The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-04-26
The Drin Of Labor from The. Country
f0 IAHre Cities.

In modern society the drift of labor is
away from farming and.the country to
mechanism and business and the city.
The tendency also Is toward the increase
Of corporate labor on q large scale over
the Old-fashioned small industry. In
Prussia this increase has not been great,
| and was less than one per cent in the ID
years from 1916 to 1859, while in England
and France the proportion has been vastly
greater. In Great Britain the families Of
the agricultural class sunk from 1911 to
1871 from 35 to ..2S.per cent, and In 1851
had fallen to 1876 per cent. The indus
trial population, between 1871 and 1881.
rose to "A per cent. While the agricul-
tural class in 1S41 in relation to 1881, had
fallen off about % per cent, the number
in mechanical industry and business In
the same time rose about &c per cent.
The same movement appears in France.
In the short time between 1851 and 1856
the agricultural class, including women
and children, had fallen from 6.S7 down
to 1924 per cent, while the number in
industry and business had risen from q LES
to 1898 per cent. The policy of Napo-
leon has undoubtedly tended to help on
this increase of mechanism and trade.
and to bring about an injudiciOus neglect
of farming and graZing-a state of things
not well in a nation in which two thirds
of the residents belong to the rural pOpu-
lation.
In France the decrease of population
in the country in lS46-56 was fully O.35,
while the Increase i'm the cities was 1.53-
a proportion of excess in city m%ultitudes
that is connected with the worst aspects
of French society. In other countries
thessane process is going on, but not TO
the same extent. Thus I'm Great Britain
the city increase has been Isl per gent.
of the population and In the country one
per cent; and in Prussia the numbers are
nearer those of France, the gain in the
cities being 1.3S. and in the country 0.76.
In the Netherlands the change has been
least. the proportion Of gain being 0.SI
for the city and GA for the country. du-
ring the period estimated-1S46 rs. This
undoubted growth of the population of
cities is to be- explained not merely by the
love of travel by railway, but by the pas
sion for excitement. the desire for high
wages, and the pleasures and chances of
the great metropolis.
The great vices abound i'm cities and
add TO their attractions, and do much to
tfTtt Ndtt tbt HtdSStS tiNtICs HI dNtIdNt
length fife. indeed, is higher in the city
than in the country-perhapS in part by
better medical attendance and hospitals /;
but the bone and Sinew of the nation is in
the country. and the defense Of nations Is
mainly in its agricultural classes. The
veteran statistician Sussmilch. put great
stress upon the superiority of the farming
over the industrial classes as
e,lItnsc oyt.I oCorsh,I a.. Il. 70 H.,
that they have land and family TO de-
faItdand will fight better thanth operative
who has onlya lonely fire and a hearth Il
guard-a statement that must be taken
with some reserve when we remember
what enthusiasm great numbers of peo-
Pile are capable of. and what wonders the
of cities have done in wars of pop
nlar principle and passion. Undoubtedly
the greatest EVIL of gathering masses into
r. the danger Of losing the sanctity
the family and the home, With the yir-
and comforts that belong to the house
hold. This point is to be looked to more
ihsn the gross capital Of industry, and
wealth is poverty when its enormous. ac-
are purchased by the degra-
latiop Of the labOrer. Here the Germa-
ME mind is nObly taking a stand against
The Latin Capitalization; aud It Il one of
best hopes of modern society that the
meralist and statesmen are fol-
mp so Loyalty the old Teutonic
principle. and protesting against .~acriiic-
the man aud the family to the despot-
ism Of numbers or of capital. Ger
many itself has been Teaching a gigantic
Ofsocial ethics to the world; and be
fore and within the walls of Paris her men
from loyaI hOmes have -shovn hryy ntu,h