Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-08-14
FRoI TIE TRENTON TRUE AMERICAN.
Pc TICS FOR FARMERS.

FRor TIE TRENTON TRUE AMERrcAS.
POLITICS FOR FARMERS.
For nearly thirty years the. agriculture
al interest of the United States prosptred
beyond example. The revolutions and
convulsions of Europe drew from Agri-
culture, and the arts connected with it,
millions of men, and placed them in ar
mics or rayies-con' erting them from
producers into consumers. Waste and
destruction, inevitable in all wars, in
creased the deficiency Of provisions,
which CHS transformation occasioncd.--
Our farmers had this immense deficiency
to supply. This gave them ready mar
kets and high prices---the strongest sti-
mulants 10 industry and enterprise and
at the same time the greatest temptations
to luxury and extravaganza. Wealth
flowed into our country in every direction.
Our ship owners pock etcd the freight;
our merchants the profits of the trade;
our farmers the amount of their surplus
produce; and from them, money found
its way to every class of society.
These prosperous days are over. Eu-
rope reposes in peace. Thousands of
her sons have exchanged the implements
of war for those Of husbandry and its sis
ter arts. From consumers they have
again become producers. Europe can
now provide for herself, and supply her
colonies. Our farmers, their pro,loe
being no longer needed abroad, must re-
ly OH home consumption. This cannot
produce 50 great demand, nor such
high prices, as they have been accustom-
ed to- Consequently their income Will
be greatly reduced, and much more pre-
carious. What is to be done They
cannot change the condition of Europe;
force nations to take their produce who
do not want it; nor compel individuals
to buy more than they eat.
They cannot, in full market, and with
few purchasers, fix their own prices.---
What are they to do?
The whole remedy lies in two words:
INDUSTRY and ECONOMY.
BY industry, | do not here mean a
more faithful cultivation Of the soil; but
Thcymust make in their families, cve-
ny thing necessary and convenient, which
it is in their power to make, but which
their surplus produce has heretofore
enabled them to buy cheaper, as they
thought, than they could manufacture.
They must dispense with many arti.
cles of extravaganza and luxury, which
in more prosperous times they indulged
themselves and their families in.
They must prefer domestic manufac-
~
cheaper in the end y and thus invite
useful population from abroad, increase
home consumption, and improve our
own markets.
This course of industry and economy,
pursued by an individual, will leave
balance in his favor at the end of the
year with the merchant with whom he
trades, and who has taken his produce.
The same course pursued by the
country generally, will leave balance
in our favor with the nations with whom
we trade.
A contrary course, must involve the
individual, and the nation, in debt and
embarrassment; and lead to distress and
ruin.
| hese hints, though the offspring oioo
servation and reflection, are hastily thrown
together, merely to draw public atten-
ton to a subject intimately connected
with individual and national prosperity
and happiness. Let it become the gene
raj topic of consideration and converse
ton, and the good sense of the people
will lead them to system of conduct
which will overcome present difficulties,
and provide against future emergencies.
Those who do not see the truth OF
these suggestions now, will soon feel it.
They have to choose between advice and
experience.
NmmaIinr.-NIr. Silas Mason, Of edharn, Ms.
; has invented carding machine expressly cal
culated for the manufacture of wool hats. II
produces the hat in its comic form. ali Il sU9