Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-09-25
Are We Poor. or Disseminated

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The cry Of hard times has become
so general and hear, rending; has led 10
such political combinations; has been
The excuse Ter The neglect OF SO many
duties, and the palliation of so many
minor acts OF dishonesty or fraud. that ii
requires no little temerity to deny that
the common people" and laborers are
suffering untold and unspeakable misery.
However, Whatever may be the case in
great centres OF trade, there is little occ9-
sion for The oulcry raised in the farming
districts Of Maine. Il is easy to feel
poor II ones poke, is not "replete with
cash, or II bis wallet "lOok as though
an elephant hsd troll upon IT," But The
feeling and fact may be at variance. II
the farmer have 2 growing crop which
he can exchange Tor the necessities, com
forts and luxu,iss OF lie, what Odds
whether he handles money or not? Or
make The ease spPly TO mechanic and
artisan. Il they exchange their wares
and labor readily. why feel poor because
they have not "hard cash ?" Money l.
bat another form OF representing The
vslue Of goods-or. more strictly, is a
value representing The goods or labor.
II We can secure sll we need or wish
without the Intervention Of money, IN
fact VIC arr the better CT. for every
change of the form If value means The
loss of percentage in the exchange.
Therefore II the farmer and mechsuic eN-
change their products directly. they are
even more wealthy in holding them. than
though they had introduced the banker
and taken his money. These plain facts
should be borne in mind by those who
fee poor because they have no money OF
ready cash capital.
The farmer can, however, dispose Of
every Article ofvalue that be raises upon
his farm for cash. If he prefer. The
market is never so glutted with agricul-
tursl products, in this section, as to make
sales impossible. True, prices may be
lowered by large crops. but still while
there are so many poorly fed in the cities,
low prices simply increase the demand.
and sales are more readily made. \
weli-to-do farmer in Paris recently re-
marked TO q crowd Of complaining ones
that there was not 8 member Of the CON-
pany who averaged five hours day ia
labor during the entire year. aud still
they made 3 living. Severe as is our
climate and sterile as is the soil, we ven
ture The assertion that there is not
farmer owning eighty acres of land 10
this section, who csnnOt make one dollar
per day and bis board-by laboring ten
hours out OF the twenty-four, averaging
the years. The fact is proved. There
Sre plenty Of men in Oxford County who
began farming without even possessing
their farms, but who to-day are compare
lively wealthy. One cannot travel past
twenty farm houses SIS they run, without
hearing the strains OF amusieal instr1-
meBt or the song OF sewing machine.
Observe the farmers and their families as
they ride to church or 70 social gather
ing. How many OF the ladies wear kid
gloves, How many OF them possess one
silk dress or more ? Are they not all
taStefully dressed, ornamented with rib
bands and triDkets? Those who do not
possess some Of these liiT7trieS are indeed
the exception. Now, my friend, don't
climb Z tree and say We claim that farmers
aud their families are not entitled to these
things. II there is a household IN the
world which needs the enlivenment OF
music, il is the isolated farm house. If
there Is q woman 10 the world who is en-
titled 70 the relief afforded. by the machine
needle, it is the farmers wife. The
daughter, too. with her blooming face,
healtbiui and graceful figure, who would
deny her all the adornments OF fashion
and taste Then, again, who so worthy
OF o good morse and carriage as the
farmer who loves and canes for the ami
NAL as though it were human ? You
should have them everything that
can make lie comfortable and enjoyable
But with all these blessings on every
hand. il is III becoming u true man 10
complain OF the hardships he enduIes.
Life IS buta struggle tor food and clothes,
at the best. Let Us not complain If we
have them in abundance.
One cause of discomfort among the
farming classes is . desire to initiate
those whom they conceive to be engaged
in lighter and more lucrative employ
msnt. \ demagogue recently travelling
in Oxford County painted a picture OF
toe government employe, with the sole
purpose of exciting this feeling. lie
told them OF the clerk who lOlIed into his
Office a. nine or ten o'clock, took an hour
for dinner and returned home at four; OF
the rich tapestry carpets and upholstered
furniture with which his room was pro-
yided; and implied, if he did not openly
state, tina, all this official had TO do was
o draw his zen OF fifteen hundred dollars