The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-09-01
Gro with of a State.

the cause of the decrease in the agricultural
population of New York. One says rail
roads" another " canals" Fear of taxes"
suggests a third " Western emigration"
SAYS a fourth while fifth attributes it to the
'' hard times" and sixth to the "exhaus-
ton Of the SOIL"
In a purely agricultural country, there is
one invariabe succession of events, Its pro-
ducts are carried to the metropolis, sold, ex-
ported or used. The metropolis thrives and
fat tens on them. Population pours into it,
Wealth centraizes in it. Commerce is con
troled by it. Education and literature and
refinement resort to it. Political power and
influence pass into its hands. Meanwhile
the agricultural population decreases as the
lands become more easily worked, and as ma
chimes take the place of hands. AS it de-
creases and consequently becomes scattered,
it is no longer able to support schools and
churches, to maintain banks, to build roads
and railways, or libraries, or even to own
lands. So the country grows ignorant, poor,
dependent and comes in time to be the mere
purveyor and subordinate of the town.
Such fate has happened to agricultural
France, once confederation of sovereign
states like ours, now ruled and owned by Pa
ris. Such fate has happened to the agri
cultural Turks, once the terror of Europe,
now the dependents of the Greeks and Jews
of Constantinople. Such fate is gradually
stealing upon the agricul tural southern states,
becoming every year more dependent upon
New York. Such fate would happen to us,
were we to confne ourselves, as they have,
to that one pursuit
Inland commercial towns, which happen
to be the temporary place Of transhpment
or export, exhibit temporary growth not
unlike that of the metropolis Goshen grew
rapidly so long as it was the terminus Of the
Erie road. Hudson grew rapidly while it,
was the point of departure for ship naviga-
ton. Auburn grew rapidly while the Cen
trail road was built no further. Elmira and
Canandaigua have grown rapidly since they
became the functions Of transhipping roads.
Buffalo and Oswego, the GntrepotS of north
western trade, grow rapidly yet. AS the
channels of trade become perfected, such
places, if they have no other resource, fall
back, and their commerce is transferred to-
the metropolis. Witness jamestown, IVA.
Alexandra, Schenectady.
This is one side. Now for the other.
We have but to look across our eastern
line for state whose agricultural popula
ton does not decrease-whose growth is as
rapid in its age as in its youth-whoSe coun-t
try towns and metropolis grow together, and
Keep pfoportlonate pdce-Whose villages anu
farms, Notwithstanding " railroads. not
withstandng taxes, Notwithstanding 'wes-
tern emigration,' notwithst anding the pow
erty of ." the soil"-are thriving as much as
ever they did and more And as it is in
Massachusetts, so it is in other manufactur-
ing states, the world over.
Manufactures-whether of iron, cloth, pa
per, wool, cotton, or any thing elsc--are
what are needed to keen the inland towns
and counties of New York increasing instead
of diminishing, bringing market close to
the farmers door, supplying him with the
manufactured products, without the cost of
the double transportation to and from the
sea coast-bringing mouths to be fed, bodies
TO be clothed, heads to be taught, and pockets
to help pay taxes-those are the means of
preventing him from leaving his farm and
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