Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-05
THE CAUSE AND REMEDY OF HARD
TINEs,

THk CAUbk AMI VI hA6L
TIMKs.
One of the evils Of the times is the in
crease of the population Of cities ovel
that of the country. The population o.
cities in the State of New York in 1855
was l,4O4,864; in 1875, 2,30S.23Ti in.
crease, 1885, The population Of the
rural districts in 1865 was 2,426,8S7; in
1875, 2.5Ol, 97l; an increase Of only 75,'
0S4. This is a bad showing, and the
same thing may be observed in many
States where a census has been taken.
When people forsake the peaceful fields
of agriculture for the din of q city
already over-crowded and for which they
are not adapted, and VIXEN the youth Of
the land think it is more honorable to be
an Office drudge OF a dry-goods clerk,
with white hands aud faultless toilet, they
not only commit an irreparsble mis-
take, but become a drain upon the indus.
try of the commonwealth to which
they should contribute muscle and
cheerful labor. No wonder there
is q cry of hard times, and that intelli-
gent and capable men 90 about the
streets in search Of employment when
the fields are untitled, the plough stands
still in the furrow and fences rot to the
ground. The only remedy on earth for
hard times is hard work and rigid
economy among the masses Of the peo'
pie. This course pursued s few years
and q tight rein upon public officials who
handle the peoples money, and we may
hope to experience, gradually, q sense OF
relief. Prosperity will not in the nature
Of the thing burst upon US at once. This
sven if possible would be a misfortune.
Suddenly acquired wealth is rarely a
blessing. We must work our way up
and when a breathing spell comes, when
capital can find secure investment at q
reasonable profit, when labor is fairly re-
munerated, taxation reduced aad
public debts partly extinguished,
the people will know how to
take care Of and enjoy what
they have so we'll earned and saved. We
are importers as yet rather than export
era, and have not become manufacturer
for the world. American vessels do bat
little Of the carrying business of inter
national commerce aud we should be
therefore an agricultural people. In.
stead Of this we see in a great State like
New York that over half the people live
in cities and are consequently non-pro
ducers and consumers. Only about one
person 10 eight in these United States
are engaged in agriculture. Those so
engaged are the only real producers ex-
eept those who add to the wealth Of the
country by mining or in manufacturing
from the rsw material articles which
can be sold at a profit abroad. The ar.
tisAu may take ten dollars worth of ma
terial and work it up into a watch which
will sell for one hundred dollsfs, but the
ultimate source Of the money go earned
is in the ground, and every time be sells
q watch some farmer must sell one hum
dred dollars worth Of wheat or other
produce, else trade will be unbalanced
and one side or the other will complain
OF hard times and q stringency in the
money market. If everybody turned
matchmaker or commission merchant
there would soon be a famine. When
four 6fths or seven-eighths Of the people
do the same in effect it is no wonder
that the masses suffer and that our fnan.
cial system is sadly dersDged. The law
OF supply and demand has been violated
and we are suffering the natural result.
1t is the same as if in a family of eight
persons one Of the number we're re.
quired to do all the work, while the other
seven act the part Of ladies and gentle
men, receiving company and doing the
hOUors of the house. We have entirely
too many gentlemen in our family and
not enough workers. This being the
centennial year is a proper time to
study and initiate the simple virtues and
rugged worth of our colonial ancestors.
We can well afford to go back in that
respect and take a new start.