The Portland daily press., 1873-05-26
A Matter for Consideration.

lips of leading state official, who is well
versed in Maine affairs, to the effect that in
every county except Aroostook there are
unmistakabe indications that agricultural
pursuits are languishing, and that the num-
Der OF farms successfully cultivated, is each
year growing less. Indeed, so obvious is the
decline of agriculture in Maine, that the
casual observer in passing through the towns
nearest our cities, must be struck with the
number of houses bearing the placard 'for
sale" and the number already deserted.
The natural conclusion, one would arrive
at, as to the cause of this decline, is that
farming in Maine has not proved so remuner-
alive as o..aor departments of industry. Such
however is not the case; for during the ex-
istence of the State, there has not been a Pc
riod when agriculture in Maine has met so
ready and large rewards, and when its branch
es were SO diversified as during the last de-
cade. Aside from few instances of rare for
tune in speculation which have been overbal-
anced hundred times by great failures, the
returns OF well directed effort in farming in
Maine have been as great or greater than
those of any other of the industrial pursuits.
Indeed, after some inquiry, we venture to
predict that no capital employed in industrial
pursuits has been so renumerative in Maine
the past ten years as that intelligentlv en-
ployed in agriculture. We are confident that
any person who cares to make the INQUIRY
will find our statement true in a remarkable
degree.
1t is admitted that thousands of farmers
live at poor dying rate-that great many
work without heart or purpose, employing
the same old methods and raising the same
crops in the same way as did their grand
fathers when the soil was new. A great many
too, work hard, but imbued with the idea
that there is no progress to be made in their
vocation-that it matters not how the back
of the earth is t:ckled with the hoe, it will
laugh, or rather to their minds, cape with an
Indifferent or sob with reluctant harvest
follow the old beaten track as mere machines
Thousands of young men have seen agricul-
ture through this medium, and there is every
reason why it should be repulsive. Few de-
sire to be machines; yet as they have been
taught, there is no opportunity for the exer-
else of their brains. no field for development,
no certain rewards that young men prize, and
hence they seek the city to work harder for
generally less substantial reward or go West
to till broad acres-for whom ?-well, mostly
for the spectators and the Tom Scots and
Commodore Vanderbilt.
While the farming towns are being gradn-
ally depleted, the cities are being crowded to
REPETITION. In the city, even in the most la
borious occupations, there is a surplus of la
borers; while for more favored situations and
the professions there is hopeless multi
tnde of aspirants. Farmers still sacrifice
their farms and flock to the city, to engage
in lighter business and waste their small saw
ings in avocations they know nothing about.
In every considerable village and especially
in the cities, there are hundreds Of men
striving hopelessly with poverty, who, by US
ing the same degree of prudence and industry
on the deserted farms of Maine would secure
o competency.
1t is not our purpose to enter into an ex-
tended enumeration of the drefll causes
that are tending to depopulate our rural
towns. They are numerous and no class can
free itself from the responsibility. The boy
on the farm learns from his father that there
is no alienation in the ceaseless round of toll
He is taught to believe that there is no adj
vance, and that the farm life and occupation
is little better than perpetual prison life. The
school teacher begins to early remind the boy
THAT lives of great men all remind u.s." etc.,
and he aspires to the Presidency. His read
ing books at school are replete with the tex
celsior'' examples of the poor farmers boy
who toiled on to become a chief Justice, or |
senator, or merchant Prince, and henceforth |
he sees no allurements short of the bench,
the forum, A. T. Stewards establishment, or
some other equally incomprehensble and |
unattainable object. The rural physician,
the rural clergyman and the rural lawyer
usually advise the young man to go to col
lege or to enter profession. Rarely if ever, do
these real magnates of our country towns adj |
wise him to stick to the farm. Rarely do they
take any interest in that department, though
they have it in their power to do much.
But it is not so much an object to dlagnos-
cate the cause of the decay as to apply REM
ely. That is most difficult. yet we doubt not
that it can be found. 1t must begin in
an attempt to correct the pernicious and
growing aversion to manual labor that exists
in society; there must, too, be an attempt
made to make young men see that agriculture
is science that requires intelligence and
skill; the school master, the school book and
the literature that seek to inspire the coun-
try boy to strive for positions he can never
attain should be banished, their united re-
suits being cheap jacks, spectators, Office
seekers and swindlsrs; the local press, the
clergymen and the other local professionals
of the country should use their influence and
culture to correct the growing evil; statistics
should be published showing that farming is
remunerative in Maine; our STATE agricul-
tural organizations should do something to
correct the evil, but unfortunately these have
fallen into the hands of the ruffians of the
race course and set of wire-pullers who are
only interested in securing the few little Off
ces at their control.
Those are, however, large number of in
telligent farmers who can give some valuable
hints on this subject and from such we would
like to receive communications, assured that
this subject is one of vital Importance to all
classes in our State and to none to a greater
degree than those dwelling in cities who de-
pend upon the country for their bus mess.
A COMMERCIAL college which among other
branches teaches penmanship in another city,