Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-04-26
srl,,,n,,t Gltrnrtirlr.
THURSDAY, April %, 1888.
THE DECAY OF RURAL LIFE. Il

III noD-A- AZ NIL -, 1000.
THE DECAY OF RURAL LIFE. z
Rev. ". W. Newton addressed the
young mems political science class at the
Pittsfeld (Mass.) Atheneum, few eve
ning's since, on The Decay of Rural
Life in New England" 1t was capi-
tai discourse, which might have been
heard TO advantage by agricultural work
ers in every State Of the North and West.
The causes which operate mischievously
in Yankeedom prevail TO some extent
over tie country generally, and are
stated by Mr.. Newton to be chiehy-the
Western fever, the ambition to rise. and
the defiance Of the laws OF health in farm
life. The repulSe given the rising gen
GRAFTON by the late Horace Greeiev, in
his memorable injunction. $50 West,
young mani the speaker thought was a
good one forty or fift- years ago, but the
advice has been followed too numerous
~ and strictly. until the old New Eng
land homes have been deserted and
neglected, so that farming lands in
Eastern Massa .husetts do not command
fifty per cent. of their value sixty years
since. All the old towns along the sea-
beard have i'gone TO seed" their best
workers having removed to the West or
the antipcdes, and the rural neighbor-
hoods which were so many Edens in the
days of our grandsires now scarcely show
man 10 till the ground. There is ne
doubt that the migratory fever which
prevailed to a high degree soon after the
acquisition of California, and has not
abated since, is the cause OF the serious
= declensiOn Of agricultural interest in
New England and the Eastern States
generally. The Kansas Nebraska ex-
c:tement following the Democratic at
tsmpts to rupture the Missouri Com
promise OF 1929, which led to the organ
lied settlement of the Territories be-
tween the Riy er Missouri and the Rock
les by determined anti-slayery men, and
a wide advertisement of the natural ad-
v:sntages of Kansas and Nebraska,
drained New England OF her stalwart
youth to people The new lands and throt-
tie the propagandistS. The process OF
depopuiating the cider settlements for
the increment of the newer has never
ceased. until even Boston and Hartford,
Portland and Providence. have felt TO a
degree the effects OF the GepopulatiRg
paralysis as painfully apparent in their
neighboring towns. AiT. Newton, how
ever, attributes the declension of farm
ers' interests TO the American ambition
to rise and the defiance Of the laws of
health. He asserts that a hand-over-
hand rise into social position and self
made riches, is desired by many who,
if content with the methods and customs
of their fathers, would thrive and be
happy. ''Young men, he says, .prefeT
to become book agents, drummers or
brakemer On train. to doing a days
work in the field, and American girls
will starve over hard-Tunning sewing
machine day and night, CT become clerks
or telephone operators, before they will
do w3man's work in farm service" He
describes with strong disappr0val the
unwise manner Of living Of thousands Of
New England farmers. in eating, sleep
ing. keeping hours, dosing with quack
nostruns, &c, which bring on consump-
tion, dyspepsia, blight, disease and
death. Plain food, regular diet, sensi-
bic hours, natural rest in Well-veGtilated
rooms, &c. have been shamefully neglect
ed, until. as sydney smith once said Of
a certain friend, SO might it be said of
the Massachusetts farmer: HE has hard
" bady enough to cover his mind: his
intellect is exposed" We viii not ad-
nit that these injurious agencies and
practices have made such havoc with "a
bold yeomanry, their country's pride -
in the Middle and Western States. We
think there is an evident declension in
what might be called esprit in the farm
er's calling. Low prices, drOuths,. the
''booming" Of especial localities and 9th
er causes have duIled the expectations
and discouraged many who should rally
their energies and better themselves in
respect to future possibilities. If Amer
lea is to be retained fer Americans, the
determination must be eYinced on the
farms of the country. Let there be a
backward wave of returning love for
rural life" The intelligent farmer is
not yet lost type in American society
let him seek to multiply his numbers.
Working the soil is the first use God
made for man; it is the most natural, the
noblest
ATTEMPTED FRAUDS IN CENSUS.
From Gen. Keifer's Speeci,, at Dayton
The Federal census of 1890 will be
taken, and the next Congressional ap-
portionment will be made during the
next administration.
Fraud in taking the census and inc
quality of the apportioDment of Repre-
sentatives, and consequently of Presi-
dental electors, can only be prevented
by electing a Republican President and
Congress.
1t is believed that frauds were perpe-
trated in the South at the last census.
and we know that Democratic House
of the FoTty-sixth Congress attempted
in the most shameless way to make an
pportionmant, based on that census,
among the States, so as to give the
Southern States largely more than their
share of representation in Congress. The
census showed that the increase of pop
ulation in the North from 1870 to 1880
7cGS 6.6Sl,01I, and in the South 1896
490-ttc0 and more millions less. The
Democrats favored in the House bill
fixing the number of Representatives. at
three hundred and SereTl-dn increase Of
fourteen, giving to the Northern States
fire and the Southern States nine of the
increa ;e.
For example, the original Democratic
apportionment bill gave to the States of
South Carolina, with an increased popu-
lation from 1870 to 1890 of 290,0l6, and
Mississippi, with an increase of 20S, $40.
each one additional member, and Ohio.
with an increase of population for the
same time of $4,000, and more than
both these States, one member less than