Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-10-04

ing is sound, why does our government think
it is encouraging agriculture by homestead
laws, and by inviting the poor Of foreign
nations to come to our country, take up land !
and engage in farming? Does not the cdi-
tor Of the Rural know that the more men
and the more money there are embarked IN
every kind of productive industry the better
for each and for all ? Are not the South |
and the West calling constantly to the East
and to Europe to send them labor aud CAPT
tai to till their vast territory aud make it
yield returns that will enrich those who are
already there Is the West poorer for the
tide Of agricultural capital and labor that
has been flowing over it for the last fifty
years We recommend to our friend
moderate course Of study in some elemen-
tary work on political economy, before at
tempting TO answer these questions
But perhaps he will say that farming is
already overdone, and does not pay, and to
have more people rushing into it win only
render the case worse. lie may not be aware
that the same cry comes up from every
branch Of industry. 1t is all overdone, and
none of it is producing any profit, if We be-
lieye what we are told on every hand. \
moments thought will show any intelligent
person that this can never be true as a rule
even if exceptionally true to-day If ex-
ceptionally true to-day, it must be because
some portions Of society are, or have been,
drawing a disproportionate share Of the
profits of labor to themselves under the ac-
ton of bad laws. That capital has been
doing this very thing is now the general be-
lief. The remedy is to be found in the re-
peal of those bad laws-not, certainly, in
theincrease Of sinecures, or the pauperisation
OF labor, which is the only legitimate ont
come Of the Rurars logic.
As to this talk about making war upon
the residents of cities and villages what
does it mean Would it be making war
upon the farmers, for the inhabitants of the
cities and villages to prepare their bread
and their meat so as to economist its use
and make it go farther, by making it more
digestible Just as much as that common
dable and much-to-be-desired sanitary and
economical improvement would be making
war upon the farmers" so is the effort of
the cooperating farmers TO economist in the
cost of their commercial exchanges, "mak-
ing war upon the residents of cities and vii
lagos" Every one Of us--every honest cti-
zen of the republic, is interested in prevent
ing every possible waste either of property,
or effort, or health, or life--of everything, in
short, that adds to the national gain. Econ
omy makes war upon no one, just as Fright
wrongs no one" Let MS tell little occur
renee that came under our own observation,
to illustrate the fact. Twenty years ago the
pork-packing establishments in Louisville,
Kentucky used to discharge the refuse Of
their lard-tanks into the Beargrass creek.
Some poor fellow, whose wits hunger had
probably sharpened observing particles Of
grease floating on the water, strung an old
piece of square timber athwart the creek,
below one of the pork,houses, and began to
skim off the grease that hoated against it.
He would collect a good many barrels in a
day. Soon these grease-booms multiplied,
until there was one below every pork.house,
and the value of the grease, thus collected,
was found to be several hundred dollars a
day. Next season, by an improvement in
the tanks, this waste was entirely prevented
The pork men had "made war" upon the
creek-skimmers, and they were "busted
just as wicked as it was for those pork men
TO save that grease, just so wicked is the
economy of'the farmers oranges in the mat
ter OF making their purchases and sales, and
just so wicked is economy in every indus
trial pursuit. In truth it has been the con
slant mortgage and sale of farms in New
England, and the putting of the money thus
obtained into trade and speculation Tor tn,
putting it to usury), that has so reduced the
value of our lands, and rendered them un
productive by gripping this great industry
Just as quick as the tide turns, and thi,
money is again invested in lands and live
stock and labor among u.s. will farming re
vive. There is not farm in Vermont tha
would not be made more valuable and NOR,
profitable by flow of capital and labor int
agriculture among us. 1t is for the interes
of every farmer to encourage such ten
dency. We think the reduction Of profit
in other industries, will favor the change
but what will favor it most of all will be
shrinkage in the undue gains of capital, sucl
as was lately foreshadowed in an article oil
Taxation and Credit, in the regular edi
torial department of this paper, The undo
ing of much bad legislation is also requisite