The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-02-05
City and Country.

A recent census shows that Berlin,
Prussia, now the capital of imperial
Germany, contains 1,3l6,3S2 inhab.
itants, being an increase of about POO.
600 since 1880. All other important
cities OF Europe Show growth cores
ponding TO this, while the villages ard
the agricultural regions remain station
aiy III population or show diminution.
A similar state of things exists in
America. The county is continually
depleted for the questionable advan-
tage of the cities. Only in the Far
West, where farming lands are cheap,
is there great growth of the agri-
cultural population, and that is chiefly
from foreign immigration.
The almost universal tendency of
men TO desert the country and move
into the cities is not bealthful sigu.
1t springs from the morbid desire TO
grow rich; for the industrious farmer
and the lazy drone are alike dazzed by
the reports they receive OF fabulous
fortunes made in cities in speculative
trade in stocks, grain aud all varieties
of produce, and they thiuk they may
have equally good luck il they enter
into the arena where the gamblers are
striving. The arena is alluriDg even
to well educated young men who live
in the cities, nine-tenihs of whom
think it beneath them to engage in the
honorable pursuits of commerce, or the
learned professions, or the great in
dustrial undertakings, on all which the
sound prosperity of community de-
peuds. Wall street, Third street,
State street aqd their dependencies in
New York, Philadelphia and Boston
are crowded with young men that look
upon the brokerage business as more
genteel than any of the pursuits for
which education and industry furnish
most excellent equipment. Many of
them are soon tempted to become
spectators ~ brokers, and they are
more ap, to loose their money, misuse
that entrusted to them and fail in
business, often disgracefuily, than they
could possibly be if they were engaged
in pursuits that only require intelli-
Gence and prudent enterprise to ensure
success.
If the city bred young men thus fail,
the country bred are even in greater
danger of it. For they fall into the
company aud control of more cunning
operators who are always on the look.
out for fresh fellows who may be de.
luded. The individual wrecks of am
bilious young spectators in cities are
bad enough. But the effects upon the
moral quality of the community is
more serious. Great cities like New
York, Philadelphia and Chicago, in
which young men, with little capital
in money and less in blains and ex-
perience, swarm through the exchanges,
where they are in danger of falling
completely under the control Of ad-
venturcrs, becomes demoralized in
many various ways. Even the politics
of the great cities and the states to
which they belong are Influenced by
the money and trade gamblers, and
their Influence is at last felt in Wash
ington. If the brain and muscle thus
mlschieyoasly misused were distributed
over the country and engaged in
honest trade, manufacturing, farming
and other kinds of actual work depend
ant upon muscle and brain and not on
the gamblers luck, the real prosperity
and happiness of the people would be
greatly promoted. The steadily grow
ing influx of able-bodied young men
to the cities is silent but ever present
danger to the welfare Of the country.