Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-08-19
Ire CENSUS AND IA. FARMERS.

The ccn.u. enumeration of population
la coaniry towns J. probably very near
" corrrCt. - lar a. Published, the iig-
ures It'll show the same gradual dccline
in the population of the rural towns,
that wa- male apparent la the previous
dccsde. TIL. u a. was eNp~tcd by
those htVlng opportunities Cor obsersa-
tien IN the farming districts. All over
the state, outside of Aoo.took County,
there has been a gradual hu, surc shrink
sge Ia the population of the fannlng
towns, aud M doubt the same holds true
throughout New England. Just how
hong thls can 80 on In our good farming
towns, !. problem on which no one
carrs to rick an opinion. The present
census 4 showing that the cnd u not
Yet.
There are many cause. AZ work In
bringing about the depletion of the
farming districts of their population. \
leading cause, bat seldom mentioned, u
that much les help I. now called Tor In
Carrying on the work ~ the farm. than
Nas the case before the advent of ma
Chlncry. In farming a. In mechanics, a
single man With modern machine, now
docs the work, or carrie. on the farm
that formerly required the .abor ~ two,
and the second man, not h.lng ne,sled,
SEEKS employment, ar hnds a busine.s
elsewhere. With him gce. hls family
and ~ coarse they are lost to the popu-
laiion ~ The town.
There l. a plain Tendency towards
larger estates among farmers In the open
country. With the prevailing loS price.
~ a.. staple product. of the farm, the
proprietor ~ small farm eau raru more
net money "a wages than from hls farm.
- b. leaves for other employment, anl
the cnirrprislug nclghbor bay. the farm
as an attachment to hls own. The low
value of farm lands AZ the prrscut time
greatly multiplies the cases uf this Kind.
Tho cutcrprisiug business farmer cN-
tenls the borders of hi. domain, While
the town los-s = family. This breaking
up of home. and change In the ownrr-
ship ~ lands, l. slso srcn la eases where
hulhling. are hurned or hecume un0ccu-
pisl on scrouui ~ death. In most eases
such farm. srr broksn up aud hccome a
part 81 adiolnlng .stiies. There !. no
il,iiing np of farms, ani multiplying 81
lsom~s going on ~ the present iimr.
~. Tendency l. al the either Wav. The
pride and glory of New England j. la
hrr farm homcs, bat whrthcr Ne IKE u
ur not. thcrr are lcss ot them each sue
csssilng yvar.
The census Nill net ncccsssrily show
loss ~ production w consequence 81
these changes going on. The dc-erti"n
uf a small farm by It. inmtirs, d"cs not
hy ans means m-tn IT, Abandonment
o. pr,,,luctinu. III" pr,-~"ut o~u"r,
With hi. machinery and his teams, u
conducting Whtt Nas formerly carried
ou bt two prupri,tofs. The population
IA. shrunk. while the production i Kept
up.
Their nrr many other causes AZ work
in l,ssrr degree, to bring about the
prvssut shrinksgv - population Va rural
toNus, Which ~ De- not care to cnumcr-
ate 20 the prvseni tims. Instead, Ne
Nish a. fal.. the question WHETHER any
~ M, iniiuencr. thu. AZ work against
the highrst prosperity ~ The country
towns. anil through them. th. state VI
large. atv b~,ond the rrssh ~ effort ,o
.tay their progress. ToNus and cities
srv rightfully aud properly soliciious I"
enrouure sutrrptis. nni multiply pop
uhiinn thruugh the Introduction ani sti-
l-.r-en.rursgrmrnt ot m tuuttriuring en-
isrpfisv.. liui 80 Car a. Wv uoN recall,
til. lst hls never ocvurr,sl that au effort
might b. sucyv..iul II u Ncrr pat forth
in boliing the country population ani
I-,.sibly inrrvaslng u to .till larger mum
lsr.. While builiing up ,ltlcs anl vi
hgr.. ihr country has h.en overlooked.
l. Il l..taus. the Casr 1. heyonl The
rcarh 20 iuicllig,nt aciiont We trust
not ~ slug Farmer.