The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-12-18
Discomfort Of the British Farmers,

THE reports concerning the unprece-
denied failure of the crops are only too
well proven true, and the outlook for
the winter was never more desperate.
American produce and beef are closing
that only safety-valve to the prospects
OF the farmer in times of scarcity, viz:
the rise of prices. At the present time
in Manchester living was never cheaper.
American bacon sells for Cd per pound,
when formerly 10d was paid, and beef
brings from Sd to I'D, when formerly it
brought from 1Od to 15d, and even god.
Bread and all the other staples are in
the same condition. Thus the whole
weight Of the present depression falls
upon the farmer, and he is anxiousiy
casting about for relief. In Ireland this
anxiety is bursting forth in rebellion
against the landlord; the English and
Scotch farmers are either quitting their
holdings or are manfully bearing up in
the hope of returning prosperity.
Most Of the landlords have taken be-
nevolent view of the case, which in the
end will be money in their pockets,
and have reduced their rents from ten
to twenty-five per cent. Others, in
stead of reducing the rent, have grant
ed longer time for payment. One great
trouble with the present condition of
the English farmers is the great uncer-
tainty of the permanency Of their hold
ings. The farmer dislikes to work hard
for twenty or thirty years in making al
terations and improvements on his land,
and then be cheated entirely out of the
fruits of his long labors. The sentiments
of the Cheshire farmer are found every
where you may go in the rural districts.
He has farm of 800 acres, with a yearly
rent of f9OO. He is hard worker,
with large family, careful in his ex-
penditures. and relying to great ex-
tent upon his sons and daughters in the
house and field. He stated his case the
other day somewhat as follows: EN-
glish farmers do not have freedom and
fair play. Now just look at my case.
My father had farm for forty years
under a previous landlord. 1 was born
and bred here. When l got married
got the farm for f67O a year. I and
my brother worked it together. We
worked like slaves, aye, and we were
slave-drivers too. We drained and cut
down trees, and leveled hedge rows
and put up buildings. We put up that
barn and built that bit onto the house
parlor with cellar, and bedroom
over. We had our hearts as well as
our hands in the work, for we were
young farmers in those days. Well, the
landlord died, and left all the property
to the present owner, a nephew. The
first thing this young man does is to
put the estate into the hands of an
agent, and the first thing the agent
does is to put ESQ onto my rent.
These were hard lines. l reckoned to
have improved the farm by at least
Eco year for all we had done to it
and put into it, and this was our re-
ward, an increase of so per cent. NV
brother had gone out of it before, and I
threatened to 60 now unless the rent
was abated. But 1 was used to the
place and attached to the farm that had
SO much of my thought and labor in it,
SO 1 agreed to pay E90O a year, and
there stand now.-Manchester (Essq. }
Cor. Troy IN. ~ Times.
The Bishop of Manchester, preach
ing recently at Blackburn, England, re-
marked that as there were only 1880
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