, 1880-03-20
THE BEST YET.
Herd or No Fence Law
nsw IT uoRks WHERE TRIED.

readers by reason OF Its bearing on the
presen, 'no fence issue in this terri
tory:
EnIToRs COUNTRY GENTLEMEN The I'M
mense increase Of machine work has for some
years. in agriculture As IN manufacturing.
superseded TO large extent hand labor, bat
this has not been regretted IN the latter IN
dustrics, as i. only compelled men 10 find =
better employment in the cultivation ot the
acres which are offered at almost nOmIDa!
prices 10 the actual settlers who have the
pluck and industry to carve out home and
eyentual fortune on the virgin soil of the
expanding western area OF tlllage But HOw
the CRY comes up even from Kansas that the
willing laborer cannot get work even as
haryes.ers because the self binders take
all the work away" Bnt, worse than that,
the capitalists of the east and west the men
who make easy fortunes by stock specula-
ton, in merchandise and real estate opera
tons, band together and purchase millions
of acres of the bes: wheat lands " hich they
work mainly by machinery aud steam and
horse power, employing little manual labor,
and that only for 4 portion Of the ear, and
then harvesting largely renumerative crops,
returning nothing 70 the soil, and thus
sweep 1t clean Of It's producing quantities.
Then passing on 10 pastures ncw they
leave behind surface ss barren and nm,
protitable rs that from which the gold Is dl-
rectly washed by the system Of gravel MN
ing Large and small fields OF wheat and
corn are noticed by the Traveller, withou.
sign Of house, hedge or fence IN the vicIn-
ity: belonging TO lawyers, land agents, and
Others dong business III the ailaceE, towns,
and especially and largely 10 officers of the
railroads, and 1t Is estimated that quite one
half of the wheat grown IN the southern and
middle portions Of Illinois Is produced under
this system OF cultivation. These capitalists
taking their own time. get the higher price
for their produce, whilst the small farmer,
dependent on his crops 10 pay his interest
and family expenses, is forced into the mar
ket and compelled TO sell at 4 rninous rate,
getting a hal. or third less than his rich
competitors.
In Minnesot, are farms ranging III extent
from 30 600 acres - two and three thon sand
owned by presidents Of railroads, New York
bank presidents German bankers, Boston
and New York capitalists, cultivated mainly
by machinery, having stations only mile
or two apart, where are house and receS-
sary barns and boarding honse for the
hands employed during the planting and
haryests. Everything Is carried on as IN A
vast mandatory, tie laborcrs working
nearly thirteen hours day, all OF whom
ART, with few exceptions, discharged before
the winter season and sent adrIft 10 find
some other employment. The conspicuous
absence Of women and children on the large
farms is striking feature, and IN no Gaze
was the permanent residence Of family To
be found 0n them, nor anything that c0ald
be called 4 home the idea OF home does not
pertain to them they are simply business
ventures-no expense for schools or churchc;,
no need Of SAVING :ea.h for charities. ,osh-
ing expended except for i return Of twenty
OF fifty per shent.
These large capital farmers obtain special
rates for transportation of their products.
largely below the rates charged 10 the small
farmers, and obtain their machinery ana
farming implements at heavy discount
from published prices.
A noticeable feature throughout the vast
regions where this machine cultivation is
carried on, Is the great abundance Of unem-
ployed labor, and the number Of men who.
when employed, receive scanty paw thrown
out ot occupation during the winter months
A more depiorable, because more largely
extended and far reaching. cVil is the cundi-
ton OF the small farmers of the great wheat
growing regions, who cannot compete with
the BONANZA farms, and who are running
behind without prospect of their affairs
eventually mendIng. They, during a small
portion of til year, have to raise enough for
the support of themselves and families for
he tr,,, I'll
provide food and clothing and pay interest.
while their competitors. during tie FIVE
months from November lst 20 Auril Ist.
dispense with nearly all their hands. and
their machinery lies idle. but exacting no
demands for noarishmcnt or support.
But the worst part of this system Of farm
ing Is the robbery OF the land. skinnin. it
OF It's rlrgInI;y, and III Er wise returning
any compensatiEg benefits How long Will
even the low average OF the present wheat
production continue under these manufact-
urIng operations, Even the poorest Irish
tenant cultivation Is ImmeaSurahly superior
to this, because from each cabin and bvre
some restoration Is made to the soil from
which living Is eked ont and the superior
English farming yearly adds to the natural
productlveneSs OF the land When mot 4
dollar OF the gross amount or net prCiit re-
ceired from the products OF the soil Is re
turned and placed upon the land from which
1t Is taken, except IN the construction Of
the fewest buildings necessary to shelter aud
protect the labOrers in the working season.
AMI Tor the care Of the work stock and tools
how long can such cultivation abuse the
best OF SOILS without permanently destroy
ing 1t, 'On the whole 300 cultivated |
ot the Grandln farm land this is only one /
OF many there was not one family find I
ing permanent home by virtue of title in |
soil, where there should have been At least I
one to every htty acres OF plow land. or lG6 T.
families, or loo houses instead Of five, lc6 /
barns instead of three, and 4 population Of (
Sp, where there Is not one fixed inhahitant /,
While We have been exercising our svrn- |
pathy over the decay OF the independent /
farmers IN Great Britain. and holding up !
our hands IN horror at the idea of so few IN /
diriduals owning the whole area OF territory
In each OF Its three kingdoms. we are actu. /
ally starting upon system much worse
letting our richest territories be taken DOS
session OF by corporations. or equally soul (
less bonanza kings. and the tiliers Of the
soil are deprived of their natural rights and (
So II 1aIC SNSNCtl tI IlrtnlilN
IN Great Britain Is an evil OF great mauni-
tude, Its features are not so bad as those
disclosed by the keen-eyed observers VINO /
have recorded what they have discovered IN
the West for the British tenants hold and
occupy the laads On long terms, keep mp lis
fertility, gives support To numerous persons /
and there Is no danger OF the territory they .
occupy becoming IN few Years barren .
waste.
Certainly some remedy Is to be applied to
the state OF affairs which | have set out
The "nortmain, or dead hand, Is as pes,if- /
erous IN its huid OF land by secular as By /
religious bodies. and there should De- some
legislative restriction upon the number Of !
acres.one man or many banded together can 4
monopohzo 10 the public disadvantage. /
''Enoagh has been shown, SAYS emphati- /
cally y'one of the observers IN :he article r. /
fernnl to to demonstrate that within The !
last twenty years We have taken immense 7;
strides IN placing our country IN the r,.si-
ton IN which Europe Is found after lbou- F.
sand wears of feudal robbery and tyranny