The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-10-03
Present Condition of the Farm err.

September nuuber by Edward w.
Williams, upon the Present Condition
of the Farmer, which is something of
surprise. Magazine writer's and pub
fishers, as rule, are positively
unfriendly to agriculture. not intention
ally, perhaps, but for the reason that
their training has been such as that
they view society from false stand
point. There are some errors in this
article. but the spirit and general state
ment Of the writer are conmendable
lie has an unusually clear perception
and honesty enough to give full ex-
pr, ssien to his convictions. mo great
disability can fall upon agreat division
of industry in this country without
fleeing other industries here and to a
serious extent abroad says the writer
This recognition Of the unity of the
human family and of its interest, if
universal, would end the farmers com.
planning. 1t is til, policy of every
fellow for himself and Satan take the
last one, that is playing havoc with the
symmetrical development of this coun-
try and any nation might just as well
be pover4y.stricken and slaves in fact
as to have the wealth held by the few
while the millions are unable to enjoy
prosperity. Ifa rich nation is bless
ing, its wealth must be cquitahly dis
trbuted. Bnt the ruling spirit Of our
commerce is to insure individual pros
perity even if it is necessary to ruin
everybody else. The policy is to build
up one industry if every other industry
is wrecked. Any business establish
ment that through hook or crook could
shut up every other establishment in
its line, and enjoy a monopoly of the
trade, would consider itself smart and
fortunate and unfortunately tile pub
lie at large would think it SO.
1t never seems TO occur to the aver
age man that it is only when all indus
tries are prosperous that every industry
is better off. On the contrary the hog
gishness and destructive selfshness OF
men is shown by the universal treat
ment Of the farmer by other classes.
Mr.. Williams aflilms that "thc farmer
is at the mercy Of the business class
That is true. He is pretty nearly at
the mercy of every class and the other
classes have shown no mercy, even to
themselves, in the general treatment of
the producer. They have robbed him.
For the sake of immediate gain they
have plundered him to the verge OF
bankruptcy. And now what? Well
the farmer has reached a condition in
which he is much smaller consumer
Of manufactured goods than he would
be il he were prosperous; and the re-
suit Of this in time will be that the
firos in the furntces and rolling mills
will so out; the wheels of the machin-
cry in our workshops and factories will
stop; merchants will close their stores
an immense army OF idle workmen will
wander though the richest country Oh
earth and universal depression and
misery will be upon US. The millions
which certain men have accumulated
will then be Of little use upon US. The
millions which certain men have &C
cum ulated will then be OF little use to
them and mark you, reader, this
country has been fairly galloping to
that condition OF things for the last
twenty five years. 1t is foolish, it is
but short removal from idiocy, to shut
cur eyes to the solemn fact. Because
the resources Of the Nation are vast
almost limitless because we have land
in abundance; because we have an accu-
mula:ed capital of S70,000,0C0,000;
because we have cities of elegant
architecture and because in the face of
society there is an appearance of mar
vellous prosperity, our people cannot
be made to believe that We are rapidly
drifting into stase of deplorable adver-
sity and practical paupcrism.
Who is making the money that is
being made and added to the accumu-
lated capital of the country? 1t is not
the farmer. About fifty per cent of
our population is engaged in agriculture.
and the products which come from our
farms not only clothe and feed our pco-
pie, but they are the motive power that
gives activity to all our other industries.
Yet this large class is great and
threatening danger. But The Rural
right here desires to request careful
study of the present census, which we
believe in its statistics usually dry and