The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-05-16
The Demand for Agricultural Labor

partments Of labor aiming to improve the
moral, intellectual or social condition of men,
and are impressed with the duty resting upon
enterprising and educated young men, to de-
vote themselves to such service; but seldom
if ever. do We hear anything said of our obi
cations to pursuits ministering only to our
physical wants. or serving only to improve
the material interests of our community or
country. The reason of this. We presume u.s.
in the fact that these interests receive. gener-
ally. more than their proper share of atten-
ton. ard seldom fail to secure supply of la
borers in whatever capacity their services will
command fair remuneration. 4 singular
exception to this. however. exists. in large
portion Of our country, in the case of Agri-
cultural labor Notwithstanding the great
demand for its products and the high prices
which they have commanded for several years
past. rendering the tilling of the soil suffi-
silently lucrative to satisfy any reasonable de-
sire for the acquisition Of wealth. It 5 still
noticeable fact, that the en- loyment entirely
fails to secure any just share of the capital
and industry Of the country Manufactures,
Trade and Speculation have absorbed an I'M
due proportion Of the money and labor of the
people. and the result is what We witness to-
day. general depression of business with
high prices and increased expense of living;
and the latter to such an extent. that many
families that heretofore were able to meet
their necessary expenses and save fourth
part of their earnings now find themselves
obliged to practice more rigid economy in
order to make what they can earn procure for
them the means Of comfortable living. This
too is true of many families in the country
as well as in the city. An increase of wages
the natural expedient in such cases. would
fail to improve permanently their condition.
as it would only add to the cost of produc-
ton and thereby increase the prices of what
ever they must purchase for their daily
consumption. Any change for the better.
any alteration in the ratio of the laborcr's
wages to the cost of his living. that will
he permanent, can only be secured bv trans
ferrlng to the cultivation of the soil a large
amount ofunproductivc capital and labor now
occupied in trade and speculation. The nat
ural tendency of things has not however been
recently in this direction, and on this account.
there is need that the public attention should
be directed to the necessity of largely IL
creased and improved system of Agriculture
as a remedy for the regularly recurring hard
times" and commercial cmbarrassmcnts ofthc
country. Our Agricultural Societies might
do good work in this direction: at least,
they might accomplish something towards
correcting public sentiment in regard to the
relative Importance and dignity of Agriculture
al labor
That this is especially needed any one NAV
observe, who will select any agricultural COM
munity in New England or the Middle States,
and ascertain what proportion of its young
men arc content to follow the employment of
their fathers. Scarcely enough of this class
can DC found to take care of the stuff" and
show decent respect to the duties of the fill
lal relation; while the rest, aspiring to more
honorable employment, as they estimate it,
abandon the homestead and crowd into orr
great cities and marts of business. to enoaoc
Ill trade, or professional labors. and to in
crease the already too great discrepancy be-
tween the numbers of producers and consul
mers. They furnish to large extent, it is
true, the men who accumulate fortunes, MAIN
tain costly establishments and are STYLED mer-
chant princes. But they furnish too. and in
still gcater numbers unsuccessful and hank
rupt traders fraudulent and desperate specu-
iators' whose extravagant living, overtrading
ana failures arc among the prominent causes
oostructlng, at frequent intervals, the business
OF the country: and until the public scnti-
ment is educated to appreciate the importance
and dignity of the farmers occupation. and
until farmers themselves are disabused of y
prevalent notion, that theirs is a hard and ;p.
noble Calling, wherein the talent. enternr;.e
and education of their children can find no
httlng employment or adequate remuneration.
we shall only continue to hear of high prices
and hard times, and of the inability of the
poor and laboring classes to procure for them
selves comfortable living. It is tim.
therefore, that somebody should preach in be-
half of the farmers calling; to claim for it.
in the public mind, a more just appreciation
TO show how all the other interests of 2 COM
n'unity, not only the material interests. but
the social. intellectual and moral are debtors
to hiS occupation: and to advocate its claim
to larger share Of rational and State MT
ronase: to more Of individual enterprise. and
especially its claims 70 more of the enternr;se
and .e:';ees Of our Young men, who aspire
not only to the acquisition of wealth. but 10
be patriotic and useful! We are eonfden,
that some la, preaching upon these topics is
demanded at the present time, and would be-
very sure tu receive attention. enfo,ccd &c :,