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Money Talks The Farmer Now Has the Floor

M

Albert E. Pharo

ONEY talks; and when large sums of money join in vocal converse they speak in a loud tone of voice, and all the people stop to listen.

The Annual Report of Industries for 1906 recently entered the country through Newspaper Avenue and begged to receive the attention of the people.

The women readers promptly gave that page of the paper a hurried go by-it was so awfully stale and so full of dry figures; they had no time for such dull reading.

And the young man who fondly imagines he is reading the "news" when he peruses accounts of murder trials and the delineation of human frailties,-he also turned the page quickly seeking the rank growth of sensational pas

tures.

But every man who had any measure of business responsibilities on his shoulders made himself comfortable in his chair and was lost to the world, while he absorbed figures which dilated his nostrils like those of the trained war horse at the thrilling sound of the battle bugle.

He read that a few gentlemen who own some iron and steel works, transacted a moderate business amounting to one billion two hundred million dollars; and he also read that the railroads collected from the people who travel and who ship things the little matter of two billion three hundred and twenty million dollars.

Somewhat further down he noted that the farmer has been doing a little plowing and planting this year, and assisted by considerable perspiration and back bending, has succeeded in earning a scanty livelihood amounting to the almost respectable total of six billion, seven hundred and ninety-four million dollars.

The public prints for years have laid

before us the pleasing habits of certain railroads in "buying up" from time to time a judge, a governor, a congressman and occasionally a whole state legislature. At least this habit seemed pleasing to the functionaries mentioned, though the people at large, not having a highly developed sense of humor, were accustomed to stupidly grumble instead of being moved to hilarious laughter by the edifying transaction.

This

When we reflect on the vastness of two billion, three hundred million dollars we understand the mighty purchasing power behind the railroads. sum amounts to about two hundred million dollars per month, or approximately to eight million dollars for each working day in the year. Eight million dollars a day represents a concrete, vital, potent, militant force. It will buy several things and would keep a limited number of factories running full time.

But when we read of the six and three quarter billion dollars made by the farmer this year, the railroads at once become second raters, our intense interest wanes and we hand them over to the tender mercies of the Man in the White House while we turn our attention to more important matters.

What wonderful potentialities do reside in twenty-four million dollars per diem!

Merely to think of this-and at the same time spin round violently on one heel-will make one's head whirl. It will daze him, steal his equilibrium, upset his mental balance and cause him to grope wildly for mental and physical support.

If we will take pencil and calculate its wondrous possibilities in the way of spinning factory wheels, it will fairly. hypnotize us and lead us captive into the wildest realms of visionary fancy. We will see wondrous visions of fiftyacre factories, of thousands of work

AGRICULTURAL

men, of grand and stately palaces in city and seashore and mountain, of luxurious steam yachts where a hundred sailors form in line and perform the correct military salute on the important occasions of our arrival and departure from the craft.

The scenery of dreamland, how beautiful it is!

Do you note that the farmer looms a grander figure every year?

He gathered in three-quarters of a billion dollars more this year than he did last year, and he is quietly planning to increase his earnings by a round billion next year.

Just reflect on the modest greatness of the quiet man with chin whiskers and hip boots.

All the world has climbed on the fence to observe Uncle Samuel tackle the job of digging a ditch that will cost the tremendous total of two or three hundred million dollars; and the little boy with cigaret and waxed mustache whispers confidentially to Fatty Bull that he don't believe Uncle Samuel can raise the necessary spuds to see the thing through.

If our Uncle Hayseed should tackle this contract he would merely set aside his earnings for a couple of weeks, which would be amply sufficient to pay for the whole affair, with enough left over to hire a brass band and have a high old dedication when the job was completed.

At the present time one of the popular diversions in the United States consists in advising our horny handed neighbor of his duties in the future.

Friend Hill pauses a moment in his railroad building to caution him that in ten or fifteen years this country will contain a population of a hundred and twenty-five million people, and that every mother's son of them will want three square meals a day, while some will also want a bottle of grape juice and a squab in the evening. He tells the farmer that the only way he will

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be able to feed all these people will be to cast away his present agricultural implements and get the kind which will perform double the work; and he also suggests that the farmer spend his evenings reading agricultural papers so he can acquire the knowledge to make two blades of grass grow where one now tempts the appetite of the gentle cow.

The men who read the book of the future also tell him that the population of China has passed the point where their own acreage will support them, and that they will thank him if he will kindly pass a piece of bread their way, and later they will want it by the shipload.

He

The farmer is a taciturn man. keeps silence in the English language. Through all the hubbub and babel of voices he maintains his serene composure; he chews the stalk of straw which is in his mouth and resists the terrible temptation to rush into print.

But every once in awhile you hear him casually remark that his mortgage is paid off, his buildings are all painted and he don't see for the life of him why he and his children can't have some of the good things.

If he gets out that wad of six billion dollars and begins to cut loose something will be doing.

The money of the farmer is like a drop of water just fallen from the cloud. It begins at the source and slowly flows through all the varied and innumerable industries; watering them, fructifying them, bringing profits to owners and wages to workers, leaving in its train a pathway of verdant green, where peace, plenty and prosperity sing a gladsome song.

That is why we rejoice with the farmer, and mingled with our rejoicing is a mental reservation to subtly entice a few drops our way by catering to the needs of this Financial Stupendousness, and advising him through the agricultural press of what we have to offer. All of which is as it should be.

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The Gift of the "Studebakers"

The Beautiful Y. M. C. A. Building Now Being Erected at South Bend, Ind.

N November 27th in the presence of the citizens of South Bend, Ind., the corner stone of a magnificent Y. M. C. A. building was laid, the gift of Studebaker Bros. "in memory of the Five Brothers." The trowell with which the stone was cemented into place was handled by Mr. J. M. Studebaker, Sr.. president of the company.

The following description of the building is from the South Bend Tribune of November 27, 1906:

E. S. Willis and F. A. Park, representing the association. This committee formally notified the company of the association's acceptance.

The purchase of the ground for the building was announced a few days after the offer had been made and accepted. The quarter square at the corner of Main and Wayne streets, known as the Baker property, was bought by the Studebaker Company at a cost of nearly $50,000. The property has a total frontage of 198 feet on Main Street and a depth of 165 feet. The site was occupied at the time by a frame building, the home of Mrs. Kate R. Baker, and the right to have it undisturbed for a year was reserved by her.

The delay for this reason and for others

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The idea of giving to the Young Men's Christian Association and to the city of South Bend a building of the kind and character which soon is to stand completed at the corner of Main and Wayne Streets originated with Col. George M. Studebaker, vice-president of the company. At his suggestion, made to the president, J. M. Studebaker, Sr., a resolution was passed at a meeting of the directors of the company in December, 1902, that a building suitable for a permanent home for the Y. M. C. A. be offered that society, to be a perpetual memorial of the five brothers and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the company.

The generous offer of the company was accepted by a committee consisting of the Hon. Marvin Campbell, Miller Guy, W. O. Davies,

prevented the breaking of ground for some time and it was not until June of this year that the work of erection actually began. Since the commencement of the work it has gone on rapidly and the foundations are nearly completed.

The building will be four stories in height and the architect, S. S. Beman, of Chicago, spared no pains in drawing the plans to make the edifice the acme of beauty as well as of usefulness. It will have a large basement, which really adds another story. There will be about 60,000 feet of floor space, the building to have a frontage of 156 feet on Wayne

street.

In the basement are to be placed three bowling alleys; a swimming pool, in dimensions

20 by 60 feet; two locker departments, one for boys, 32 by 56 feet, and one for men, 20 by 48; a general apartment for shower baths or tubs, barber shop, and the heating plant. On the main floor, the first, will be the gym. nasium, which will extend into the floor above, an oval elevated running track being a feature. The gymnasium will contain everything to be found in a modern first-class gymnasium, the cost of equipment not being considered.

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of beautiful building. A fine fireplace will be a feature as will be the massive ornamental columns. The general offices of the association will be placed in the front, and the entrance to the gymnasium will be near the offices.

In the large reception room at the front will be hung a portrait in oil of the Studebaker brothers, the five stalwart and enterprising men who founded the great industry over half a century ago. The picture includes the men in a group about a table. At the right of the picture is J. M. Studebaker, president of the company, next to him being Peter E. Studebaker, the only one of the group standing. In the foreground, in front of the table, is seated J. F. Studebaker. At the left extreme is Clem Studebaker and next to him is

Henry Studebaker. Back of the group is painted the symbol of the development of the great industry-the blacksmith shop on one side and a map of the world on the other.

The painting was the work of a well-known Chicago artist, Ralph Clarkson, who is famous for his portrait work. The portrait was completed about a year ago.

The second floor will be devoted more especially to the boys of younger age. The "gym" running track will extend through the floor, on which will be located class rooms, boys' work rooms, a reading room and library specially for the use of the boys, several club rooms, and reserved sections for use of the high school. There will be offices on this floor also.

The third floor as well as the fourth will be given up to dormitories. There will be 74 sleeping rooms built on these floors.

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