Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-13
A(efan0rla Gaz&tte
THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTR. l3
Interesting Facts in Relation 10 the
Foundation Of New EnglMNd.

| Nathan Aliens address before the Social
Scicocc Association at Saratoga, on New Eng
land, is causing considerable discussion through
cut the couotry The following is az extract
According 10 tie ccDsu5 Of 1870, Gl5,7H
rcsdentS cf other States were bore 10 New
Eogiand Another marked change consists 10
q migration iron country towns aud rural dis.
trics to villages nnd cties, and has beco.no
very extensive throughout New Eogand
Closely connected with change OF residence
is a change IN pursuits; in fact removal tfom
country to city, or from nall place to larger
onc, almost necessarily implies such change.
Prior TO the present century the prevailing
business of New EogIand people vas agricul.
ture. Tho report Of 1875 gives these facts in
respect to the number engaged IN the following
pursuits
/. Government and professional, 29,730
=. Domestic and personal service. 424,2i9
3. Trade and transportation, lO4,9jo
4. Agriculture, fisheries, Nc, Sl.l55
S. Manufacturers and mechanical 10
du3irieS, 5l6,459
6. Non-proGucivo and propcrii"d, TO, 43O
+. Students OF all grades, 2S2, 7S4
S. Not given, including children, Ne, 34I ,l29
The most striking fact observable 10 this table
is tho comparatively small number engaged in
agriculture 1t Is we'll known, too, that many
important changes in agriculture have taken
place, Less land is now cultivated than for.
merly, the improvement OF many thousands OF
acres on the hills and in the poorer districts OF
New England is now given up, but the land
near cities, large towns and the markets Is more
fully aud better cultivated. By the introduo'
ton of machinery and improved tools farming
is carried on with much less help and manual
labor. These facts may account in part Tor
changes in pursuit. In this change two facts
arc noticeable:
|. The diminishing number Of Americans CO.
gagged in agriculture.
.. The relative Increase OF foreigner engaged
in it. Aud never-was this change taking pac"
f.ster than at the present time. The Massa-
chusctts census OF 1875 reports uDdcr the head
"Agricullure," 2000 persons less than tho
United States census OF 1870. The statements
made in this paper 60 to establish these gems
raj facts:
|. There has been within half century
great change of residence amnog New Eng'snd
people, both by emigratng out Of these States
and By migrating in each State from the eoun'
try to the city.
2. There has btcn !. marked charge in bust
Dcss, men largely giving up manual labor and
exchanging the farm for the shop, the store
and The mill.
3. 4 cha5ge also III nunbHrs aod character,
the removal of more than half q million OF New
Eoyaudcrs OF these States, aud the lrtrGduc
lion into their places Of still larger number OF
persons 60ru iu other countries.
4. The birth rate Of New Engandcrs has for
a long timc been gradually declining-approach
ing nearer and nearer to the death-ratc, so that
their Increase from this source has become, a5
whole, small, and in some localities is doubt
tul; whereas, it is aa established fact Tint the
birth-rate of the foreign clement is twice that
of the American, 50 that the probabilities are
that The former class will steadily. gaa ln nun
bcrs on the latter