Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-11-05
About Goinl Vest.


psrs 10 couuteract this foolish mania TO 90
West. I've been there aud seen multi
tudes returning and other multitudes sick
and home sick TO return. | once had this
western fever. Under it's influence have
written many letters describing in glow
ing terms ths great a beautiful prairies,
and so forth. but when face TO face with
some OF the stern and really dangerous
conditions of Western life, have come
to change my mind. have no longer
written to lhc newspapers. 1t is so with
thousands Of others. And 80 truth fails
to be told Perhaps il Is necessary 10 have
this thing "a one has the measles, but it
i. attended with 40 little cost in suffering
and ia monsy.
We have no doubt that our friends sx.
perience is the experience OF vast mum
bers The -lorl oi lti.urc rarely e,
told to thi, world. The shame and hu.
initiation which loIioN misfortune kee.
men silent. Especially IS this 50 when
as .n Tho case before Us. men have boon
liied up 10 great expectations cl success.
and have spoken and written in eXtrava-
gsnt terms of the measureless advantage
of western lie. And here is tue evil O.
the matter. Undo, this one sided untrue
aspect OF the case. thousands ot our
young mcn are drawn out west every
month. Many OF them lsave positions
here which yield them comfortable sup
port. and promise at 4 SLOW. ~. je. su,.
success Sacrifices %lc thus made in Il
way OF friendships and associations, %.
social aad religion, Advantages. OF Is
isbli.hed reputation aud business conf
dcncc. and even Of property and means
OF acquiring property. anil in many cases
no compensation whatever follows. The
truth ought to DO known. Tho story as
il has been told. and rs it is repeated cv-
cry dag is greatly exaggerated and un.
real. New England is Suflerin. in avery
department ol her industrial Ito by rea-
son OF these partial and even false state
meu,s ot tho case. Thousands OF men
aud women, wretched, homesich and pen
E..ss on Western prairies and IN western
cities, or moneylsss aud hopeless in the
cast. TO which they have returned, are
suffering by reason OF these Unfair and
very untruth(ul reports. IL 10 not true
that business is dead or dying in our east
sIn cities apd villages. It i, not true that
the farming country OF New England is
being turned into pasturage FOR cows. or
is left altogether in weeds and shrubs
Nor. on the othor hand is il true that the
western cities AMI country are iull Of
wealth, and Intelligence, and religion, and
are sJrs 10 crown with = successful
living those who liock into Ihem, As ioI
New England. there iss surprising growth
in her cites her villages, too are pros
perous. Her sraboard and river towns,
and even many OF her mountain villages,
are becoming centres OF important manu-
incturing interests. Labor il scarce
Wages are high. Positions are open TO
ali sklifu. ug ,eacha5ie laborers. Tne
! certalaties Of acquirin. 4 ,holousiy COM
Portable living are every where among Us.
The chance. U, attaining distinguished
success ar0 by NJ means few. Even N
the matter of farming there is not q lite
yet dead laiuic here in New Eag sad
The large npl growing cities aud village
amonr Us mu-t Dc fed. The west mu
give i'7 corn and WAe., bal d Is tre
farms oi New Ensand which must ,ur
uisu ile potatoes. cAbllge, onions. ;,
the various market crops, besides no
little Of tho butter and cheese. the pears
and apples, and abou, all the hay that are
consumed in our populous towns and cit
les. In the business of growing these
articles for the market there is scope for
largest skill and enterprise. In the resdy
and large prices which they are sure 10
bring, there is n generous remuneration
for all labor and outlay. And besides all
this there are in New England other
things which are essential to onO's COM
fort, and 10 ono's happiest and best liv.
ing There are social blessings hero;
virtue and culture; there are educational
and religious privileges; Influences and
indictments surrounding us like air, most
favorable to the best development of chill.
dren, aud to the happiness and security
ot al ia inhabitants. Ii the west has
these, il hss them in vastly smaller meas.
ure. We are confident that even the New
England farmer, who is apt to DO most
restless under his condition, and TO whom
the west appeals Sc strongly. we are con.
iident That i'll many Instances it would be
better Tor him to resist the temptation. -
A writer in the Boston Journal, Young
Farmer" says:
But cry the advocates oi western
immigration. look at the fertility of the
soil. and the enormous crops that can be
raised there. They have to ride on horse
back into the field to pick off the
ears One man can raise thousand BUSH
els OF corn there easier than you can one
hundred Perhaps he can, my friend,
though think when it comes to the har'
re:ting, husking and shelling, and get
ting il TO market, where could get my
cash tor ii. he would not handle hun
dred bushels much quicker than could,
l..