The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-07-25

just gave what life required, but gave
no more.
His best companions, innocence and
health,
And his best riches ignorance Of wealth.
This writer Says
sicarcclya railroad in tho country is be-
yon6 suspicion Of financial weak ness; no
manufacturing business offers Inducements
to investors, and merch ardise is equally un-
attractive. At the same time agriculture,
| our most safe, steady ard remunerative in
dustry, languishcs for want of means to give
it life and action. The trouble at the bot.
tom of all this springs from our system of
ownership of farms. Heretofore this has
been Il matter Of pride with our agriculture
al lass. To own the farm free from incur-
brance has been a matter for copgratu1ation,
and u basis for u comfortable indope dcnce.
But things are not as they used to be. We
have changed all that. Years back the
farmer and his wife dressed in hOmespun,
and his children helped IN the farm work.
There was sort OF sturdy yeomanship, in
| dcstrious, contented and thrifty, with no
| artificial wants. and few needs tor money
| except to pay the light taxes and buy the
| few necessaries that We're not raised on the
| at the years end no notes to pay, no costly
modern improvements about the farm or
homestead, and the farmer never troubled
himself about how the capitalist felt about
making loans. Then. to own piece Of
! land was to have farm, aud the only float
| ing or active capital needed to cultivate it
| was the muscles Of the farmer and his in.
| dustrlOus family. Then, to ego west" was
Synonymous with entering 3 promised land
Of plenty and wealth. Now. the possession
Of piece Of land brings a man face to face
with poverty. As he views his possession
he feels how hopeless he is without few
hundreds or thousands Of dollars.
The writer proceeds to draw a gloomy
picture OF the farming interests in this coun-
try, which while not wholly applicable to
! Minnesota, is doubtless true Of the more
eastern States. The writer represents farm
ers rs groaning under debts and mortgages,
land as selling for one-half the prices that
! it brought twenty or thirty years ago, and
no longer considered gool security for
money, as farms are 3 drug in the market,
can not be sold, and are Of 40 use to the
capitalist. These assertions appear in the
editorial columns Of leading journal, and
The remedy suggested is the buying up Of
these small farms by capitalists, and the
creating of landed estates, with the landed
aristoccacy on the one side, and the poor
tenants and the employees on the other, after
the fashion of England and other European
countries. The same Influences are at work
in the West, that have been at work in the
East, and we may expect the same results
to follow sooner or later. The farm with it's
innocent and healthful employments and
sure rewards, is con instantly deserted by our
farmers sons, for the town and city, with
all their strites, vexations and uncertainties.
The true source Of our Nations wealth and
greatness is abandoned or neglected. and
future ruin must inevitably follow unless a
remedy is found. This remedy must come
from training onr youth whether in or out Of
the Order, the noble principles, which
have been incorporated into the beautiful
manual Of the Patrons of Husbandry.
We must bring ourselves to feel, that to
plant and SOW the seed. whether of wheat
or of other grain, and to watch, study and
assist its wonderful termination and growth,
aided by the chemical properties of the soil,
the gentle rains and the genial sunshine.
to be brought through Nature into daily
communion with the thoughts Of the An
Wise Mind, is more honorable, elevating
and pleasurable, than the daily strife and
c0nt0rtlons Of tradesmen, spt culators, poll
ticians and government employees in their
perpetual struggle ~ith one another for
business, good bargains, and place. Vastly
better, though the farmer may wear drilling
and coarse clothes, and the men Of the town
may wear fine linen and broadcloth.
Then let US gather upon the annual recur-
renee of this, our natal day. not only to re.
joice in our wealth, strength and glory as a
nation. in our free schools, our wonderful
christian civilization, and our liberties, but
to take counsel for our own safety, to i'm
quire of the dangers that threaten our free
institutions. that we may preserve all these
glorious advantages to ourselves and to our
children. Let US come ever with thankful.
ness and rejoicing to pledge anew our love
of country, realizing with the old Scottish
Bard. that the man without patriotism.
"High though his titles, proud his name,
Bundles his wealth as wish could claim,
Despite his titles, power and pelf,
The wretch concentered all in self,
Living. shall forfeit fair renown.
And doubly dying, shall 60 down
To the vile dust from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonored and unsung.''