To the Grangers of America
"Follow Up the Plow" (1874)
Song and Chorus
by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907

[Source: 05572@LoC]

1.
Hard times are now upon us,
And the people are in debt,
The country's full of trouble,
And the worst is coming yet,
'Tis _not_ without its causes,
And I'll plainly tell you now,
The only way to stop it,
Is to "follow up the plow."

CHORUS 2 times
Then follow up the plow, boys,
Follow up the plow,
If you would build the country up,
Just follow up the plow.

2.
Fill up you fields and prairies,
With a crop that's "good as gold,"
And mine your hills and valleys wide,
For iron, salt and coal.
The earth is the producer,
And I can tell you, how
To make a princely fortune,
Is to "follow up the plow."

(CHORUS 2 times)

3.
There are too many people,
Who from their duty shrirk.
Who'd rather make a fortune
By some other means that work.
The man who plants tobacco,
Corn, wheat, or cotton now,
Is king among the "money'd men,"---
He "follows up the plow."

(CHORUS 2 times)