■- .• 'F. *y */ ^ »m 



to be false as true, of men whose present liring 

 and future hopes are dependent on the favors 

 of party. Sach men are often found, one day, 

 full of fire and zeal on one side of a great politi- 

 cal question, aad the next ea the other, equally 

 zealous and active — looking forward to the re- 

 compense of reward. 



While, therefore, we desire that our farmers 

 shall fully understand the f reat political ques- 

 tions of the day, eo that auder all circvBslances 

 they will be able and ready to act as worthy 

 citizens, — we think that there arc other sab- 

 jects that deeply conceri them — that while pol- 

 iticans are looking to their personal welfare, 

 farmers should have regard for their own. This 

 is clearly their interest and duty. 



Hence it is that farmers should sustain thsir 

 own papers. Look abroad in our State. "What 

 is the great interest of Illinois? What interest 

 absorbs the greatest portion of her capital and 

 labor? What interest does the community 

 every where — the farmer, the merchant, the me- 

 chanic, the laborer — now rely upon to carry the 

 State through the present financial distress? 

 What is it but the farming interest — the untold 

 wealth that now rests in her stacks of wheat, 

 her fields of corn, her other grains; her hogs, her 

 cattle, her horses, and the other products of her 

 farms? 



And how meagerly is the great interest of 



Illinois repiesented by her public press! There 



are some 150 political newspapers — there are 



three agricultural papers! Are not these acri- 



cultnral papers what yoa desire them to be? 



Give them your patronage — and they will fully 



keep up with the improvements of the times. It 



was never known — at least we have never known 



the fact — that a press did not carry upon its 



face an evidence of the amount of patronage it 



received. 

 In onr owncase, therefore, we ask ear friends 



■ot only to e*ntinue their subscriptions, but to 



increase the number of our subacribers in their 



neighborhood. You can do this, without much 



sacrifice on your part, and with great benefit lo 



U8. We desire to publish a paper that shall be 



entirely worthy your patronage. We wish 



above all things, to publish a really useful paper 



to our farmers. 



We do net anticipate a long continuance of 



the present financial distress. It may continue 



until another crop. We regard it as the true 



interest of our farmers to sell off their preaeit 



crops at the most they can g«t for them, where 



they are in debt, and pay their debts. We may 



then be poorer than we expected to be the com- 



ing spring; but we will then be ready for onr 

 coming crops. What would our wheat be ■vyorth 

 next spring, if there should then be a good 

 prospect for a crop of winter wheat? The west- 

 ern States are full of produce. If we so ar» 

 range as to sell two crops at once, we may break 

 down those we owe, and we may distress our- 

 selves with court tees and sherifl s calls— but we 

 shall gain nothing. 



The price of the Farmer will remain as be- 

 fore. Seventy-five cents will paj for it when 

 taken in cluba. We shall in a few days publish 

 a prospectus for the third volume. 



The Timei. 



Within a few weeks, our country has 

 been subject to a great financial reverse. 

 This has affected all classes of society more 

 or less, Farmers have felt it especially in 

 the low price of crops and the small demand 

 for them. There is but little call from 

 foreign countries for American provisions, 

 and the throwing out of employ large 

 bodies of workmen in manufactories, will 

 lessen the requirements at home. Still our 

 produce will sell at low prices, and it is a 

 necessity that farmers, who are in debt, 

 should sell their crops and pay their debts. 

 The evil is not likely to be lessened by 

 holding on to their crops. The yield of 

 wheat, take the whole country through, is 

 more than the usual average. Other crops 

 are much larger than ever before. We are 

 now but a few months from spring and 

 with the demand then, equal to the pre- 

 sent, with a great crop of wheat, and corn 

 in prospect, what will your wheat and corn 

 be worth? 



We regard it as the true policy for farm- 

 ers to dispose of their crops, as usual. If it 

 proves to be an unprofitable season, by 

 your crop noc paying its cost, there is no 

 better way than to put up with it, Your 

 merchants have unprofitable seasons — so do 

 your pork packers, your mechanics, and all 

 other branches of industry; — but in all 

 these cases, the true policy is to do the best 

 that can be done, and go ahead with your 

 calling. 



Your merchants, who have sold you 

 goods, rely on receiving pay for the same in 



