Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-04-02

ING tradesmen. The agricultural classes
of the West are prosperous. They had
a good crop last year, and have received
good prices for all their product; ana
while the cities are in trouble, and manu-
factories are running on half time, or not
running at all, the Western farmer mas
money in his pocket and ready market
for everything he has to SELL Inc couh-
try must be fed, and he feeds IT, Inc
city family may do without new ciothes
and thousand luxurious appliances,
but it must have bread and meat. Ihere
is nothing that can prevent the sGeaoy
prosperity of the American farmer put
the combinations and corners OF MD
dle-men that force unnatural condltlons
upon the finances and markets OF the
country.
This is not the first occasion we have
had for allusion to this subject, ana II Is
not likely to be the last. The forsaklng
of the farm for city life is one OF the
great evils of the time, and, so far, It has
received no appreciable check. EVERY
Young man, apparently. who thinks he
can get a living in the city, or at the
minor centers of population, quits his
lonely home upon the farm and joins the
multitude Once in the city he never
returns Notwithstanding the conflne-
ment and the straitened conditions OF his
new life, he clings to it until he dies,
adding his family to the permanent pop
ulatlon of his new home. Mr.. Greeley.
in his days of active philanthropy, used
to urge men to leave the clty-to go
West-to join the agricultural popula-
ton. and thus make themselves sure OF
competent livelihood. He might as well
have talked to the wind A city popula-
ton can neither be coaxed nor driven
into agricultural pursuits. 1t is not that
they are afraid of work. The average
worker of the city tolls more hours than
the average farmer in any quarter OF the
country. He is neither fed nor lodged
as we'll as the farmer. He is less lnde-
pendent than the farmer. He is bond
Slave to his employers and his condi
tions; yet the agricultural world has no
charms for him.
Whatever the reason for this may be,
it is not based in the nature of the work,
or in it's material rewards. The farmer
is demonstrably better off than the
worker of the city. He is more inde-
pendent, has more command of his own
time. fares better at table, lodges better
and gets better return for his 1abor.'
What is the reason, then, that the farm
ers boy runs to the city the first chance
he can get, and remains, If he can posi-
blv find there the means of life?
1t can only be found, we believe, IN
the social leanness, or social starvation,
of American agricultural lie. Inc
American farmer, in all his planning,
and all his building, has never made pro-
vision for life. He has only considered
the means of getting living. Every
thing outside of this-everythlng relat-
ing to society and culture has Deen
steadily ignored He gives his children
the advantages of schools, not recognlz-
ing the fact that these very advantages
call into life q new set of social wants.
A bright, well-educated family, in lone
ly farm house, is very different material
from family brought up in ignorance.
An American farmers children, who
have had few terms at nelghborlng
academy, resemble in no degree the chill
dren of the European peasant. Ihey
come home with new ideas and new
wants, and if there is no provision made
for these new wants, and they lind no
opportunities for their satisfaction, they
will be ready, on reaching their majority,
to f1y the farm and seek the city.
If the American farmer wishes to keep
his children near him he must learn the
difference between living and getting a
living: and we mistake him and his
grade of culture altogether if he does
not stop over this statement and wonder
what we mean by it, To get living, to
make money, to become forehanded y
this is the whole of life to agricultural
multitudes, discouraging in their num-
bers to contemplate. To them there is
no difference between living and getting
a living Their whole life consists in get
ting a living; and when their families
come back to them from their schooling,
and find that, really, this is the only pur-
suit that has any recognition under the
paternal roof, they must go away. The
bows push to the centers or the cltles
and the girls follow them if they can. A
young man or young woman, raised 10
the point where they apprehend the
difference between living and getting a
living, can never be satisfied with the
latter alone. Either the farmers chill
dren must be kept ignorant, or provision
must be made for their social wants.
Brains and hearts need food and clothing
as well as bodies; and those who have
learned to recognize brains and hearts
as the best and most important part of
their personal possessions will go where
tU6Y Call uuu bnC nlhlOpiy oAASJ
What is the remedy? How shall farm
ers manage to keep their children near
them? How can we discourage the IN
f1ux of unnecessary-Day burdensome-
populations into the cities? We answer:
By making agricultural society attract
i've Fill the farm-houses with perlodi-
Gals and books. Establish central read
ing-rooms, or neighborhood clubs. En-
courage the social meetings OF the
Young Have concerts, lectures, anna
teur dramatic associations. Establish
bright, active, social life, that shall
give some significance to labor. Above
all, build, as far as possible, i'll villages.
1t Is better to go mile to ones daily
labor than to place ones self mile
away from neighbor. The isolation
of American farm-life is the great curse
of that life, and it falls upon the women
with hardship that the men cannot ap-
preciate, and drives the educated young
away.-Dr. j. @. Holland, IN Scrsbner's
Monthly.
Disguised Female Cab-Driyers.