The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-28
Influence Of Railroads Upon Agri-
culture.

L. S. Economist: The first impress
siC4 made on the popular mind by
any great improvement in machinery
or locomotion, after the admission of
their beneficial effect, is that they
will, in some way or other, diminish
the demand for labor or for other ma
chinery. Hence it was that in Eu-
rope the introduction of printing
was denounced, on account of its sup
posed tendency to diminish the EN-
plOyment of writers or copyists. 1t
was long before this prejudice could
be overthrown, but the subject is
now much better understood. 1t is
now established as general princi-
pie that machines facilitating labor
increase the amount of labor required.
This is done chiefly by cheapening the
production of labor so that more can be
consumed, and ultimately more labor
employed. The introduction of cotton
and wood machinery was followed by
outbreaks of Workmen against ma
chinery; yet nothing is more certain
than that hundreds of thousands of
men and women are employed in the
manufacture of cotton who would
not have been if machinery had not
cheapened cotton cloth, SO that it
could be introduced into general use.
So it might be assumed that the intro
duction of sewing machines would at
once throw many sewing women out
of employment; but such is not the
fact. Many more sewing women are
now employed than there were before
the sewing machine was introduced.
In the same way the influence OF rail
roads were at first very much miscon-
ceived. There was an idea that the
transportation of agricultural pro-
ducts would result in diminishing the
number of horses, wagoners and
steamboats,. The result, however,
proves precisely the contrary. Horses
have multiplied more rapidly since
the introduction. of railroads than
they did before, and even steamboats,
have continued to increaae without
interruption.
So great has been the positive adj
vantage which all departments of ag-
riculture have derived from the con-
struction of railroads, that if the en-
tire cost of their building had been
levied upon the farmers of the CEN
trail west, they would have paid it
and been immensely the gamers. The
railroads have done what could not
have been affected without them;
they have secured to the producer
very nearly the prices of the Atlantic
markets, and very largely in advance
of what could have been had on his
farm; by thus enabling the producer
to dispose of his products at good
prices at all times. they have helped
to increase rapidly both the settle
ment and the annual production of
the interior states.
The older a country is the more
civic and the less rural it becomes
that is, the greater will be the de-
mand for food, and the less the pro-
duction. Hence it is that Europe, an
old country, filled with cities, makes
continual demand upon this country
for food. Hence it is that New Eng
land and New York, continually
filling up with manufacturers, arti-
sans and cities, must be supplied with
increased quantities of food from the
interior west Hence it is that the
cheapening of transportation inures
to the benefit of the agricultural pro-
ducer. By thus giving the farmer the
benefit of the best markets and the
highest prices, railroads have increased
the agricultural productions of the
country beyond anything heretofore
known in the world.