Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-06-17
MORNTNGLEADER.
The Causes ef Increase In the Population


The CaGsea ef Increase In the PODuIation
Of Giles.
That all our cities have increased in
population, notwithstanding the drain Of
men from them by the war, is 8 fact
which 1t might be well to ponder. During
and subsequent 10 wars, such increase has
been Observable in the past. Whoever
visits the large cities, ct the present time
Is astOnished at the Burging crowds Of
people that are seen in the streets, and
wonders, perhaps, why the cities are SO
crowded.
1t is undOubtably true that the business
interests Of cities attract many from the
rural districts that country villages and
towns sre made tributary to them in
furnishing the labor that the war has car
ried of. But yet the wonderful tendency
Of human beings to aggregate in large
masses, Is due to other Influences than the
dsmsnds Of labor.
Why IL is that young men and women
will consent to labor for inferior wages in
cities, when abundance would reward them
in the rural districts, is subjsotfOr farm
ers especially TO consider. As e1plsna-
tory Of this state Of affairs, we append the
following sensible extract from the Phil
sdelphia Telegraph and commend it to the
serious consideration Of ell people in the
rural districts:
But the real reason Of this unhappy MI
grafton from the rural districts, and the
true remedy to be applied as q check, hsVe
never been indicated, to the best Of our
recollection, before the appearance Of the
magazine article TO which We have ailud-
ed. The argument may be briefly sta ed
as folloWs:-Men and women demand
something higher in life than dull rou-
tine Of uninteliigent toll and plenty to eat
they have an instructive longing for social
delights and variation Of the incidents
Of their daily existence.
Ia the country there are but few homes
where this natural yearning can be salts.
fed. The majority Of farmers families
are expected TO rise with the dawn, labor
unceasingly in the 6eld or household until
surdown, go to bed, and get up the next
morning 10 resume the same round Of
plough horse drudgeTy. No effort is made
to cultivate the taste BY beautifying the
house. The family lead solitary life, and
ell the Intelligence and plessurable ina
pulses which are awakened By social iu-
tscoourse are Lost. They may fstten, like
eai.ie, but they are not ieally happy.
It is from such a melsnoho y, mechani-
cal ourriculun, that the sons and dsugh-
ters Of farmers fly to the city, where, if
they must work, they are continually en-
livened by new sights and sounds, and may
enjoy sOcisbility, even if they wear their
6nsers to the bono, or toll their bodies into
early graves. This is the whole story in
q nutshell.
Any person who has journeyed through
even tie most populOuJ and wealthy Of
orr agricultural counties, must have been
struck with the utter neglect Of everything
that can vary the monotony Of solitary
routine, Tsise the thoughts occasionally
above the olods thst are fuFroWed by the
plough, or awaken taste for the besuti-
iul. Look at the houses Of q vast number
of or wealthy farmers They often re-
side in an Insignificant, unsightly one
story house, while the adjacent barn is q
vast structure Of stone. Everything is
ordered with an eye to utility. Very
many Of the farmers have nothing in the
shape Of garden where a few flowers
might kindls love Of beauty. Visits be-
tween families are comparatively rsre:
There are few books-no lively freside
circles in the evening. The sons and
daughters 90 through the same dull round
of toiliUg, sleeping, and esd &.
To young man Of any quickness Of
parts or liveliness Of spirit, such sa exist
enoe Is unsuppoTtabie. Hence the sons Of
Pennsylvsnis farmers are very numerous
in Philadelphia, and though they may
have hard time OF it to gam their daily
bread in this oTeT-oFoWded metropolis,
they would not return hom' fer tho sake
Of an independence. Hence there ere fe-
males tiling in our shops, and even as
menials in our households, whose parents
own broad acres and are we'll of in world.
IL store.
The remedy is simple, but ono that it will
be difficult TO persuade our farmers 10
adopt. They must make their homes
something more than mere lodging and
eating houses, such ss the stable is for the
horse. They must endesYor TO besutify
and enliveR and vary the life they lead.
They must cultivate sooisbility and hOspi-
tsiity, By more frequent intercourse with
their neighbors, snd give more attention
10 ihe improvement Of the mind. They
must render home more attractive, not
merely on account sf its plenty and inde-
psndenes, but because Of its social charms.