The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1889-01-18
The East VS.. the West.

4uC 4JoSe VIC "SSb'
The time seems to have passed when
the advice of Horace Greeley. once so
pregnant with truth, can he accepted
with any promise of advantage by
young men $50 West at one period
in our country's history had signi-
ficance that was very potential, and the
many who yielded to its magic inspira-
ton have built up that vast territory
with a rapidity almost miraculous
The great vitality of the West, its i'm
mense resources, developed and unde-
veloped, the spirit and enterprise of
its people, can only be understood
thoroughly by contact and personal OBJ
servation. So liberal for many years
has heen the tribute paid by the East
to the West in the flower of her youth
so natural has been the impulse of am
bilious, gifted and energetic young
men to seek fortune beyond the Mis-
sissippi, that competition even in the
most favored sections has become us
sharp, if not more so. than it is on the
Atlantic seaboard. A reader of the
current literature of the day cannot
fail to notice that the advantages to be
gained by going West are becoming
more and more empty visions. Thrift
and industry are just as likely TO meet
with reward in one place as another
circumstances and locality may in
crease or hasten the reward, but judi
ciously directed efforts are always and
everywhere su of reasonable success.
The great agricultural region of our
country afforded opportunities to those
willing to subject themselves to the
hardships of an undeveloped region,
which, 1t is true, in many cases brought
ample returns: but even in this respect
the West is not what it was In spite
of the reduced railroad rates which
enable the farmers of the prairies to
send their grain to the Eastern seaports
almost as cheaply as those who live in
the tide-water region, agriculture in
the West is languishing. Our farm
ers are prone to imagine that their
misfortunes and i'll returns are due to
some local disadvantages, but if they
will study the reports from other sec
tions it will be found that others have
the same hardships to bear, with few
of the advantages that we enjoy. The
farms are covered with NOR tgages, and
in many of the Western States the rate
of interest is higher than in Maryland.
Nearly everything the farmer has to
buy is dearer, because farther removed
from the place of manufacture. The
cost of living in the far West is said
to be nearly double what it is here.
These thoughts have been suggested
BY the case Of Phelps county, Nebras.
la, cited in the .'The American Wool
Reporter" According to this state
ment, the number of farms in that
county is fourteen hundred and fifty
nine, and the number of mortgages in
force December 1st, two thousand and
fifty-one. The assessed value of the
land, as registered on the books of the
county, is $596,542, while the total
amount of mortgages is S1,090,929.
The statistics of the State Board Of
Agriculture put the total value of all
t,xab!e property in the County al
81, 29O, 1890. This shows that in thi:
county of a great agricultural State Of
the West the mortgages are within
about 100000 of swallowing up the
whole taxable property. In Other
words We are told: The entire land
stock, buildings and personal property
of Phelps county, Nebraska, groan:
under an per cent. mortgage, dollar
almost for dollar. Mortgaged farm:
are titled with mortgaged plows, ant
mortgaged, horses and the produce there
of stored in mortgaged barns ant
houses
If this is the condition of things il
the West, the Eastern agriculturis
ought not to complain. When tn,
burdens that they carry in consequence,
of unequal and unjust tariff laws shall
in course of time be removed. the
farmers of our section will rcadius
their crippled resources much faster
than those farther removed from tn,
centres of trade. Let our Young mer
take heart. The time will come
when agriculture here will be prof
table employment, and when agricul
ture aourishes every other industr,
will soon receive a quickening impulse
The Delaware Senatorial deadlock wa
- b. IL, al