Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1861-04-19

Souuty anu AON SLluIl Tue UdlluCe
be adjusted?
1t seems evident, to US, that when
the Borough has gained twice as
much as a dozen townships of four
times the population, there is hardly
a healthy progress in both. We boast
Of and feel every way Interested in
the growth of the country adjacent
and the people look with pride and
pleasure 1--WE trusD upon the advance
ment OF their most important town.
We all wish to grow together, and
thereby promote mutual interests.
/ To this end, WE MOST NEED AN IN
CREASE OF FARMING POPCLATION-the
keeping at home of the natural in
crease Of our producers, and of the
wealth earned among Us.
Had there been no migration from
Union County during the past forty
years, We should have now numbered
10000 to $4,000, instead of $4,000
souis-our aggregate wealth would
have been twice or thrice W hat it now
& isi anu DIS "CIl IL uot IuUIc equally
distribuled-aud our County Town
would have contained 1 900, or 5000
souls. Let auy weli-iGtoTmed citizen stop
a momeut and Reflect how many hearty,
enterprisiDg men, women, and children,
within his knowiedge, have been as 1t
were forced to leave this region within
forty years-rOnsider how much cash CAP
ital aud labor capital they took with them,
aud have since drawn from us-aDd they
will see that We are not extravagant 10
our estimate. Thus has our little county
dives,ed itself of enough men and means
to make, elsew where, q larger county than
it is: they have scattered to the four
winds of heaven-many of them, too, not
to their own advantage, while greatly to
our loss.
How shall this evil tendency be reme-
died! The GENERAL answer is-Seek TO
give employ ment to all our people, and
thus induce them to remain because it is
their INTEREST. Encourage Home sen.
timent-aid our own merchants, mechan.
les, lsborers, manufacturers, miners, and
professional men, in every practicable way.
But, SPECIALLY, the FARMERS are to
apply the corrective. Agriculture is THE
interest upon which all others depend.
The produc,iveness Of our lands may be
doubled or trebled. Instead Of adding
farm to farm-absorbing lands, expelling
the poorer laborers, aud half-cultivatiDg
broad fields Of starved, uudrained soils
/ the TRUE POLICY would be to divide
farms, and to retain the young and enter
prisiDg among them. We argue thst-in
general-to work smaller farms is the true
policy, because
l. They require less capital in the
outset, and, therefore, less iuterest-less
yearly taxes-fewer implements and hor.
ses-less hired labor, always expansive
and take less time in going to and from
work.
2. Smaller lots secure thorough cult.
vation BY the owner himself, and more
mauures, aud thereby greater returns are
received for the same amount of toll
In England, land, valued at 5000 per
acre, is leased in farms of 40 or 80 acres
each to men who work i, closely, make
the most from little patches, and &c. a
good living even under their crushing
taxes. Small farms near our cities exhlb-
it the same results. But too many Of OUR
farmers have large tracts held at high
rates, upon which they toll their life out
mos. labOrionsly, and with difficulty Gas
they say, We suppose truly in most cases.
make barely a living. Were many OF
these, instead Of sending their young sons,
daughters, and tenants, with strong arms
aud money in pocket, to build up Town.
ships, Towns and States in the West, to
divide aud sub.d!vide their farms, and,
patriarch-like, keep their families about
them; they would, BY more careful cul
ture, yet with less real labor and expense,
realize far BErTER.iuco from the capi-
tai invested, and enjoy the society of their
friends to the last.
The consequence of such retention in
our county of its own children and cash,
would be apparent. Greater advance
ment in agriculture, in all its branches,
would be visible. Sources of prosperity
now untouched, would be developed. Our
taxes and living would be proportionally
less, for rich, compactly settled country,
is the least expensive IN most respects. A
steady growth of the Townships, would
make the Boroughs, of which they are the
| feeders, grow in the same ratio-each
dependent upon and sympathiziug with
the other. Every parent settling child
or faithful tenant upon . tract of land as
"HoME," gives employment and support
to the carpenter, the mason, the lumber
man, the brickmaker, the painter, the
nursery man, the miller, the woolenfactor,
the shoemaker, the tailor, the blacksmith,
the saddler, the halter, the clothier, the
jeweler, the foundrymau, the merchant,
and every other brsnch of honorable trade
and industry. cor course, the printer
would become-no poorer; the lawyer
aud the doctor would be paid for all their
good deeds, and the teacher and the prea-
cher would bs eucouraged) Capital
would accumulate, and the losses, discom.
forts and sunderiDg Of dearest ties, caused
BY changes, removals, and doubtful exper-
iments 10 distant aud dubious regions,
would be avoided. The prosperity of the
Town would be the prosperity Of the
County-snd vice versa.