Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-18
How the ReIgians Farm.

In Belgium the most IUlchlN iJpltIdleu
countrv in the world, though 90 per cent.
Of the land is cultivated and every square
ward of the remainder Is made to yield
something, the people fall short 15,00O,0O0
bushels Of raising grain enough to meet
their own demands, and, Of course, are
compelled 10 use the utmost economy as
well as industry, in order TO subsist at
all. our Consul at Liege gives us very
interesting account Of how the
farmers have TO scrimp and
save in order 10 make ends meet, and one
that should enable the farmers of our own
blessed country to appreciate their adj
vantages. The labOring classes subsist
almost entirely on bread, AID the Belgian
farmers make very little profits on their
crops. But they practice the most rigid
economy and diversity their labor, giving
their attention largely 10 eggs. poultry
and the dairy. Sixty per cent. OF the pop
uIation 1.-THE largest Of any country in the
world. Is engaged in labor, and even at
that they live only by keeping close
lookout for small economies the American
farmers ignore. If the latter were as
carefa; as the Belgian, his profits, says
Consul Tanne4. would be double what
they are. The Belgian c0se41 his manure
bile 80 that its best elements will not vas,
away in the rain. y sick fowl or animal
is at once isolated. and even the wOrnout
horses are fattened and sent 70 market
where ten thousand Of these animals are
annually butchered and sold under gov
eminent inspection.
Economy is not wealth to the Belgian
farmer. 1t is simply a means Of living
that cannot Tor moment be neglected.
His great burden of maintaining costly
government. and a still more costly army,
utterly fOrbids the indulgence in luxury,
and ne labors more iron. habit and neces-
sity than from any expectation oI profit.
How different with the American far
mer. He labors under no such burden
of government, and from no sHci stern
and hopeless necessity. He clears away
the forests from broad acres,
1.-THE only Of which he
can marshal force 70 till,
sows to the full extent Of his ambition,
and reaps the plenitude of expected profit.
IT. therefore, he should practice even a
fraction Of the Belgian's economies ne
weuld find himself growing rapidly indie.
pendent. It has well been observed that
the waste Of American life in all its de-
partmeats is the wonder Of foreigners
who visit this country, and it is as marked
in our social and Dolitica. life as in our
households and upon the farms.
The var Department lawyers are both
cred over the case o. Major NickersOn.
They do not see how to get him oet Of the
army legally. The case presents a good
many curious points. The Washington
correspondent of the New York San sum-
marizes the points as follows:
.sThe first question that afise1 is as to the
right of the Secretary Of War to drop lin
as a deserter so long as he continues to
give his address IS Philadelphia. When
his actual residence la Canada is discOv-
cred he may be ordered to dug, for the
President has the power 10 assign retired
officers TO certain kinds Of duty. II he
then disObeys his order the question
arises: Can the President order him
dropped as deserterf FOR he
must abandon duty before he can be a
deserter. Then. again, the question is;
Can all this be accomplished by sending
an order 10 the Philadelphia address
which NickersOn continues to giyeg
Another question is: Can he be tried by
cOurt-martiS! if orders to attend are sent
him and he fails u appear? There is no
precedeDt for such trial ii the history of
the service Of the United STATES, but it
is thought that there is an old pre-
cedent in the English service. Although
the mutiny act now provides that,
in cOurt-martial cases, the accused
person shall be faced by his accuser and
The adverse witnesses, it is the opinion Of
all the military lawyers here that an
army officer has 20 constitutional right OF
this kind, the Fundamental law having
reference wholly to the rights OF Cl4lzens,
90 their lives and liberties. Still, as the
question Is important, they would like
precedeHts before aismissing an officer
not in the presence OF the cOUrt during
his trial. An important result may fol
low if il shall be decided that Nickersou
cannot be dropped or tried so long as
he remains away and continues To
Give his address as Philadelphia. An Of
ficer is not entitled TO pay while he is alb
sent from duty without leave, but Nicker-
son is a reliFed officer, and not on duty;
therefore he j. nOt absent without leave.
His paw is withheld because -, secretary
holds that he is theoretically in arrest
but, so isag as he is absent and not
dropped, the pay runs on. NlckersOn
might, therefore, If he csBEQt be dismiss
ed or dropped, stay in Canada Tor several
years. and then return, take bis dismissal
and sue for and recover his back pay"
1t seems to be the desire OF the War
Department 10 avoid legislation Oh the
case, but it is probable that special Iegis-
lation will be sought if Congress meets
before NIckersOn is out Of the army.