VOL. XXV.
.___
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., NOV. 22, 1890.
NO. 47
Written for the Indiana Farmer!
Notes.
BY JOHN H. STAHL.
Mrs. R. G. A. M.   writes a strong letter
for your November _h Issue.   She makes
a sad  picture of  the Indiana farmer who
sold corn last winter for 1!' cents a bushel.
The   Indiana farmer   who. sold   corn  for
only that price last winter  has only himself to blame.   He was  I .hied the   times.
He certainly  did not  _*ep post ed, watch
the _i-*03 of  the times,  and act in accordance  with the  best light  to be  got from
agricultural   papers,   farmers'   institutes,
crop statistics and market reports.   There
were somo Illinois farmers that sold cheap
oorn last winter.   We bought from them
several   thousand  bushels at  _  and  -',
cents per bushel.   We fed   it to stock cattle that we got in the fall  for 2'i cents per
pound.   Tuere were plenty  of stockers to
be had for  Jl.T'i per hundred   weight, but
we  wanted   only   the   best.     What  we
bought weighed about !KK) pounds.   When
we had thoroughly fattened them we sold
them   iu Chicago  for live cents a pound.
Tho person that fats good steers and sells
them  for the cents a  pound  is  getting
more thau   IU cents a  bushel for his corn,
especially  when he  sells 000  pounds  of
each steer  for twice  what ho paid for it
We had   hogs to follow  our steers.   After'
allowing  ourselves good  wages  for  tbe
labor of   feeding and   not taking into account the value of the manure we got, we
realized   for  our corn   more  thau threo
times 10  cents per  bushel.   And then wo
had  work  during  the   winter  at   good
wages.   We do not  work seven months
of the  year  aud  loaf  and  grumblo  the
other live months.   We hail no monopoly
of the cattle busluess.   Thero was no _-
cret about our procedure.   AH that  a person had to do   to get  such results was to
exercise such intelligence and.-judgment,
and do such figuring and reasoning as are
essential   to success In merchandizing  or
manufacturing.     We   simply  got   good
cattle,  fed them  woll, and   fed thom  till
thoy  were thoroughly ripened.   There is
always, for first  class cattlo  thoroughly
ripened, a  demand greater   than the supply, and it was  no great trick to sell such
cattle for a niekle a pound  in Chicago last
winter,  or this  summer either,   for  that
matter,  or to  beat that figure  now.   Instead of depending upon Congress to help
us out of our Ignorance, thoughtlessness,
carelessness   and  sticking    to  ruts,   we
should go to work on ourselves.   True, we
want  farmers in  Congress—true, simon-
pure farmers, not farmers  for oflice only,
but 90 per  cent of  the trouble  is right at
home.
In the same issne, the editor, in one of
the very best editorials I have ever read,
says of a successful farmer that he is "such
a man as would be likely to succeed In any
business he might engage in." And in
her letter Mrs. It. G. A. M. says that "the
successor every business depends upon
the manner in which it is managed."
Those are two great truths that a great
many sorehead farmers would do well to
leant. There is a handsome profit in
farming now if a man will only become
intelligent and thoughtful, and study his
business. Some farmers are losing, many
are scarcely holding their own; if they
would reform themselves they could make
money. I have heard of some farmers
losing their farms. I venture to say that
their neighbors, expressing, after careful,
impartial thought, an honest judgment,
would say that not one of these men could
be moro successful in merchandising or
manufacturing than he had been in farming; that these men could not, or rather
would not have managed a store, or a
manufacturing plant any better than they
managed '.heir farms; that they are fit, as
they are, only to work under somebody
who has intelligence and good  judgment,
and who reasons and studies and plans
ahead. No, their trouble has come, not
because farming Is not a good occupation,
but because they were not good farmers.
I have grown most heartily sick of this cry
about the. bankrupt farmer, and about
firming being no longer profitable. It
increases the farmers' indisposition to
le-irn and think and look ahead, for it
blinds him to the real trouble. This cry
is kept up by demagogues who make
farmers believe that the trouble is in legislation, aud induce the farmers to voto to
send tbem to the legislature, or to Congress. On the part of the demagogue it is
a selfish cry; on the part of the farmer, a
foolish cryN True, we should havo legislation, not ln the farmers' interests, but in
the interests of the whole people, and to
correct that which is against the interests
of the whole people and of farmers es* _I-
ally. ' Hut this better legislation will never
come^from the shiftless, thoughtless
farmers. They will always be the misled
tools of demagogues. It Jean come from
only tho intelligent, thinking farmers; for
a man that lacks the intelligence aud foresight to manage a farm successfully is not
•*om**etent to take care of the interest* of
tho farmers of the wholo country and to
secure the good of the whole peoplo ln tho
halls of legislation,
(julncy, 111.
■   •  ■	
Deathjof James Saunders—o Picture and
a Lesson.
James {Saunders Is dead. This word
came to Carmel the other day from - our
quiet neighboring town of Westfield.
Whilo at tho Stat, fair a friend coming
from Westfield said to me, "Had you
heard that Hattie Kates is being buried today?" Oearpeople do wo realize as event-
are passing that several of our very useful,
home-loving and self-sacrificing citizens
ure leaving us? Tho writer was well acquainted with tho two named abovo. Hat-
tlo F.stos was a sehoolniato at Karlham,
was well esteemed and appreciated. Her
short life was ono o.'quiet, unobtrusivo
endeavor. Sho was kind, intelligent,
warm-hearted, ready to lend a helping
hand.
Many of your readers also know James
Saunders, a nurseryman and horticulturist. While quite a young man he took
a degree at Michigan University. His
forte was mathematics, and ho was for
years employed by his Alma Mater to
carry out large problems in, astronomy.
For this service he received $5 per day.
Jlr. Saunders was a man of more than
average force and clearness. He was a
practical teacher and leader of undoubted
integrity, and Bober and accurate in his
business. . It must bo admitted tbat he
died in tho prime of his life and usefulness.
Nature takes many curious steps. Sho
seems to build up with the utmost vigor
for awhile, and then as ruthlessly destroy
the whole creation, just as It is about to
attain its most elllcient age and growth.
We may however acknowledge that she
is apparently striving for tho growth of
the race as a whole, and that she is reckless
of the individual, as long as she can fill
his place with the work of other and perhaps younger hands.
The llev. Myron Heed onco said "Happy
is that man who early in life finds his congenial place." Mr.Saunder's tastes throw
him into horticulture as a business, and
at many State and local fairs one could see
him showing to the public the displays
and explaining the methods and varieties
which insured the best success. Two
years ago the writer bought a few grape
vines and strawberry plants of Mr. S. He
walked back through the nursery with me
and dug live IJubach plants, which under
culture gave a large growth with enormous berries. My little baby girl not two
years old found them, and on a bright,
warm day I heard her say "Me got berry."
he toddled out down the path through
the vines and raspl>erries, past the gooseberries und currents with her auburn hair
liowing in the summer's breeze, till she
sat fiat down on the straw beside a row of
llubachs. She pulled one large berry and
ate it like an apple, then another aud
finally tumbled over sound asleep on the
clean, bright straw.
Tlie good nurseryman bad studied well
his business, and while making money to
make happy his own family and to fit
them for usefulness, he was also furnishing his neighbors most wholesome and
appetizing fruit. Allow me to draw
another picture that my thoughts may be
better illustrated. A man at Noblesville
was also engsged in a business to mako a
living. I have a neighbor who has been a
regular customer, aud a couplo of months
ago this poor fellow tumbled out of his
cart and rolled Into the muddy ditcli from
which he was dragged by some one. The
rumseller at Noblesville hud sold him poison as a business to make money. Mr.
Saunders had sold me lifo and buoyancy,
health and vigor, that which neutralizes
the passions and smooths tho rough ways
of life. It put rest and sweet sleep Into
my weary body and destroyed and bullied
the everywhere present germs of disease.
The goinl vender and grower of fruit
would ransack the world to secure if possible a fruit moro choice for his customers.
The saloon man would search through the
distilleries to find a cheaper, deadlier,
moro enslaving drug, tho sale of which
would turn a greater profit into his c_llors
regardless of tho wretched family whoso
father or son ho may ons-Iavo.
You havo tlie picture true to lifo; overy
individual actually exists; every word is
true history and occurred under my own
notice and in Hamilton Co. A beautiful
innocent bubo with (lowing locks, sound
a sleep beside a bed of fine ripo strawberries, a picture of health and contentment. And a broken old man, onco a
happy child,but nowa wretched slobbering
maniac, struggling in tho mud and knowing not whither to go. His lifo made
rougher. Ills worst passion magnified.
His constitution broken, until ho is an
easy victim of disease.
Tlie back-bo no of society ls character, is
individuality. Ono vory bad man may
causo a community groat damago and annoyance. One good, intelligent man mny
exorcise a vast influence in tho opposite
direction. Let us learn to stop and think
in our rush through lifo whon a useful citizen falls by tho way, and not fail to
show appreciation and respect. The Rural New Yorker lately asked; "are you
working better than you know?" Apply
this sentence to the whisky vender. Suppose ho could bo lifted far above tho earth
and could seo tho doings of men. What a
picture In every home, where .is customers go, a scone of passion tho exaltation
of tbo brute, fighting, vomiting, debauching and murder. Now imagine the manly,
self-respecting spirit of our departed
brother hovering over the land enjoying
the numerous gardens and orchards, far
and Hoar, which he had aided in building
up, whilo ho observes the hundreds of
cheerful circles where contented intelligent people are eating the most wholesome
invigorating fruit, and Mr. Saunders will
reap his reward.
E. II. Collins.
per place in our legislative assemblies. We
have been letting the politicians do our
reading and thinking for us too long,
whilo we have been kept divided along
party linos, blind to our own interests.
What is to tho interest of ono farmer is to
the interest of his brother farmer. So let
us go forward in this great work united,
and victory will crown our labors. Yours
fora Farmers' Heading Circlo. 1 .kadeii.
Shanghai.
 . ♦ .	
Keeping up With tho Times.
Kditors Indiana Farmer:
An article recently published in your
paper, pointing out the truo necessity of
our "Keeping up with the times," and of
using business methods upon the farm,
has set mo to thinking upon tho subject.
I think, you strike tho keynote exactly
when you say "the farmer should study
his farm and Alliance paper more." Tho
time has fully arrived when the- "plodding" process of '_ aud ■_ years ago "won't
go." We must use our bralus, even as
our forefathers did the ax, and strive to
keep up with the ever on-rushing tide,
lest wo bo overwhelmed by the monster-
monopoly—nnd be reduced to a serfdom
equal if not worse, to that of unfortunate
Itussia.
I am not an "alarmist" neither am I a
prophet yet to. judgo present conditions
by thoso past, and thus map out the futuro
—will cause even the most skeptical to
wonder at his fate. Now, It is my opinion
that such calculations aro upon an unsound basis, as the period, so critical to tho
farmers' interests lias been safely roached—
and passed. . Intelligent"*, morality—
brotherly love, and an equal rendering of
justico ls surely in tho ascendent; and to
tbis wo owo an everlasting debt of gratitude to tho press of our country—and the
agricultural press in particular. It is for
this reason 1 write you, not only lo show
you our appreciation, but if possible to
awaken any of our noblo craft who may
yet bo asleep to their inter, s's.
Every farmer in America should bo a
subscrili.r to both tho Indiana I-'aumkh.
and tho Ai.i.ianci- Ai>v<k*ati.; and now
that tho long w inter evenings are at hand,
we should all select wltii a judicious caro
that which will bo profitable to us, that wo
may know tlio best methods, and hare a
reason for all actions.
Farmors, read, study and educate yourselves, j. <;. k.
Let us Have a Farmera' Reading Circle.
Kditor. Indiana Farmer:
Having read tho article in last "week's
Advocate from the pen of II. S. Hartholo-
mew on forming a Farmers' Heading Circle, I desire to say through your columns
that I am favorably impressed with the
plan. I think it is just what we need. I
think it is time for tbo farmer to boupand
doing, not only in fitting himself better
for carrying on his business but also in
preparing himself for occupying  hia pro-
What Has Boen Dono for tho Farmer?
Kdllors Indiana Fii.m cr:
Many years ago, I heard a conversation
between two men of which I remember
but a single remark. Ono of them said,
"thero Is bnt a sixpence difference between
tbe man that works, and the man that
don't work; and the man that don't work,
gets it." As a boy, I could not comprehend it, for it seemed to me, that the man
that did tho work, should havo the sixpence. Tho difference to-day is much
greater.
It is probably within theboundsof truth
to say, the difference in this country, is a
thousand millions of dollars a year, between tho men thatwoik, and the men
that don't work, and five per cent of the
men that don't work, g.t three-fourths of
it. This is a sum greater than the cotton
and corn crops of the country would sell
for.
Just think what an enormous amount of
muscular energy must bo expended to
make those two crops, and that a class of
men get the value of it, from the tollers of
the country, without exerting any muscular energy whatever. Wo are probably
paying a sum two-thirds as great as tho
duties on imports amount to, that goes to
pay interest and dividends on tho watered
stock in our railroads. Tho noxt census
will probably show the railroads of the
country capitalized at ?10,000,000,000, when
less than $1,000,000,000 would probably
build them. Now, I am decidedly in favor
of squeezing that water out of the railroads
and adopting every other method that will
save the people the $1,000,000,000 a year,
and not fool myself chargable with taking
from one class, what belonged to it, to
give to another. S. B. II.