.1.\' TIlI',' I”.-lI'.‘.lI. .-l.\'1) SII()('I,l) lfli ["Il.'.S"I' l.lI1’l.‘(Il'I-III." V01. XVI N11. 6 l’.l\\' PAW, l1Il1‘H..MAl-1(‘1l 171. 18211. THE GRAIEE VISITOR. PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY. fist,-1n11 15111111 1~211'l1 1111111111. .\1' ‘1'1i1~;()i1i1.1-:o1-' T111-:T1-.1'i~. X1111-1i11~.11.\'1,11. 1’.-\\1' l’.\w. M11112. ......_ 4 } I-li)X’r1111‘s:11111r1-ss, Paw Paw. .\l1v'.11.. to wlioiii all r-xci1:111i_{1--1. FIHIIHIlll1ll‘Zlll<)[1‘-é. 1111-:1.-.v'1i~.111;.'_ busi- 11ess.21n-1s:111s1ri1,1io11s shonlll b-.: s1~11t. TEILVIS 50 (‘cuts a Year. 25 ('1-nts for Six S1111s1'ripti1-us pa_\'21bl1- in 211l\‘:1111~1< .VI1mtl1s. 2111111lis1:on1i111i1;1i 211 1.-xpiratioii. llI1l(:sS 11:111:-.1-ed. A. C. G-LIDDEN, Editor, PAW 1-.1\v, .\111;11. rial things of 1-1'1-atioii. va111:1- of tho real. to. The other brau1-11 of this 11-1-1- kind of the fruit 111-- fore naming it. it looks about like -*So1111,-bo1.1y has done 111or1.- bears 21 very 111111,-1'1-111 f1'11it. T0111-scribe t11is: “Co’ Bossie.” \Vliil1-s11111l11-. s11ii11111-1"s twiliizlit falls‘. 1-L11-V1-1-1 1111- w1-s11,-111 lii.-,111 is 11111. Or in 111.-:11‘ t1’1~1-s 1111-. l1_\'l.'1 1::11is, ()r siartsiistwit1111-kzuyilizl, T111: .s11)w-p:1r,e1i 111-21\'_\'-11dd1:1'1-11 kiln.- .\lov1-. l1r11111:w211'1l 211 1111: 111111-1111.-1i11's1'1'). liy111_-\'1o11sp21tl1sin1'1'11ol11-11 li111:. lirinvllv 211111 Spot. l)in1p11- 211111 Dot. Anxlp1-111:1!si1k~1:na11-111-loss. l.:11-11kiiows1l11:\-oice-1112111-2111s 211111-.\l1_\‘: "(:13 1111-1.’ C11' 1111343" C11" l111.~.~;i1:.' ricl-11-1- 211111 1111: poor jaires. f211-1n1-.1-s do not"; "Bank . t1-en. " for so1111-body else 11121.11 he has for me." Its 11211111) is ".Iea1o11sy." Its e.\:p1-essioiis are: The laws are sucl1 that the “rich are 11121111- poor1.-r" , "Railroad 1111-11. 111ercl1a111:s, man- ufactu1‘1-rs. 1.-t1-.. 111-1-.o1ne 111illion- — I 111) not. jc-rs. te211~11e1's 21nd others work fro111 six to ten hours a day, we have to work from twelve, to six- and so the profits cannot be 1-h2111g1-11. o11r ideals will always be in 2111- Possibly some things 11121y. in 111111-. 1-1-211- the li1nit oi.‘ impro\'1-1111-111. b11t 1111-re will 111- enough left so th21t “()11w211'd" may 1-v1.-r b1- our mot- T111-11 why grun1ble‘.‘ But 1111-1'1-1 Lct 11s s1-1-. s1-ssed at $1 l.000.0(10. Il' we 112111 1nillionair1-s half. might be one of the twelve Hon1'-stly do we 1)9ll(—5\‘1,‘ ; than it is to l121ve the cou11t.y 111 are no 111i1|ion21i1'1- 11 l’21r1111-1-s. Do we wish 1111-re w1-r1.-‘f Our couniy is 21s- .1)1'op 1\vo millions for village p1-op1-1-ty and W1: l1av1.- twelve of farm 11l'(11)1-.1'1_y, h1-1'1- 1w1-l\'1- men would own the coun- ty. or 1-211-h 21 township and 21 Vl'o11ld y1)u be willing to SW" 111’ your farin for th1-1-11an1-1- of drawing cuts to see: if you ‘J that wo1111l 111- a better state of 21tt'21i1's vid1-1l 11p among some four thou- sand in1lep1-ndent land ow11e1's'.’ Instead of gruinbling it. shou11l be 21 cause of r1-joi1-.ing that we 1121v1.-. an occupation tl121t cannot well be 1no11opoli7.1-.11 by the sto1:k 21111111 1111- w1nt1-1'. is 11111 21s 1-11jo_v21bl1-. 11211111. get on 1111- 11211-k - 1-ies 111211 111-ay leave us 211 h21u11s. 211111 it 111111‘-1'1.-111. liigliway when t111- 1-rops 2111- 211 1111-ii-111-st. and you will 1-11jo_v it. but to 1111111 1111- plow ainong 1111- stuinps 211111 ston1-s 211111 1-are l'o1- storins 111' T111- s211111- thing is tr111- on 1111- 111111- \V1- 1-2111 1.-njoy stor1--l1'1-1-p- ing 21s long as w1- stay 111 front of the 1.-ou111er and look at 1111- 1111-1-- ly 211-1-:111g1-11 goods: but 11-t us si111- \\'l11-1'1- we can see and 1’1-1-1 1111- shop-wo1-11 goods. 1111- had 111-bts. 1111- 11-ak21.g1- and bi-1-21k21g1-. 1111- d2111g1-1' from tire 211111 thi1-v1-s. 211111 1-sp1-1-ially the 1-h21ng1-s in fashions 211111 12111- any time with 21 lot of old stullonour l()()l{S 21ltog1-1111-1' Ag21.i11. our i1l1-as of the per 1-1-.111, niade by 1111-.1'1-1121111s are often 21s 1-ru1l1- as was 1111- old la1ly‘s W11o11- .\'11111111‘-r 3613 us s-.-11 w111-11 it brings 21 1'21i1'pri1-1-. a1111:1\'oi1l1111-1.1-11p1-1-1-1-n1s111'i11k- 2191- 111211 1-211-11 _\'1-a1'\\'1)11l11 bring. 1*'i1122ll_v. 11-t11s1-111111) down out 111‘ this 111-21111-11 111' 1111- t1'1-1- of 1S1-u111b11- 211111 11p into 1111- other o111-. so while w1- g1-11111l111- w1- 1-2111 b1- i111p1'o\'i11g our 1-1111111111111 by 1-u11i11go1'1' su1-11 111:-;11ri1-s 21s to- 11211.-1~o21111l 1-igars: by :111di11g 1111 1111- b1-st. k11owl1-11g1- ohtai1121bl1.- l'1'o111 our 21sso1-i211io11s with 1-.211-11 111111-1‘ 211111 1111- press: by stu11yi11g 1111- soil. 1-rops. 111ark1-ls. and cv- 1-rytliing 1.-1111111-1-1.1-11 with our bus- iness: 211111 1-sp1,-1-ially ins11-ad of asking so1111,-body else to 1'111'11is11 11s 11111111-y to pay our 111-bts. wl11-.11 w1-g1-t 11111111-y of our ow11 11-t us apply it o11 our 111111-1111-1111ess. 1'at111.-1' 1112111 11-yiiig 1111- liixiiry of 1-211-1-ying it in o111'po1-.111-ts until it 1121s 2111 11-21111-11 out 111 1lribl1-ts.an11 1. s1o1-1- wl11-at in for11111-1-1111-211.11-1. These are but spe1-i111ens. , b11t back of it all is tl1e thought ‘expressed or i1nplie1l that the laws of the lan11 21-1-1-bl21111able the few to the detrinient of the 1112111y. Another prin1éipal source of about the protit of 1111-I211-1111-r. She kept 21 groct.-ry. and 21 1112111 wished to 11-21111: 111-r potatoes for we know not wl11.-11 it went. I1’ we do this our 111111-1g21g1-s will grow be21u1.il'11l1y 11-ss until they How 1111-i110i_v 121111-s us 11:11-11' 11111111111-s. SHIN!‘ 21111-11 11111 [11 1111-11111r_\‘ 11-1w. \\'l11-11sol'11111 .s11i1111i1-1'1-\'1-i1i11;:s1‘1v1111-. A1111 far we 111-211' the looing 1-ow Alltlst-1' 1111-111-rd \\-in11 1l1)w111111.-111111-, R1-spmisive 1111111: \\'t'll-1-\’!ll)V\'ll 1'21ll Thatbringsit1ob1:1i11lke1121;.;.1i11. 1&1-111.111.-211111 Spot, l)i111p11-21n1l1)111, .-'\I11l V1-111111o11s roziiiiiiig fi‘isk_v 1-‘loss S112111‘l1i11;,- 1111--.\‘l11-:121:.11‘so'1:1'1111-wall: "C1\' 11115.1 (‘.o'l1ossi1-I Co'l1oss."' l’1-rliaps \\‘1- 11-111-w 1111: n1ill1-11112111 then, 0111: s\v1-1-1 as (‘.1111 11121k1:s11111111-1s'1.;i11s; \\'i1l1 1.-1-11111-, 111-1111111 11-:1)-s, 211111 k1-11 Ofoiily 1l111n;_:1i'.s.'1s p11r1:21sp1~211‘1s. 111-r 11111211111si11i1c11121k1- w2111-rwinc: 111:1‘ lI.'|ll(ll\\'(i}'l( c1121111.{1:11n1ilkt0 gold; A1.11111-'1.-i'\\'.'1s n1nsi1-111011-1‘li\inc: l-‘-1'ii11l‘- 211111811111} , l)in1p1c 311111101. A1111i':1\-:11-1:y1=11, f1'1-1-. f:1111ili:11- Floss. Than 11-21-2111--.'1‘.1ll l11_\‘11l:, ol'o111. (iL.1'b11ssf" --1‘11'1l1..s-:1: Co'11ossi1-I l.n\‘1-11 1-111’.-11 st-1-111-s ol'1'.1r111 211111 iii-111s \\'l1i1-11 l£'ll'1)\']11-1‘1i\'1'1111-1111111 11-1‘11ls. T111-111111-r1-111 p1'1-11-111 l11_\‘1111 _\'i1-111-. lrs twili-_-_l1t 111' 1111~111111i:1l 11.'1lls: Till 112111 in 1lr1-.1111. and 11.111" in truth. T111-si111p111‘ li1'1.- 1111- 111111111‘) 1i\-1-s I\‘1:sl1-1‘1~s 211 111111-s 11111 \'.1iiisl11-11 }1111ti1. 1111111111‘ 211111 511111. l>1111p11- 211111 11111, (X11111:11111111-211I11i1kii1;;1i1111-willi i’l11<-1, A1111 so1i11~ lost v1-i1‘1. 1111- 11111 1-2111 1.-,i\1s: “Co‘l>11ss! (‘if 11o.s.s11-I ('11'111>-»si" '/‘/11' 1 71.111: -/-1-1’.-'.‘11.-1. — { C } G-rumbling. R1:111b1.l'o1‘1-t1112\'2111 111111-n L‘o11nt_v 1-‘.11‘1111~1's' I11- stiintc. l1_» 1. 1’. l3;11cs. It is assuined that every (me can write the best on the subject with which he is most conversant. and so tl1is theme fell naturally to my lot. a11d if we will exa1nine~ it we will find it a tree with two main branches. 011 one of these grows tl1at kind of grumbling that emanates from a realization of the difference between the ideal and the real. With the natural eye we see things as they are, but by intuition we see them as they ought to be, and this margin is so great that it creates a feeling of dissatisfaction in the mind, and this vents itself in grumbling. This grumbling is lea-itimate. useful, if it does not "spend itself in mere grumbling. but seeks to reduce this margin by trying to bring the real con- tinually nearer the ideal. That this is being done, a stroll through the corridors of the Pat- ent otlice will convince any one, for against nine—tent-hs of all the patents issued is written the word “improvement." The same is true of our laws. "Amendment” heads by far the greater part of them. How to improve farms, stock,“ buildings, roads, etc., is a con- stant inquiry among farmers. Perhaps not as much as it ought to be, yet something is being done in that direction continually. That this source of grumbling and chance for improvement will ever cease we doubt, for we be—- :for all this difference. people grumble. They asked for 111ore money to ,be put i11 circulation. a111l 1-on- !gr1.-ss replie11 by sending i11to 5 every nook and cor11er of the n21- ‘tion an amount equalling about two 1l.o1la1-is per capita of our on- ltire population. in the form of I pensions. 211111 yet they grumble. r , - - . F111-y said the railroads w1-re ‘ making too 111111-.11. 211111 so the I11- 1‘ter-St21.t1.- (‘o111m1-.1'1-,1- 1-o111111ission lwas 1-st21blisl11.-11. Still 1111-y g1-uinble. Coining to our state 11121111,-1-s we 1i111l 1.111.-so same tliings. The p1-o- ‘p11.-said our 1-21111-oad men w1-1'1-. g1-ttiiig 1'11-11 too fast. and so 1111- ‘ l1-gisl-211111-e p21ss1.-11 the gr2'1d1-11 ‘ t'a1-1-. 121w. 2111d the court sustained lit. but still they are gruinbling. P1-1‘l121ps the thought is that this j3re11u1:tio11 is all in favor of the ‘rich. just 21s 21 man said it was {when they reduced the postage. ifor. s21id 111-. “It is the ri1-11 that ‘write the letters." on the 1-21-rs. perhaps. the leading cause of grumbling. let us examine a lit- tle closer farming. Our farms i11 Michigan average just a little less than 100 acres 1 hands to work one. I11 the U. S. there are 100.000 miles of railroad and 1,000,001) operatives. Dividing these up as our farms are divided, it would bring them into half mile sec- tions with three hands to each section. Thus dividing the roll- ing stock and machinery of each half mile would about equal the walking stock and machinery of a farm. We grumble because some men get rich, but if each half mile section of railroad were run independently, as we run our farms, it would not be a week before a thousand petitions would go in for the return of Vanderbilt and Jay Gould to the head again. It is simply impossible to run railroads as farms are run, and if it were possible to divide the profits among the million opera- tives, there would be no more millionaires than among far1n- ers. Government can regulate this matter to some extent. and it is so doing, but the general prin- It was .said that congi-ess ought to do something to aid the people. and ‘ so they stopped 11p that Louisia- ,na lottery hole. into wl1i1-11 the §lp1-.0pl1,- were throwing s1-.v1-ral lmillions every year. and yet the So in this.- p1-rlia-ps. it is the rich that ride | the kitchen. 1~o1npl21int is o111't21x1-.s. especially Our state 12211111- to us this y1.-211' and said for every tl1ousa111l dollars you have we wa11t about 21 111111211‘ and 21 half to run the state. but for every 1-hi111 of sc11ool21g1- you have we will our state taxes. pay you 11211:]; the like au1o1111t. It used to be sai(1 that one kind of childr1-.11 were worth but 35'.-')O(i. but the state put. them all at the liighest figure. $1000. It chances in this county that we have but 11245 school children -, " "s-.21.‘... » 1»u.1..~e11 us.-, at -‘fwl-1.1,. 2 it leaves a balance i11 favor of the state. About this 11i1i'1-1-1.-11ce the people are grumbling. but I l121v1-,-b1-.1-1'1 unable to d1-11-1-niino wh1-1111.-r it is b1-1-21us1-we1121v1-too 111111-11 pi-op1-rty. or w11eth1-1- they think 1111- state in some way to bla1111.- b1-1-ause we 1121-ye no niorc c11i1d1'e11. (_)n1h1s stat:-. taxatioii nearly 1-v1.-ry state 1-1111-1-pi-ise has come 111111c1-1111-112111 of 1.-1-iti1-is111. Vt-'1) will niention b11to11e. the niilitia. That costs about $13-.'1.()00 21 year. 5-l'_’.()()0 of which was for state e11ca111pn11,-nt. This inay have been more than should hav1.- been paid. but is 11111 the 111i1itiao111' insu.ran1-.e against. 211111 our hope i11 case of. war.’ If each of our northern states had put a mil- . . . - . - , . does his p hon of dollars into men and mu- . for t11e past yeai a11d 111111 \\ hat - As the railroads have been_1l1ltl0I1S0f war iii the ten years, proportion of tl1en121r1- far1111-rs. §preceding the rebellion there 1 would have been none. Foreign !the treasury of this state over ,cent on each premium, beside each. and it takes abo11t three all our state companies. and yet? 1‘ we do not wish to burn out; so if Tour militia will prevent war or‘ ; repel invasion, let us have it. 1 even though it 1loes cost some- ; thing. 3 Turning now from this leading branch let us look at some of the side branches. merchants. manu- facturers. etc. Farmers arecon- tinually grumbling because these have so much better times than we do. The reason we think thus i side of any other business, and so form but a partial judgment. To illustrate: A few years ago a man who stands high as an edu- cator in this state crossed the ocean. taking with him a son of just the right age to desire to ‘ see all there was to be seen, and in his surveys on ship _board he strolled into the cook room. but soon came back to his father and said that it was the nastiest place heever saw. His father replied that if he wished to enjoy his dinner he had better keep out of So we say to our vil- lieve the mind is more capable ofj ciple that a few will control thei la-ge friends, if you wish to en- expansion than any of the mate- I roads and get the lion’s share of -joy farming just ride along the - $100,000 at the rate of three per is because we only see the front: goods. 111111-.l1p1-otit. “Yo11." she says. -‘will plant 21. bus111.-l of pota1o1-s and porliaps will g1-t three or four. while we 111-v1-r 1n21.k1- over :.’.'1 per 1,-.1,-111 on ou1'g'oo1ls.“ A 11121nul'-.11,-1111-1-1' may large amount of goods on 112111d. when 21 new design 1n21yblo1:kl1is-,1 sales coinpletely. b11t far111 pro- duce is neai-ly always salable at ya fair price. -‘Th:-11 .-1;,--='r-: :'¢arr.1 11302-t~gagc-3 have been brought. forward as proof positive that We would soon 2111 b1- sold out to tl11- 11111111-y sharks. and be 1'1-11111-1-11 to a state of v21ssalag1-. 'l‘11cr1-. 21r1- two or 1h1'1-1- 111i1’1gs in this 1-onn1-1-tio11 worth 1-o-.1si11- 1-ring: lst. Is it 11ot tru1- that tl11'1.-1.- fourths of ()11l'1_1l‘()1)(‘l'l_\' 1121s ‘ b1-.1-11 111211111 wl1il11w1-w1.-r1-111111-111? Is it 11111 also tru1- that 1111-1'1-, 211-1- 1no1-1-. 1111-11 poor 1o-1121yb1-1-2111s1- they did not go i11 111-111 for 21- 1211-111 211111 dig out than 211-1- p11()!'1)1-- 1-2111se they 1121v1- run i11 111-bt 211111 1'21il1.-111‘ Is it 11111 true that 1111-1-1- is l1-ss i111lebted11ess ainong t'a1'111- ers than among any otl11-.1-1-lass of business men iii the 1711111311 ‘States. and also less f2-1ilures'.’ ; Look over the failur1,-s 1-eported ;’You will be surprised at the 5 smallness of the per cent. Much in comparison with 1 fire insurance companies pay into 1- of the fabulous wealth is simply speculative and will not bear 21 crucial test. When Millionaire Flood's wealth was placed in the hands of administrators it shrunk 75 percent from its lowest esti- mate. Would o11r farms do that? VVe may not make as great gains as some others. neith1-r are we in danger of suffering as great losses. Farining has its draw- backs; it has also its compensa- tions. as some. yet we are not as poor as others. If we do have to work more hours, we are 11ot subject to the Caprice and whims of some man or corporation. as are most of the day laborers on railroads and in the manufactories. All things considered. do we not stand up to the average in phys- ical. mental. moral and financial circumstances in life? If so.why grumble‘? Instead of complain- ing because others water their stock so much. let us water and feed our own stock more. In- stead of asking government to loan us money at two per cent. let us make seven per cent on our farms, and then what we have will be our own, not the nation’s. Instead of asking the govern- ment to build elevators for us to She said s111- 121111111 not a11'o1'1l it. as he was iiiaking too get 21 If we cannot get as rich. v2111isl1 211toget111-1': our t‘21r1ns21n1l stock will show 1111- 11211111 of 21 11121-st1-1' wo1'k1112111: our 1-11ild1'1-11 will 1'1-1.-l t1121tt111- b11si111-ssof their fat111-1‘ is not only 111111111‘21b1e but pi-otit21bl1-. and will cling to the ‘old farm with all its l1211lowe1l as- so1-iations. whileg1-1n11bli11g.ga111- bling in stocks and ki111lr1.-11 vi1-1.-s will 1)1.-21b21111lon1-d to tliose who -1111111111 know what 11on1-st 1-1111- tent111e11t 1111-2111s. ll -33}- ' C-II.-\]tl.(_)'l‘L'l‘l-I, M11-11.. ;\1-..2-1-.11 11. §E1>. V1s1'ro11-: I l1:1\'1- 1-112111 with so1n1-. 11111-r1-st the a1't.i1-l1- 111 your issue of M2111-11 lst Iron: 1111- 111311 of 1). 1-}. ;\l1'(‘-1111-1-. S1-1-'_v ()1-.1-211121 county s1-hools. 11 is astoiiisliiiig to what 13x11-111 our \'i1-ws 11po11 most s1111_'11-1-ts 211-1- w211'p1-1'1 by s1-11is11n1-ss. Mr. .\11'('11l1'1-21(1\'11('2L11-s1-1-1'1:1i11 21pp1-111121g1-s 1,111.-111' p11bli1-s1-liools 111-1-2111s1-j 1111-v l'11r11is11 111111 his 111-1-2111a111lb111.11-1-. l11]1;11>s:- 1111-111 b1-1-21.11s1-.1111-,V111-21p upon 1111- 1-.\'— 1:2-ssi\'1—-211111 1111111-1-1-.~'s:11'_\'1.21.x211io11. I 111111 no 1'21-ult wi111.b-.11 t‘u11y1-o11- 1-111' 111 his views oi’ 1-x1-1-ssive il- lit1-.1-211-y 211111 ig11111-21111-1-.211111 1'1'21nk- ‘ ly2111111it that of the two1-vils illit- ,1.-1-211-y is 1no1-1.- to be 111211-1-11 than 1 ‘-higli s1-hool gr:11111a1.os." 1-Vhat "t'1'1-1-. text book" theory $1111-2111‘: It 111ca11s that I. after he- iing l1e21\'ily taxed to build s1-hool lhouses. furnish fuel and 2111 the p211-21phernali21. of a modern school 11-oom. including teaclic.-.1-‘s pay to ‘educate Peter Smith‘s1-hildren. lmust still be taxed for their lbooks which. costing them noth- fiing, would soon have to be re- gplaced with new ones. Perhaps 1Mr. McClure would go still fur- 1 ther and tax me for their wear- fing apparel. To the states fur- jnisliing these books at cost, an1l 1 thus establish 21 state uniformity. no one would object. This county supervision that he speaks of is well calculated to provoke laughter. Supervis- ion by whom‘? A person of whom the law as it now stands requires no qualifications whatever. He may be as illiterate as a jackass. but if he can secure two out of three votes there is no law in Michigan that can prevent him from summoning the teachers of his county before him to be ex- amined. Four years ago the people of Michigan secured the repeal of the useless office of County School Superintendent. thus sav- ing to the schoois of the state over $60,000 to find themselves confronted by this Board of School Examiners more expen- sive. and less useful to our schools. JABIES Cicoss. .m- In the Nest. Gather thcm clost; to your loxiiig llt.'Ill’l—— Cradle thciii on your lirciir-I; They will soon uiioiigh li-ave your brooding care. Soon ciioiigli mount yoiith‘s topmost siziir-— Littlc ones in the nest Fret not that the children's heartsare K21)‘. That their restless feet will run: There may come a time in the hy and by VI/hen you'll sit in your lonely room and sigh For a sound of childish fun. when you'll long for rt repetition SVVEPI That sounded through cveryrooiii, Of “.\loilicr," “.\lotlii:r," the dv-ar lm-ii calls That will t-(tho long in the silcnt hulls, And add to their stately gloom. There may come it llllll: whcn you'll long to In :\r The czigcr, hoyisli li't-ad, The lllIll‘lI‘*iH wliisilir, llit: (‘l1‘«'ll', shrill shout. The busilc in ziirl out. And paticitng ov«:i'lic.'id. \Vlll‘1lllHilluyfilllllll.{ll'lS:ll’l'Illl uioxvii up. And $(‘.’lll('l'('(l l":-.i itllll wizlc. Ur gonc lrl [ll(' llllrll\(‘H‘»'('ll ll slinrc. \VlI<:rt- _\'r;lllll and zigw coiiii lll‘\'(‘llllUlt' You \-.ill miss [ll"lll liuiii }".‘|tl «iii:-. Then gziilicr t'.i-iii cluvsc l|1}Hlll loaiivg hi-ziit. (‘,r;iillv- lllI'll| on jmur liii-zi-.i: 'l‘hi.v will soon v llirllkll l4-an }l1lll l‘lv.iilllll\,( 4 .iii. Soon viioiigl. iiioiini _\oiiili's top.-ii..~i st::ii Lililc on: s in ill!’ iii st. o o 9 Does Farming Pay’? [The following paper. rcad bo- forc the Iilarnii.-rs‘ Institutc publication] It is the universal talk on the street. at the market, and when- ever farmers meet. that farming does not pay; our vocation has ceased to be profitable: we are losing our farms by mortgages Some and shrinkage in values. assign one cause and some an- other, but generally “the banks" and "the money system" get the lion‘s share of the curses. Mo- nopoly. trusts. legislationmstate and national. manufacturing, and in fact everything not directly conducive to farrners‘ interests. are pronounced curses and an- tagonistic to their welfare. Now, brotlier farmers let us be consistent. There is one bless- ing we enjoy: a fair degree of in- telligence. Let us exercise our couiinoiiwcaltli. and we will be biattcr able to see how we stand as farmers and producers. Now you ask me to tell you "lxbtv En rnulzolfo.-1-rn'iH1d.,' l’)1Ly.‘7 V Let us cast our eyes around this room and our thoughts out among our brother fariners who have attained to or past the me- ridiaii of life. Ask tlieni-—--li_-arii their circuinstziiiccs. lhr-ii‘ begin- nings. their strugglings. their sacrifices. and nicthinks the ina- jority would say: "IVlion my wife and I started in life to uiakc a farm and a future lionic. our fan- cy never paintcd that we would ever possess. as the result of our toil and eiideavor. as fine lionies. as inany luxuries. privileges and blessings as we liave lived to pos- sess in less than a quarter of a century. “ The inc i'ea.seI.l ii-sscssctl wealth of our county. state and nation attests it. The proiiiiniiit men of the nation in all callings have been largely raised on the farm. educated from the proceeds of the farm. and the fariii re- mains to enrich. feed and edu- cate, to inspire with freedom and enterprise the millions yet to come. Production is the source of all Wealth; on it the life. health, wealth and glory of the nation depends. And, although we have had a series of unpropi tious seasons in Southern Michi- ga-n. caused by drouths and a com- bination of causes. my experience has taught me that the American farmer. fairly located. with a proper distribution of brains and muscle. has had a fair return for his skill. labor and enterprise. Of course we have had adverse seasons. but we must not throw away the pail when the cow kicks. Ihave known hundreds of farmers who have failed and lost their all—~some from lack of prudence to manage the patri- mony giveii them. some by de- voting thcir time to some other calling and starving the farm. until finally the farm starved them. Some purcliased farms at a time when their cost was not commensurate with either value or income now. and by neglect to pay for their farms when the in- come was proportionate to the cost. the indebtedness remains. the shrinkage takes all they ever paid and the mortgage takes the balance. Some do not prosper because they do not act on that maxim of Franklin's: “He that by the plow would thrive, him- at Centroville. was solicitcd for and sent to the (lrangc Visitor for it and come out of self and mingle with the sixty-two millions of our fellow citizens that make up THE GRANGE VISITOR. self ‘must either hold or drive." Providence may have provided a place for a lazy man. but I am satisfied it is not on the farm.‘ It is pre-eminently in that calling where a man shall earn his bread by the sweat of his face. I would say to that young man or woman who abhors this face sweating. to get off the farm— you will be a failure if you don't. What means the three to four hundred failures reported weekly by Bratlstreet.’ This much we learn. that tis not farmers only that fail and sufier pecuniary loss. I\'<»arly all the legitimate calliiigs arc filled by n{(;n_ some who prosper and be- come inimcnscly rich. others fail and lose ‘their all. sagzicitv. All are not ni:ister- iiiocliaiiics who sliovc a jack- lllEll11::)1'sll()(*, :1 horse: sonic. 1))’ lvantagi-oiis opportiiiiitis-.s. sition. I know of notches below him. opportunities gets to the front. never will. per bushel. possessiongs for time. every yea r ask the question. a iiybod y 1'‘ ' Now this opens up the subject. \Vell. what is pay? Mnnuner9Ylii(,>n for Va“-1'ila.bOt§. en present market value. misunderstand me. one out of crectcd ii. five thousand a ten thousand dollar investinent. fort you can out of it. adds to the fertility your farm nor its ability to pro- the more to the tax list. This being a practical subject. let us look at it in a practical way and discuss it from a practi- cal standpoint. of about fifty dollars per acre. making a hundred acre farm rep- resent a value approximating $5, - 000. with tools and stock at 500: total, 500. The account would run thus: Farm. ion acres _ _ _ _ _ . , , , , , , _ _ _ _ _ _ , , I , _ ,§51i)0o Tools and stuck _ , , , . , _ _ _ . _ . ., , , _ , _ _ _ _ _ 1.500 Total iiivestiiient . . . . _ , _ _ _ _ , , _ _ _ _s6,5m I 150 \Vool from 50 sheep. 350 lbs. (:1 25c , , , . . , . _ ., Shccp and cattle sold aiiiiiially . . . . .. _ Hogsaiidpork...__.__ _ Biittci‘ and cggs sold _ , , , . , , _ , _ _ _ _ _ _ , _ _ _ _ _ , __ llorscs or trolls, iiiilch rows. potatoes, etc. 87 I00 Total produce sold , , _ , _ _ _ _ _ _ , _ , _ _ , , , __ 5 91/ To whicli sliould bc uddcd what you have for fziiiiily usc. vi/..: llousc rciit Now, brother, if you are out of debt, on have $767 income from your undred—acre farm to add to your possessions. to send your sons or daughters to college, or to loan to your brother farmers at the same rates of interest charged by the banks. I have been careful not to overdraw this estimate. and I think you will All have not ko<,1ii. shrewd biisiiu-ss tact and their force of cliariu-lei‘. genius and pi-,1-si-voiw-iii-i1 build up ii busi- ness from nothing and arisc to proiiiine-iicc ziniong tlicir fcllow iiicn. wiiilc others. with inorc ad- sink below the lcvcl of their first po- youiig iiicii who at the age of ‘_’l were work- ing on a fariii by the nioiitli. and who are now the proud owners of fine farins and caii sit under their own vine and fig tree. \Vllll(. in some instances the farnier for whom he labored. and the sons and daughters who socially rc- garded themselves as above the hired man. find themselves many Farmers. this is pre-eminently the land of opportunities. 2111