The Portland daily press., 1877-11-13
The securl.ie. of Farming.

Farming is business of moderate profits,
yet of steady gains to the indus trious and
skillful. Trading and Manufacturing present
greater prizes in money point of
view, yet are subjected to greater
losses, more rapid fluctuations, and
close competitions. Business risks
increase in rapid proportion to the increase
In percentage of profits. The best financiers
asserts that their losses generally occur in
such investments as promise the largest div-
dends and returns. High rates of interest are
incompatible with success, or undoubted
security Fictitious values for any class of
property cannot be long sustained; the true
measure of the value is the number of days
work in an article; no property can be Great
ed without labor; castles in the air are apt to
lack foundation, ap-bubbles are liable to
bust at any second of time, while many
a pleasant-weather craft goes to the bottom
with the first gale of wind.
In speculative times, when the lottery of
trade deals out large proportion of delusive
prizes than usual, the moth millers of all
sections are allured to the glare of city life
and excitement, lowering around the flicker
ing lamps of fortune, until their wings are
singed and they can no longer fly. Living in
town and city is very pleasant in flush times,
is very attractive while demand exceeds sup
ply, but on the other hand crowded city is
the most dreary, hopeless, discouraging spot
on earth to the friendless, penniess, unem-
ployed individual. Hard times of the day,
especially in our cities and manufacturing
villages, are the result of decline in prices
caused by over-production and the necessity
of reducing profits and expenses to the rate
of living prior to the war; also by the dis
placement of labor consequent upon thous-
ands OF people abandoning agriculture for
other pursuits, and finally from the vast i'm
provements in machinery and steam power,
by which production has increased faster
than population or legitimate demand for
goods.
During this maelstrom of business inter-
ests and prosperity, the real or productive
value of the farms of this country has suf-
fered less shrinkage than any class of proper
ty. While savings banks has suspended,
railroad stocks and bonds passed into the
hands of receivers; real estate seized to salts
fy the demand of money lenders; merchan-
disc sold at far less than cost; manufactures
closed; shipping become almost valueless-
our farms are still ready to reward honest
toll and faithful, earnest effort, though it
may be true that owing to the diVesion OF
labor the market value of farming property
has suffered somewhat with other classes.
Thousands of people who are vainly striving
to court the tickle goddess of fortune in the
CROWDED mart, must return TO Jne cuitlvatl0n
of the soil from which all prosperity is deriv-
ed. Many capitalist to day with five.
story woollen mill, thousand-ton ship, a
splendid warehouse, or an IRON mine and
furnace, cannot obtain the means of daily
support from such investments. Nothing
that individual skill or industry is capable Of
can render them productive until the tide
of prosperity again turns in his favor. With
out other resources his family might starve,
while yet his property is counted by thous-
ands.
No such calamits can befall the humblest
cultiyator of the soil, if blest with health and
strength. Nature never denied her generous
reward to such cultivators of American soil
as willingly endeavored to deserve them.
Luxuries of taste and style, fine clothes and
| splendid equpage, may be denied the tiller Of
the soil during times of depression. but the
necessities for sustaining life are within the
reach of all who will labor diligently and in
diligently. In proportion as farming is con-
sdered field for the employment of thought
and investigation of experiment and applica.
| ton of business principles, rather than an
arena for the display of muscular powers and
mere competition with brute force, just SO
far will results be satisfying, elevating and
beyond comparison with the uncertainties oil
other occupations.