The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1870-02-09

DEPoPuLATIoS OF COUNTRY TowSs-The de.
crease in population among the country towns oi
Massachusetts is quite startling The same may De
said of Connecticut New Hampshire and Vermont
Railroads and factories have changed the ancient or
der of things The population of the hills has slid
Into the valleys. and with itthe wealth also Farms
can be bought for less than what the buildings
are WORTH and several farms are often merged into
one and brars aud brambes spring mp where once
was the garden and the rose. Rev. DR. Gale, ol Lee
in recent sermon, drew gloomy picture OF TINS
decrease of population in the hill towns OF Berkshire
county He stated that four towns now contain
half the population and half the wealth ofthat coun
try Ofthe remaining twenty towns, fourteen
have less than thousand Inhabitants. There are
tbirtvthrec Congregational churches in the county,
and only fourteen settled pastors. Five OF these
churches have regular service, and fourteen hire
their cergymen for stated time. In lsS9 there were
twenty-six Congregational churches, ana twenty
three pastors. The membership In these churches
has increased only thiryour in the last forty years,
being 4544 in 1929, and 4,57S In 1852 In ten OF the
churches the membership less than City eaeh aud
in these ten churches the number OF male members
averages only In most Of these mountain towns
were once large churches, and the sanetuares on
the sabbath were filled with deyout worshippers.
Now. i'm some FIVE places the people have forsaken
assembling themselves together on the Sabbath, and
In many tOwus the minister breaches To very lean
congregation We add our testimony to shat OF
DR.. Gale, and apply the same to other counties 10
Western Massachusetts,. In the last fouF years we
have travelled thousands of miles among the bill and
mountain towns. treading their back roads and oy
ways, wherever the remnant OF a once prosperous
population ngers One Is surprised at the indlca-
l iion Of decay witnessedat almost every mile. For
| long distances there are no human habiiations fou
pass the wreck Of elegant mansions, or the
l foundations where they stood. Others are crumb-
l ling back to dust. the outside covering hardly
keeping the elements from reaching the Inmates
within There are scraggy remains OF large ana once
fruitful orchards now moss-grown and choked
with underbrush Occasionally, at the crossroads,
7 NAV be seen dilapdated scboo-house, long since
deserted by children and teacher and oftentimes we
have travelled half day without seeing solitary
human being, except we entered dwelling A
thickly tenanted but sadly neglected burial place
here and there Is evidence that there once dwelt
among the hills and mountains more numerous
population.
these signs of desoation and decay suggest an in
quiry as to the cause and the comes In con-
cusion that they have been brought about BY extrav
agaDce and fashion II is become the fashion 70
have fewer children and the farmer who once raised
a dozen boys no helped carry the farm prosper
ousIy, is succeeded by another who hires bis help,
outdoor and in aud finds at the end OF the year that
he has scarcely saved enough to pay his employees.
II he has one or two daughters, they cannot
be content with humble fare at home, but must ape
the fashions Of the city village, and force The
sold folks at home into more style In living than
they can afford. The result Is soon reached lhe
farm runs down and is ultimately sold the proprie-
tor moving away to seek his fortune where money
Is easier to be got and bis family move In more
fashionable society. DR.. Allen, Of Lowell has shown
by reliable statistics that the Yankee race OF New
England Is running out and the reasons for II are
fhose We have given above ExtTavaganee and lash
ion are exterminaOr5 more potent than all the Ills
that flesh is heir to-" Unless reform Is seommenced
In this regard. the bill and mountain towns oi inla
and other States will so0n beeoUIe wilderness
Every year they decrease in population and valna-
tion. and every succeeding generation Will have 2
Trailer hold upon life While all are urging reforms
Of other kinds, what pits it Is we cannot reform
the fashions and habits Of our men and women,
wherein lies the only hope Of a perpetuatlon OF oui
name aud race.-FaLner journal