The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-02-09
Correspondence from the East.
AununS, Maine, january 2A.

EDIToRs INDEPENDENT: have started out
for a visit to see the assembled wisdom" Of
the State of Maine, gathered together in legis-
lature, but have got showed in on the way,
no / am going 10 put in an hour or two in tell
ing you of some changes that have been, and
still are, taking place in Maine, and, believe,
in all New England. An absence of but four
teen years has worked many changes, greater
than one would suppose. But it must be re-
membered they have been eventful years;
years crowded full of history; years that have
born fruit for good and evil, that will last and
be felt SO long as civilization shall exist. Not
only has New England changed others by the
constant pressing Of her political and moral
ideas but she has been changed herself by the
legitimate results Of those ideas, and in ways
she least looked for. TO begin with, the rural
population " Ssw England is rapidly decreas-
ing; has boon for some years. and will contine
80 10 do Cor some years to come. SohOol-houses
which, when | was boy, were filed with big,
broad- shoulders boys and rosy-lipped girls,
are nov about deserted; churches that counted
their Audiences by hundreds are filled 10y the
sound Of the preachers voice only, and fIrn
after farm has been turned out To- pastuage
the buildings going into decay or torn down.
So rapii md extensive has hccu this work Of
drpuTRlation that it is subject Of common
remark among the people, and the old men
sigh heavily ~ they look about thcm and see
80 fcw to take their places. The towns that
are favorably situated upon water courses, or
arc central points for trade, are growing in
wealth and population; fine schoOl-huuscs ARE
built, and every pnins is taken to place an
almost liberal education within the reach of
all. Now England continues to pour out sons
l.. a.. II
longer come from the backwoods Of twenty
years ago; now they are metropolitan i'll their
education and modes of thought though they
carry with them some Of the old ideas Of right
and wrong which, God grant, they may never
forget The causes Of these changes are few
and simple; their workings easily understood,
and the extent TO which they will work not
uncertain. The rural people Of New England
formerly never went far from home; they
were born, lived and died within tho narrow
limits Of town or county, and consequently
had but worry limited ideas Of the rest Of the
world; they lived and were content whore
they happened To bc born, for they know no
better land. The result of all this was, that
hundreds Of farms were cleared and occupied
that were unfit for farms. To be sure n family
was raised but il done 10y the hardest
work, the most untiring industryand the most
rigid economy. Generation after generation
lived on the same farm or cleared up farms
contiguous 10 the old homestead, and were
happy, because they knew nor Thought of no
better lot. IL was life Of toll aud sclf.dcnial
for three ont Of every four; only those who
had tho really good farms could afford any OF
the luSuries Of life. Twenty-Five years ago
began the construction Of the present system
of railroads, and the dawning OF new era for
the rural population; the young men began to
hear of other places, where wages were better,
where every square foot of land was not cursed
with stone, and where there was not six
months Of Winter. The railroad wns close nt
hand and offered easy and rapid transporta.
tion to new lands. For years there was n con.
tinuous stream of young men going out OF
these States, settling the thon West" and
nhaliy California, carrying with them New
England industry, frugality, morals and hab
It's OF thought. Most of these young men
were lost to the State Of their nativity; not
only lost personally but a, great many camC
PACK and took away with them their parents
pro,hcrs and sisters, to the new and better
land they had found In this way the sinal
and poor farms are being deserted the rict
farmers buying thcm up and turning them out
ior pasturesi the farms arc getting larger and
lever, lever, ana tho rurnl population decreasing
Inc Old mon mourn ovor tho change, hut tc
ono who looks deeper than the ruins of q fow
farm houses, there Is nothing TO regret; thor,
arc not 80 many farms but they nro better
There is but very little now Of that want o.
luxury or liberal education that spoke of 4,
he DeRinning OF TINS letter; the farm houses
arc being built over and are large. commodi
GUS and often elegant. Within sight of whcr,
/ write there is one, built year ago, that cos
ton thousand dollars. There will not bo ~
many buildings IN Ave years rs now. but tho,
VIII be bettor; there will not be 80 many farm
ers but thoy will be botter farmers better citi
IONS, better fathers, and will rear botter ant
tar happier families. u
Another result of this removal of an man,