Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-10-26

nearly seven-eighths in cities and vii
lagos. The census just completed in the
State OF New York. shows CT per cent
increase of population in the fifteen cities,
in the last decade, and only nine per cent.
in the rest of the State.
Maine has resisted this movement
better, yet the tendency is apparent here
as elsewhere. Here we find only one
fifth of our population Qour per cent.
more than in 1Sj0) in cities, and these on
an average much smaller than similar
municipal corporations in other States
Yet in these two decades the transfer OF
our population from country TO city and
manufacturing village. has been at least
10 per cent. During this period Oxford
County fell off per cent and Somerset
aud Kennebec, and the rural towns OF
nearly every other County, at least ) per
cent, while the population of the State
increased per cent. Compare the pop
ulation OF the strictly agricultural towns,
and il will be found that the decline In
population is marked, while nearly all
the increase has been in cities and manu-.
featuring villages. Androscoggin County
furnishes a striking illustration of this
movement of population. Here the in
crease OF population in the two manuiac-
turing cities and two or three manufacture
ing villages in the County, 10 the last two
decades, has nearly 10000, but the loss Of
in the strictly rural towns
has been 300.
influence or Agricultural
Machinery.
Had not the invention aud Introduction
of agricultural machinery largely in
creased the productive power ol the tlller
OF the soil. we should have seen ere this
q marked scarcity OF agricultural products
growing on. OF the disprop)rtionate
growth OF our civic population. The
general use OF improved farming tools
has caused agricultural production to
nearly. but no. fully to keep pace with
the growth of the country. Some idea
Of the important part that agricultural
and tools is assuming, may be
gained, when it is borne in mind that the
value of these annually manufactured IN
this country was seven times rs great in
1870 rs in 1850; aud the value of those
in usa in the former year exceeded 33I
millions of dollars. The influence OF this
use OF agricultural tools on production,
mus. be marked, rs il is well known that
A man with pair oil horses and mower
,an cut as much grass as six men with
,cylhes; and that days labor which,
hundred years since. with the rude tools
hen in use. would harvest and lhIesh not
more than six or seven bushels OF wheat,
will now, with the improved machinery
u use, harvest and thresh fifty bushels.
When il is also borne in mind that im-
proved methods of cultivation. better
stock and associated dlirying,arc iacreas-
ng the value OF the products of agricul-
ure with less expenditure OF manual
abor, We see why it is that the tendency
)t our population to abandon rural for
,ity lite, has not attracted more attention.
.auses OF Decay--The Haste To Get Rich.
The Governor next considered some oi
lie causes OF this movemen! of popula'
ion, and suggested the following:
/. The growing intensity, reaching
almost 10 madness, which marks the pur-
suit of riches; and the prevalent belief
that wealth can be secured much more
rapidly and successfully in trade, com
merce and mauullctures-pursuits which
necessarily concentrate population, even
il not for convenience located originally
in cities.
la new countries where nature is TO be
subdued, and uubounded resources de-
veloped. the natural desire OF men for
money, and the objects which it will
secure is inevitably strengthened. There
il something iu the atmosphere OF free
where every man has equal
TO carve out q fortune and
name for himself, which still further
stimulates activity. Instances of the
rapid rise of real estate and timber lands
consequent on the unexampled growth OF
new cities and development OF business,
encouraged speculative business habits,
and iCslered the desire of hasty accumu.
lations. The opening OF gold mines fed
the fire, and young and Old alike became
impatient with the old slow and sure
methods of life.
Then came the war with its gigantic
expenditures and inflated aud conse-
quently deprecated currency, to stlll
further stimulate speculative habits, aud
create an increasing distaste for every
occupation, and particularly agriculture,
from which all opportunities .or specu'
lalion were shut out. The healthy
old. fashioned method of acquiring prop
erty through slow accumulation. is
sneered at, and the men who are talked
about in every hamlet, who become the
ideals OF the boys on the farms, and who
are too surely moulding the business
ideals of thousands. are the Jay Goulds,
the Daniel Drews. the Jim Fisks and the
pnlstnns whose fnrinnes were made in q