The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-02-01
Fer The pemoerntlc Adxoenlr
Resumption Of General Prosperity.

Many advance their views on this subject,
suggest some idea, but after all have so far
Jailed to solve it, All feel and know that
there is wanting an Improvement in the gen.
eral condition, but none has yet been able To
point out remedy. One will say, "Capital
demandstoo large an INTEREST," another, HL.a.
Dor is too exacting;n another says, "Machin
cry has robbed us Of employment" aud so
on, III we find long list Of complaints All
complaining of the decrease, and none ready
70 suggest remedy. Now, with due regard
Tor all, feel emboldened to make few sug
gestions, and cheerfully submit them to gen.
eral consideration.
think that all the different elements must,
as u is called, ''pool their opinions; begin
TO, by looking facts us they exist in the face,
work tremendously together, for without this
corporation the end in view will never be
reached.
| start out by saying that our main spring
OF wealth 10 this country is agriculture. From
1t, only, does all other business derive its inn
petus; yet we have seen how almost every
branch OF trade has beon more successful,
at least for some time, by less application Of
capital and labor. For, while the farmer,
with his whole family and his investment, has
TO be laboring from early morning till late at
night, and even good part Of Sunday, we
va s'N bthNA iltu WOIhinR IN ma
chine shops, producing the very machinery
used on the farm, working, in many cases,
only eight hours day, and receiving a much
larger compensation than any farm hand,
and, as said, for considerable less time of
labor. Now, this has so far had the effect of
driving many Of our farmers sons and other
farm laborers away from the old home into
town and city, there to engage in manufac.
turing and mercantile business, because more
reward could be expected on less investment
OF capital ali labor than on the farm. A
very natural consequence has been over-pro-
duction and failures, for 1t is impossible for
the agricultural community TO keep every
other branch OF industry in successful opera
cumstances.
This, it seems, cannot be accomplished I'M
less we undergo some remodeling.
know full well there is, and will be, Ger.
tam classes criticising these remarks, because
expressions therein don't suit their particular
views. 10 these will say, produce us some.
thing that will alleviate ALL and all will be
willing to give you credit for it. But TO re-.
turn to my task. | mean to impress the idea
that more of the population must leave shop
and store, town and city, and engage in tillinp
the soil. But here will be assailed at once
by the cutlery Of many, and referred back 10
my own remarks, that farming has been pay.
ing less than most other occupations Agree
aud settle that point right here and now, that
u even more engage in farming the rewards
cannot be any larger than those complained
OF. BE It so, 1t must still be admitted that a
great many will then make at least an indie.
pendent living, while in their present stua.
ton they are unable TO do So Although well
known and admitted that farming has been
paying smaller interest than many other oc.
equations, yet, by adapting ourselves to it as
we ought to, that is, being willing to get up
IN the morning and work little more than
many of us now are used to, We can, rs said,
produce the necessaries Of life, and some.
times little more than we want ourselves,
which we then have ready to apply to some.
thing that will keep the mechanic and trades.
man busy, and all get along on more solid
and healthy basis, although neither can make,
or expect to make, fortune in a few years,
as II happens with some, and in the end only
with some in high fluctuating times.
We all well remember that we have passed
through period of tluctuation within the last
twenty years, caused mainly by government
expenditures during the late war. 1t stimu.
lated on one hand lavish extravaganza and
reckless spirit of speculation, also reluctance
to solid, steady labor.
In the foregoing | have, near as ! could,
pictured our present condition and our only
prospective relief, and will close by saying,
return to industry and economy, and be con.
tent with moderate rewards, which will make
us again happy and content0d people.
OSE WHO LIVES AND OBSERVES.