The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1868-10-24

feror tools, without railroads or steamboats,
or even ships that compare with those o.
this day. The best reliance Of the American
farmer is the skill Of the American mechanic
This alone has saved us from national ruin
and bankruptcy. This machinery, in large
degree, took the place Of human toll in tbs
late civil war, and fed our armies and KEEP
alive the springs Of industry and commerce
10 the same skill and inventive power mua
We look for half in our struggle for foot
hold in European markets for American pro
ducts. The greatest bindrance in our sffort
10 get into foreign markets is the cost o
transportation and our system OF buying
and selling. These are most burtful ii
States more remote from the seaboard, bu
they are severely felt in the Atlantic States
We frequently complain Of the high cost o
bread and other articles Of food, and We fee
that the farmers of tho West are getting rict
at our expense.
BARREL OF FLOUR ANALYzED.
=, If we analyze the price Of barrel Of -four
We find in many cases the farmer who bought
the land and titled it and fitted the wheat
for market, gets only about one balf the sum
We pay for the -four made from bis grain
Between the producer and consumer there il
long list Of charges which harm both classes
Now the miller, the carrier, and the mer'
chant must all have their just rewards fol
their labor and enterprises But if we look
closely into all the transfers, commissions
profits, taxes on sales and the interest ac
counts, we shall see that we have reason 10
hope that some better methods Of getting
the profits Of the farmers into the hands Of
the consumer will be devisid by the skill OF
our people. To-day, the best commercial
paper made in this and perhaps in any coun
try pays the highest interest Those who
buy wheat Of the farmers Of the West pay
40 interest ranging from ten to twelve per
cent. The wheat goes from the hands ol
one class of buyers into that of another
Many such transfers are sometimes made
Each buyeris paying heavy interest account 8
which overlap more or less in time. Each
one pays taxes on his transactions. All
three charges come out Of the producer and
consumer Can any mode be devised which
will wipe out or lessen the heavy charges
made upon farm products between the pro-
ducer aud consumer?
GREAT NEED OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE.
This is to-day the greatest need Of Ameri-
can agriculture. l do not suppose the mid
dle.men can be dispensed with entirely, bu
there are too many Of them. The grea
selling The dairies of this State leads US to
hope that some system may be devised to re-
iieve other farm products. Formerly, cheese
made in this State was sold to the nearby
merchant and by him sold to others, so that
when it reached the English market, if il
ever reached there, it was loaded down with
numerous commissions; interest accounts
taxes and profits. Under the present system
Of ling the cheese made 10 a neighbour
hood through the common factory agent to
the New Yolk or London merchant, all TO-
,ermediate charges are cut out aud the gain
is divided between the maker and consumer
In my own neighborhood frequently see a
London buyer dealing directly with the
cheese makers. believe this is the only
farm product Of our country which goes into
the foreign market free from this loss and
cost OF numerous transfers. Can no system
be devised by which other farm products
can be saved by The numerous costs of mul
tipled commissions and profits? l see The
difficulties in the way, but trust some change
can be made in our present system, which II
SO hurtful TO producers and consumers. Be
yond the need of improved machinery, and
the necessity of relieffrom heavy interest anc
burdensome taxation, there must be some-
thing more to give prosperity to agriculture
THE TASTES AND HABITS OF THE PEOPLE MUST
BE CHANGED.
In some respects, the tastes and habits o
our people must be changed. No pursu
can. in the long run, do we'll unless it IS bele
in high honor by the public, and is cherished
with pride and affection by those engaged
in it. There is certainly enough Of lauda
ton Of the farmers pursuit, but we canno
shut our eyes to the fact that there is &
growing dislike for country life in our land
and an increasing desire to crowd into town
and Cities The comparative increase of cit!
aud town population is much greater thai
that of the rural districts. This does no
grow out Of any sound business consdera
lions. We find that men who have gainet
moderate fortunes by their skl and indus
try as farmers are prone to sell their proper
ty and go into ueighboring villages. In th
State the people seem to have their back
turned to the country and their faces set TO
ward town life. The end of social ambition
is to live in the largest cities. and Of late thi
has been carr cd so far that the great town
of Europe are swarming with Americana
Many millions of gold are spent each year b.
absentess. The sum thus spent abrost
makes large item in our increasing iudebt
edness TO Europe.
UNNATURAL DISLIKE OF COUNTRY LIFE.
To what is this dislike Of country life due
It is not natural one. 1t is not held else
where to be a social advancement to lose tb
position of an owner of land TO become
dweIler 10 town. In Great Britain it is th
reverse of this. Men seek to gain fortune
that they may become the owners Of coun
try homes. 1t adds to their dignity to b