Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-05-16
Che Chronicle.
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 1886.
"The Western Fever"


greatly stMuIateu 'he IL
es, This influence has worked in two
wavs: First, very many in limited clrcum-
s s,o,ces-laborers, mechanics and artlzans
on, Of employ, persons of small salaries or
9 incomes, &c.-have been compelled to ob-
Il tain their bread by owning or cultlvating
3 land for themselves and as land IN the
= Old States rules at prices beyond their
Z means, they are forced to the New States
4 Second, the large accumulation of profits
4 in the pockets Of very many farmers has
furnished them with the mems to invest
q in lands; and Westward they take their
nancy for inyestment-in short, for land
speculation.
These extremes Of condition operating
z to an unprecedented extent, have produced
! the unexampled migration toward the set
y tinc sun. which distinguishes the present
season. Not BY hundreds, but by thou
sands are the newcomers counted through
+ our Western cities.
The speculative fever is not only "wild'
b,, II is MAD: and revulsion must IA
turally eusue, more disastrous (deeause
s more extended than that Of 1886, 10
q years ago.
q The wi lie aud widening expansc OF coun-
try over which this food of new settlement
rolls, makes improvements more expensive
han in lesser aud more compact fields
~ As each section must have Railroads
7<eni other modern accompaniment ot pro-
Issrress. in order to make their outlays avail
allie a vast amount of Indebtedness is ne
.cessarily incurred temporary ezPedieh'
Twill be linked with temporary expedien''
md enterprises" based on nothing VIII
be "hypothecated'' for similar enterprises;
.1hpd when the stupendous "bubble" bursts
thousands will be stripped of their all'and
$do rens only will be left rich or independent
The losses at the West, must react
{,lpon the East; for the capital goes from
: ,ere. and nearly every one there has some
rlaim upon those he leaves behind
The migration from the Old World has
.ensibly diminished of late, aud will pro-
&ably by directed, hereafter, pr'nc'pa'iy
lsevhere thau to the United States. That
source alike Of sturdy workers and sturdy
hegoars-of terrible Williams and most non
est meu-will be comparatively dried up
The close of the War in Europe VIII
surp thousands Of men from killing each
c,ber to raising each o'her's bread, and
s,on the waste of hundreds CT millions OF
money. Capital will be more safely inves-
bod at home. instead of being sent to
america; aud if the reforms projected III
France, Russia aud Turkey are carried out
the prosperity of agriculture, OF trade, and
III commerce will be marked and decisive
In restraining migration, aud IN stopping
4he supply of breadstuff' which has con'ri,
buted 50 much to pay for our immense i'm
ports from Europe aud Asia.
The new gold mines of Australia and
other portions of the world, are attracting
super;or attention, SO that California will
b. less important and influential.
The removal Westward of so much cap
ital as well as Enterprise, will give 1t some
Advantages but the Old States will long
have more substantial thrift, resources,
and true happiness. For years to come
&the old folks, down East" will have to
Aelp "the young folks, out West, IN a
6lv way as well as openly.
The increased scarcity Of Farm hands
ma Laborers in the Old States, will call
for more Mechanical and Agricultural I'M
hlements. Or, better still, more close cui-
6vatiop of farms will cause their division
&to smaller tracts-realize more pronts at
kss expeuse-and settle the young and
enterprisiug around their old home hearths'
sd But, the great rush to get rich by raiS-
ibp Grain, selling Lands, &c, will hereaf-
ter be too late Farmers will have TO Dc
eonteut, for a few years, with reasonaoie
prices. A little loss Of blood will reduce
the "fever" considerably. Those who cal
seu,a,ed to pay for their farms with wheat
Ii 81 per bushel, will miss 1t sadly.
"About those days" the people will be-
hin to inquire whether after all Washing
bon, jefferson, Jackson, Clay, &c. &c, were
bot right in their opinion of the necessity
ond policy of Tariff more Protective than
he PRESENT. If the farmers of Iowa could
have the fuundries and factories whose pro-
eucts they desire, within dozen or hun
ared miles Of home, instead of in foreign
.ouutry thousands of miles away and across
he ocean, they probably will return to the
I'D principle. 1t is monstrous waste OF
ime-an enormous tax upon labor-to
end wheat to Europe, and bring her pro-
u ucts here, when they might be produced
exchanged side by side without any of
lis vast expense Of useless transportation.