THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 523 



the great motive power of this age, and muscle but a 

 feeble instrument. The locomotive, tearing along, 

 jarring the earth below, outstripping the wind above, 

 and bearing in its train the beauty, honor, and treasure 

 of a State, represents brains. The dusty, sweaty foot- 

 man, wearily plodding along, carrying a pack on his 

 back, symbolizes muscle. The self-raking reaper, 

 driven with gloved and unsoiled hands, sweeping down 

 like a fable the golden grain, represents brains. The 

 bowed husbandman, painfully gathering handfuls of 

 straw and cutting them with a sickle, represents 

 muscle. The steamboat, plowing its way with ease 

 against the strongest current of our swift and noble 

 rivers, is brains. The dug-out, slowly creeping along, 

 the willow-margined shore, propelled by the Indian's 

 paddle, is muscle. The sewing-machine, which stitches 

 faster than the eye can follow and never eats or tires, 

 is brains. The weary, pale, and worn wife, painfully 

 toiling over the midnight task, is muscle. How futile 

 the attempt, then, for muscle to compete against mind 

 in the great battle of life! A wise man once wrote, 

 1 The wisdom of a learned man cometh with oppor- 

 tunity of leisure;' and in that sentence is food for 

 reflection and thought sufficient for an entire sermon. 

 Unless farmers devote more time to the use of the brain 

 and the improvement of the mind, and less to wearying 

 and exhausting muscular labor, how can they hope to 

 successfully compete against the vigorous minds of the 

 present age ? It is not the skilful hand, the strong arm, 

 or the watchful eye alone that will in these days bring 

 success to the farmer. These are needful, but a culti- 

 vated, intelligent, active brain to direct them is of ten 

 times more importance. 



