Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-08-22
LETTER FROM WISCONSIN.
ms, Augugt Is. 1s7l

under the head "Wny Don fafIllll5 |
Pay" and pointed out some of the prin-
ciple reasons, and in your opinion some
hardships, such as low rates of freight
from long distances aud higher rates
for carrying a much less distance; and
that manufacturing industries are ex-
enDted from taxation in certain locali-
ties, while farm property is taxed 10
support such manufacturing interests.
New England retains her power and
greatness to-day, and will for years to
come, from the same unjust discrimi-
nation of freights that you complain OF.
If a law could be enforced over our en-
tire country charging so much permile
for carrying all classes of goods, how
soon would the manufacturing now
done in New England be moved West
and South where the raw material is
produced? What rule but the one you
complain of would allow the shipping
of hides from Texas to be made into
there shipped in leather or manufac-
tured into boots and shoes, to all parts
o. the far West? The same holds good
in all your extensive iron and steel
works. Imagine yourself paying local
freight on iron, steel and coal to New
England to make axes, scythes and
thousands of other articles which have
the largest share of their uses in the
West. Then compel us to pay local
rates to bring them here and how soon
would manufacturing spring up in the
West, and we should see large cities
growing to immense proportions almost
in a day all over the West, and popu-
lated by your skilled laborers.
One may say we CONCISE this to be
necessary for the manufacturing inter
ests of New England, but it does not
work favorable to the farming interests.
All that makes a bushel of wheat or
corn or barrel of flour worth more
East than West, is that the manufac-
turing interests have built up large
cities all over the earlier settled states,
for tillage purposes, makes it impossi-
BILE to feed such an immense popula-
ton without the wheat and corn fields
of the West The West and South are
using to-day three-fourths of all your
manufactured goods, timber excepted,
that are used in the United States,
thereby paying three-fourths of the la
Dor used in all your mills and work
shops; and after all this you would
have these operatives and mechanics
pay a tribute to your farmers for their
loyalty to New England, for no one can
question their loyalty while they stay
by those old farms. Home market is
what makes farm land valuable.
From any cause, whether eXempting
taxation on manufactures or local adj
vantages, a town starts up, East or
West, and grows to be a large town or
q city, the natural legitimate result isl
a rapid appreciation of farm property
for miles around, showing conclusively
that farm interests in any locality are
valuable in proportion to the prospect
ty of other interests in it's vicinity.
Land not as good by nature, is worth
more in Ohio thar in Wisconsin, be-
cause the state is more thickly popu-
lated and its farmers nearer the great
centres of trade. Amy farming com
munity, East or West, can we'll afford to
invite any manufat turing interest to
build up in it's midst, Except a saw
mil, } and exempt its taxes for any rea-
sonable length of time. One interest |
always paves the way for another, and
every improvement works good to the |
lice farmer. The great trouble with
farmers is, they were educated to the |
belief that certain rights belong to
them, that should be withheld from
other interests and that all other in
terests were dependent upon them.
This is no longer a live issue. and the |
farmer to succeed must drop out those
silly notions and begin to do business
upon business principles, and learn
that old notions are outgrown, and
man to succeed in farming must do so
by producing those crops which are
best adapted to his soil and for his
market and then produce them cheap.
A farmer should study his business as
closely to make a success and know
what part of his farming pays, as the
merchant or banker is Obliged to do
in order to compete with the lively
competition they meet daily in their
business and any mans success can
be counted by the thought he gives
to his business.
Favoritism should be melted out with
caution and only used to build up new
enterprises. Protection builds up mon
opolies and makes few rich at the ex-
pense OF the many and the greatest
interest of our country, the agricultur-
al interest, should unite in demanding
free trade, except for actual expenses,
and that only collected upon the ex-
travagances and luxuries used by the
rich. The farming interest to be sue
cessful requires more practical thought.
The one fact that more illiterate, lazy,
shiftless droncs make "a living, and
better living at farming than in any
other occupation, ought to impress the
lire farmer, and the young man start
ing out in life, that farming is the safe
investment. There can be found to-