Getting a Sta:
Kditors Indiana Farmer:
Mr. Busick in his recent article, told how
a man with $7,000 can make money on a
farm; but I have just begun to earn the
$7,000. I am a young man; my father is a
farmer; his father was also a farmer;
henco, by inheritance I gained my desire
to "stay on tho farm." Desirous to earn
money, I hired to Mr. B. for $15 per
month. We labored hard, working from
four in the morning till seven in the
evening; yet I was satisfied, and satisfaction is a great thing.
Soon after the first of April, tho assessor
came round and listed ono poll—two dollars. Mr. B., who has a large farm, was
also listed one poll—two dollars. This
did not seem equitablo to me, but I was
told that in this glorious republic of ours
all men are equal. A few days after, the
supervisor called and warned us both to
perform four day's labor on tho public
highways—a further evidence of our
• equality. Mr. B. took his team and put
in his time in one and one-third days,
while I had to work four; so that while on
the tax duplicate I was Mr. B's. equal, on
the road I was only equal to his horse. I
had read much about protection from
pauper labor, but nothing about protection from horse labor. I now became interested in the subject of taxation and was
surprised to find that when I bought any
article of clothing I was paying a tax,
either directly or indirectly. So of nearly
every article I purchased. I asked Mr. B.
why this tax was levied. lie said to enable tho manufacturer to pay high wages
and
TO U1VJ3 THE FARMER A HOME MARKET
for his crops. As I had no crop to sell, it
was very plain that to benefit by this tax I
must work for some manufacturer.
Therefore when I finished my contract
with Mr. B. I bade the farm farewell and
started for the city. I went direct to a
machino shop and asked the wages, 30 cents
per hour, eight hours per day. I at once
applied for a position but was told that it
was a union shop, i. e. that they employed
no men who did not belong to the union
and that farmer boys were not admitted
into the union. By talking with the men,
I found that many of them were foreigners who came here expressly to secure
work, as wages are higher here than in
Europe. They were members of trade
unions there and had only to transfer
their membership here to secure work.
As these foreign mechanics were constantly arriving in this country there was
but little demand for apprentices and
hence I could not be admitted. Shop
after shop was visited with like results,
until grown weary, I sat down in a barber
shop to rest. On tbe wall I saw the placard, "Rules adopted by the barbers'
union," it was quite evident that all the
trades wore organized and I was adrift.
Mr. B. had told me that our Federal
system of taxation was called
THE "AMERICAN SYSTEM"
because it protected the-wages of American
workmen, but it seems to me that the
American plow boy had been omitted from
the list.
I would not go back to work at $15 per
month; and as I could not secure work at
high wages in the shop, I decided to raise
farm products and sell them in tho home
market. By a careful calculation, I found,
that $300 would buy me a team and plows
and I decided to borrow that amount. On
enquiry at the bank I was told that tho
money would be furnished on good security, at 8 per cent, for 00 days, and that the
note would bo renewed by payment of
interest in advance. This seemed liberal
as I could keep the money as long as I
chose.
Taking a blank note, I induced father
and Mr. B., to endorse and took the train
for the city.   I  bought  a  ticket,  paying
three cents per mile; on tho train was Mr.
Smith who, having a great deal of business
to do, had bought a mileage ticket and
rode for two cents a mile. Another gentleman who owns a coal shaft, and ships
many carloads over tho road overy day,
had a pass and rode freo. I asked them
why it was that I who had tho least money
should pay tho highest fare. They said
tho road was a privato corporation and was
run
ON* STRICT BUSINESS PRINCIPLES.
Our Circuit Judgo was on tho train and he
rode free, but I was not told why, only
that it was tho custom for Judges and Legislators to ride free.
Arriving at tho city, I went to the First
National bank and presented my noto.
It read: Ninety days after date, wo agree
to pay the First National Bank of Brazil,
$300, and was signed by myself, my father
and Mr. IJ. Tho cashier handed mo $.'500
in bills, and reading ono, I was surprised
to see: The First National Bank of Brazil
will pay the bearer $10 on demand. Reading moro closely, I found that tho noto
was secured by United States bonds deposited with tho Treasurer of tho United
States. I had thon exchanged my noto, so-
cured by my father and Mr. B. for tlieir
noto secured by tho United States Government. Thoro was not such an appearance
of equality in this as in poll tax, so I asked
the banker to oxplain it. He said thoy
had bought $100,000 par valuo of bonds,
bearing 3. por cent interest, payable in
gold at the beginning of every quarter;
these bonds were exempt from all taxation. He took these bonds and deposited
them with tho Treasurer of tho United
States and was given $90,000 in notes,
which he loaned at 8 per cent interest.
These notes, he said, the bank was compelled to pay when they wero presented
for payment.   Then you
DRAW INTEREST ON YOUR DEBTS,
do you? He replied that he did. Then I
asked if the Government did not make a
discrimination between him and me, for I
had to pay interest on my debt. Not if
you have a $100,000, he replied, which I
had to admit was true. But on my way
home I figured that banker's income as
follows: Interest on bond, $'',500, taxes
saved on bonds (at 1% per cent) $1750; in
terest on $110,000 at 8 per cent, $7,200. Total
$12,650, or moro than 12J. per cent. But I
had determined to begin farming; so
spending the $300 for a team and tools, I
rented land and began work. In a fow
days, the assessor called and listed one poll
and $.500 of personal property. I protested
at once that I did not own anything and
therefore, I should not be taxed; but he
said he must, obey the law, and tho figures
stood. After ho was gono, I sat down on my
plow and figured as follows: I owned
nothing; true I had a team and plow,
but they belonged to the banker; I was
paying six dollars every 00 days for thoir
use and was obliged to return them (**-300)
whenever called for in as good condition
as when I received them. So I could not
be taxed on .hat I owned. Yet I -was
taxed two dollars on my life; four days
work for the privilege of travelling from
place to place. I owed but one debt,
the $300 to the bank, and I was taxed $5 25
(1% percent) on that. I also paid a tax
on nearly everything I ato or wore. But
then,there was the "home market"—and
so I began to work and wish for tho harvest. A Beginner.
Something More than Talk ls Needed.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
Much is being said through tho papers
about tho "Causes of hard times," "Depression of agriculture," "Needed legislation," High salaries," "High tariff," "Low
tarill" and "No tarill'," etc. What will
come of this, if we do not get ou to some
plan and proceed to do more than talk?
Our chains will be rivited the tighter.   All
seem to shrink from saying what should
be, farther than that salariesjshould bo cut
down. I shall say my say on tho salary
business this time. I say it as a positive
fact that from two to five hundred persons
can be found in any couuty in Indiana
who would be glad to take our couuty offices at $75 per month. They are just as
capable of filling the offices well as those
who have filled them for twenty years
past, or as those who are anxious to fill
them for the twenty years to come at more
than double that sum. Clerks to aid them
(when needed) can bo hired for $30 or $'!5
por month. Thoso can bo found among
our farmers, mechanics, teachers, clerks,
etc. This would save from five to seven
thousand dollars each year in each county,
showing tho neat little sum of $500,000 or
$(i00,000 saved per year in our Stato.
This needs no proof. Thousands of competent men aro working moro hours than
county officers do, and receive less than I
have suggested. Is this not so? Why
should it bo?
Now how will wo get at tho work ? Shall
we have a convention with from threo to
fivo delegates from each county, or shall
we have a committee of, say 11 to 21, composed of ollicors of Stato Grange, Alliance,
V. M. B. A., I'atrons of Industry, K. of L.,
etc., aidod perhaps by Senator Mount
and l'rof. Latta,who shall formulate a plan
to bo workod out between now and the
close of 1890? Let us havo something liko
this, or better, and neithor work nor voto
for any man who will uot pledge himself
to help carry out our plans. Wo havo but to
go to work and hold togothor and wo will
succeed. Who will lead? Lot's up and at
tho work! Old Man*.
Jennings Co.
—This is a spirited appeal to come from
an old man. Now let tho younger ones
talk.—Eds.
and poor ones ought not to be employed.
The teachers do not belong to the disreputable class who squander their money
foolishly. Why don't thoy get rich if they
are receiving too much? And why do the
most of our young men leave the teaching
profession for othorsand oven for the farm
that "doesn't pay?" I am a farmer's wife,
also a teacher. I have had experience in
the school room as a teacher since '7(5 and
have been mistress and "maid of all work"
on a farm for eight years of that timo and
I know that the teaching taxes one's
strength and nervous force moro severely
than tho other work. Surely in tho school
room "tho servant is worthy of his hire."
Muncie. C.
Teachers' Institutes.
Editors Indiana -"armer:
The articlo written by S. B. II. on Teachers' Institutes published in the issue of
April •_ th calls for an answer. Section Oof
the law leaves no one in doubt as to tho ob-
jectof tholnstituto. Thesemeetingsafi'ord
an opportunity to comparo work and enable
teachers in many ways that will occur to
the thoughtful mind to do bettor and moro
uniform work than could bo accomplished
without thom.
The law allows only "tho same wages"
as they receive for "one day's teaching."
S. 15. H. says: "It diverts $100,000 a year
from a fund raised to teach pupils and applies it to teaching teachers." This statement is incorrect.
In order that the township trustees
could carry out the law they were instructed
by the Attorney-General to pay this out of
the special school fund—the fund that
builds and furnishes the houses.
It seems to me unfair to compel teacbers
to work two days for ono day's wages, and
they have been compelled for years to attend thoso meetings without any recompense than the benefit derived, often boing
at other expense than just their time to
get to the placo of meeting. Nearly all
admit that the Farmer's Institutes are of
benefit to the farmer, but how quickly
he'd rebel if forced to attend every day's
session or forfeit one-twentieth of his income. The sooner those who can not do
enough better work in their school rooms
to moro than repay the township for the
money spent,find some other employment,
the better.
I fail to seo why female teachers should
be instructed in cooking any more than
male teachers in lilacksmithing, farming
or any othor business. If the femalo
teacher is placed in a position where 'tis
necessary or desirable that she cook, I, for
one have no fear that she will not bring
intelligence enough to tho task to accomplish it in a creditablo manner.
- Good teachers are not paid too much,
%iX\o gepwt .went.
BY VINSON CARTKR, KSQ.,THIS CITY.
4|ssesslloss, .tlii.t Iliave <sesser—1 A|»pII<-»tlosl.
We must decline hereafter to reply to queries by
mall. It was not our intention to open a tree legal
bureau, as many seem to think, for the benelit of
private individuals, although subscribers. All we
can consistently do is to f-ive opinions on cases of a
general character, such as are likely to occurto citizens in any part of tbe Slate at any time, and the
answers to which will he generally useful. These
questions should he stated as clearly and brlelly as
possible.
Tell G. M. M., of Huntington to read
Section 5097, Revised Statutes, and ho can
tell what tho law is in regard to tho collection of pike taxes. Tho law says "Thoy
shall bo collected as other taxes." And as
tho law allows a division into equal installments of othor taxes in liko manner
shall tho pike taxes bo collected.
Monroo Co. II. F. D.
On March Ist A rents B his farm for ono
year. A sells his farm to U, and B rofuscs
to givo possession.
1. Will 15 be entitled to put out wheat
this fall, ho having wheat out this spring?
2. If there was nothing said about putting out wheat, and if C orders B not to
sow wheat can 15 keop C from sowing
wheat this fall? A .Sub.-ckiber,
Buffalo.
1. B may put in a wheat crop, but ho
will not bo outitled to reap tho samo.
2. Yes.
Is thoro any law enforcing a privato
crossing over a railroad to got to land separated from tho farm by said railroad?
Thero has been a crossing for 17 years, and
this spring the company ordered it torn
out and now want tho occupants to go
east to a county road crossing and thenco
right back west on tho opposite sido of the
railroad to whero whero the old crossing
formerly was. All the satisfaction they
give is that the statute settles it, but don't
cite No. of section or clause.      W. li. M.
Thorntown.
If thore was no reservation fora crossing
whon tho original right of way granted
then the railroad company may close it up
and compel the owner of the land to go
around the road.
The Meteorological Summary at tho
United States Signal Service Station, Indianapolis, Ind., for the month of May,
1890, is as follows:
Mean barometer, 29.930; highest barometer, 30.341, date llth; lowest baromoter,
29.<>1(>, date 1th; mean temperature, 01.7;
highest temperature, 87, date :50th; lowest
temperature, 39, date llth; greatest daily
range of temperaturo, 2S, 2nd; least daily
rango of temperature, 4, 5th; total deficiency in temperature duriug month, 08;
total excess in temperature since January
1st, 273; prevailing direction of wind,
southeast; total precipitation,3.01 inches;
number of days on which .01 inch or more
of precipitation fell, 19; total deficiency in
precipitation during month, 0.02*, total excess in precipitation sinco January 1st,
10.13; number of cloudless days, 7; partly
cloudy days, 13; cloudy days, 11; dates of
frosts, 8th; thundor storms, 5th, 9th, 12th,
13th, 18th, 21st, 23d, 2Hh.
One thousand merino sheep were killed
in a wreck on the Atlantic and Pacific railroad in New Mexico on tho 30th  of  May.