Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-08-11

hN liNoo VI AhN NOhhAil - NoNi-
eating the cause, and giving various
reasons for the wide spread dissatis-
faction that exists among all the lab
oring classes Of our land, and which
is now finding expression in that VIC
lence, which can result only, in loss
TO all, and punishment for those who
have thu; far claimed to have borne
the burdens which finally drove them
beyond the control Of reason. But let
Ms look into the matter a little. For
gears there has been steady stream
of workers from the farm, to the coun-
ter, the desk, the work shop, for some
thing not SO ignoble as the plodding
farmers life. Young men have been
counseled to stick to the farm, where
they could tind a certain support for
themselves, their wives and little ones,
and where they could have a quiet
home of their own. The result is this
mighty overflow to the cities, can be
summed up in the acts committed dur
ing the past fortnight to disgrace for.
ever the name of America. The
steady rush of young men from the
fields to the cities, caused by the gen.
eral disposition to avoid slow and
laborious modes of gaining wealth,
resulted, first, in over supplying the
labor market. This has been follow
ed in times of prosperityby increased
production by manufacturers, who
found in the abundance of cheap la
Dor at their command, means of eX-
tending their operations without in
creasing the cost, while the waste Of
property during the rebellion helped
make q market for their goods.
Meantime an immense amount oil cap
ital was locked up in new railroads,
built 10 carry the products of the soil
to the cities, which we're never raised
because those who should have been
producers, had become consumers.
Then came the discovery, that those
roads for want Of freight TO carry,
could not pay the intrest on the con-
.struction, and the cost of running.
Mills stopped and threw thousands
out of employment. The labor mar
ket was glutted, and meantime food
was no cheaper, OF but little, how
could it be when the increase of
production could not keep pace with
the growth of our producing pop
,ulation, and at the same time keep
up that increase in our provision eX-
ports upon which we have Of late con-
graduated ourselves without seem Q
how hardly it bore. upon the laboring
classes. The return Of any very con-
siderable part of the population Of the
cities to agricultural pursuits would
relieve the strain upon the labor mar
ket, and wages would at once adjust
themselves upon a fair basis without
the need Of any measures at variance
with the laws Of commerce, or OF our
county. Again farm labor, until the
presnet season has been TO high.
Who can point to any strike among
farm laborors? Strikers always come
from a surplus of workmen in the
trades, and never has farm an over
surplus of farm laborers, simply be-
cause such al OF or surplus has never
existed in this country, and never can
so long as SO great part Of it remains
nncultivated, and young men are eager
to desert the pillow, and a manly indie
pendence for the pleasures OF the city
and grinding servitude under the re-
lenttess cooperation. Young men
stick to the farm if you wish for a
truly independent life, and thereby
avoid the anxious cares of the city
laborer.