Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-04-20

thousand lONnfious appliances ouS
must have breal aai meat. There 1
| no,hing that can prevent the steady pros
periiy OF the American farmer but In
! combinations and corners OF mhdIe
men. that lorce unnatural conditions upoI
the finances aud markets of the country
This is not the first occasion we have
had for allusion to this subject, and 1t il
mol likely 10 be the last. The ioi sakins
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 hC
can get living in the city, or at the
minor centre; Of population, quits bis
lonely home upon the farm and joins the
multitude. Once 10 the city, he never
returns. Notwithstanding the conIine'
ment and the siiailened conditions OF his
new life. hc clings to it until he dies
adding his family to the permanent pop
nla;;on OF his new home. Mr.. Greeley,
in his days OF active philanthropy, used
10 urge men TO leave the cily-to 90 West
to Join he agricultural population, and
thus make themselves sure OF 4 ccmpe-
teut livelihood. lie might rs wei! have
talked to The wind. A city population can
neither be coaxed nor driven into aglicul-
tural pursuits. II IS not that they are
afraid OF work. The average worker oI
the city toi.s more hours than the average
farmer in any quarter OF the county. lie
is neither led nor lodged as we'll as the
farmer. lie is less Independent than the
farmer. lie IS "a bond slave TO his EN-.
ployeis and his conditions; yet the agri'
cultural lie has no charms lOr hin.
Whatever the reason for this may he,
it is cot based ia the nature of the work,
or in lis material rewards. The farmer
is demonstrabIy better OIL than The worker
of the city. II.is more Independent. has
more command Of his own time. fares
better a table. lodges better, and gets a
better return for bis Labor. What is the
reason. lhen. that the farmers boy ran
10 The city the first chance he can get. an !
remains, il he can possibly find there The
means oil hie?
Itcan only be found, We believe. in the
..,:.I t.,,,o-s .,. s,.i 4 ,ciarvuiion at
American agricultural life. The Ame /
can farmer. ia ali his planning, and al
his building, has never made provision
Tor lie. lie has only considered the
means OF getting q living. Everything
outside of this everything reliting to
society and culture has been steadily
ignored lie gives his children the ad-
vantages OF schools, not recognizing the
fact that these very ad vaniages call into
lie a new set OF social wants. a bright.
well educated family. 10 n lonely farm
house. is very different material from
family brought up in Ignorance. An
American farmers children, who have
had few terms at a neighboring aciJe'
my, resemble in no degree the children
of the European peasant. They come
home with new IDEAS and new wants. and
il there is u provision male tor these
new wsntI, aud they ind no opp)rtuni-
ties Tor their satisfaction, they viii be
ready, on reaching their majority, to fly
the farm and seek The city.
1t the American farmer wishes 10 keep
his children near him. he must learn the
difference between living and getting
living; and we mistake him and bis
grade of culture altogether it he does not
stop over this statement and wonder
what we mean by it. To get living. TO
make money. to become "Iorehanded"-
this is the whole of life TO agricultural
multi;udes, s,discoaraging in their numbers
to contemplate. To them there is no
difference between living aud getting a
living. Their whole life consists i'll get
ting Il living; and when their families
come back to them from their schooling,
and liud that, really. this is the only par'
suit that has any recognition under the
paternal roof, lhey must go away. The
BOYS push 10 the centers or the ciIies.an
the Girls follow them if they can. A
Young man or young woman, raised to
The point where they apprehend the differ
ence between living and getting living
can never be satisfied with the latter
alone. Either the farmers children 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 haze learned 10
recognize brains and hearts as the best
and most important part OF their personal
possessions, will go where they can find
the ministry they need.
What is the remedy? How shall lar
mers manage to keep their children near
them? How can we discourage the in
flux of unnecessary-nay. burdensome-
populations into the cities? We answer
By makiug gricultural society attractive.
Fill the farm houses with periodicals and
books. Establish central reading. rooms,
or neighborhood clubs. Encourage the
social meetings of the young. Have
concerts, lectures, amateur dramatic as.
sociations. Establish 4 bright, active.
social life, that shall give some signiti'
canoe to labor. Above all, build. as fai