The Portland daily press., 1890-01-11

well acquainted with their business In En-
ropean countries. find that they have much
to learn on coming here. The seasons, the
crops, ana the manner of filling the soil are
all different. Their knowledge of the gene
raj principles of agriculture is of considera-
Die value to them, but knowledge of the de
tails OF American farming must be acquired
here. Women accustomed to city life are cf
little value on farms. They have never
MIXED cow, and would find It, about as diff
fcult to make butter and cheese as to take
leading part in an opera or to calculate an
eclipse. They cannot raise chickens, make
soap, or tend kitchen garden. Many Of
them have always relied on the baker to sup
ply them with bread.
Viewed from the lofty standpoint of the
New York Hod-carriers' Union, considered
from the hall of the Philadelphia Bill
posters Protective Associa ion, the prai-
RE farmer is simply clodhopper. He
is man who decides to have corn, wheat,
apd potatoes, instead of wild grass, grow on
certain piece of land, and plants the see0
that will produce them. In point of fact.
more knowledge and skill are requisite for
prosecuting his craft Than that of any city
artisan. IL requires more skill to handle a
pillow than trUwel 1t is more difficult to
manage reapiDg machine than machine
that Turns out brick. Greater knowledge IL
needed to SOW grain than to move switches
in freight yard. Much more Information,
experience. and skill are needed TO raise to-
bacco plants, to cultivate them, and proper,
to cure the leaves, than to make them into
Inc l.. . A..
art than laying brick. Properly to remove
fleece from sheep d. mands as great dexter
ity as to shave the beard from face. The
successful farmer is necessarily skilled
labOrer. He is master, not of one trade, bur
of many, and along time is required to learn
each Of them. He is also merchant, and to
be- prosperous he must be a judge of the
quality of many things, and know how to
buy and sell tn IN to the best advantage.
"City people may think that many of the
poor in large towns can find employment in
the country, as extensive farmers need much
help in their fields and houses. 1t requires
but little knowledge of the country to be-
come acquainted with the fact that it is 10
place for very poor people. As a rule, there
are no cottages for laborers on farms in this
country. In the West there are scarcely
dwellings enough to accommodate the regu-
lar farming population. Farmers Of large
means. like rich people in cities, dislike to
have swarm of laborers about their houses.
Their practice is to employ them during the
season Of raising crops, and to discharge
them on the approach Of cold weather, when
very poor people are most in need of con
slant employ ment and regular pay. The
country is very poor place for ''picking up
small jobs" as nearly every f mily aims to
do its own work. A farmer is a man whe
contrives to do all kinds of work outside the
house, while his wife performs the duties
that are discharged by half O dozen persons
in city. AS there are no tenement OF
boarding houses where a seamstress, dress
maker, or laundress can live, she dispenses
with their services rather than take them
into her own home, where they would add
to her labors as cook and general house
Keeper. A farmers wife will often say that
she does not like to wait upon hired help.
Machinery has done more to displace
laborers in the country than in large towns.
The corn-p.anter, grain drill, mower, har-
vester, potater-digger, horse rake, and
threshing machine have rendered it practi
cable to do most of the work ON farm with
out the employment Of manual labor. TO
construct all these implements, however,
has furnished occupation for many men in
manufacturing towns. As might be ex-
pected from this state of things, our rural
population is diminishing, while our urban
population is rapidly increasing. This is
the case in the West as we'll as in the East
and South. The population Of every farm
ing township in Cook County, Illinois, in
which Chicago is situated, is annually losing
In population, while all the cities and vii
lagos are growing. Much the same is to be
said of all best farming counties in the State.
The establishment of butter and cheese
factories and the introduction of the cream
separator, all operated by machinery and
propelled by steam power. have greatly re-
dairy farms. All the machines that save
labor in the country, increase the demand
for labor in manufacturing towns.
The prospects for success in tenant farm
ing in the West are now poor. EsI ecialy is
this the case when the persons who propose
to engage In it have little or no acquaintance
with agricultural and stock raising and have
small means. The price demanded for the
use Ut land. is constantly rising. while the
price Of farm products is falling 1t is now
difficult to rent farms ON shares. or for a GER
tain proportion of the crops. Landlords at
present demand specific rental, to be paid
in cash or grain. In the States and Terrific
rles west Of the Missouri River. the custom
oil leasing land for a certain number Of bush
els Of grain per acre has become common
This plan enables the landlord to avoid the
risks incident to unfavUrable seasons and
the visitation of destructive insects. Secur-
lily is required for The payment of rent, just
as for the return of borrowed money. If the
tenant has no friend who will guarantee the
aymeDt Of his rent, he is obliged to secure
his landlord by giving mortgage on his
stock aud farming implements.
"The laws of nearly all the western States,
which are generally framed by granger"
legislators, are severe on tenants. Read at
meeting of land leaguers in Ireland, they
would create dire CONSERVATION. Tenant
farmers have no representatives in West
ern legislature, as they have in the British
Parliament and the rights of landlords
there is none to dispute" In no State Is
there an organization Of tenant farm ers,
though they have become very numerous
class. AS a consequence, they have exerttd
no influence in shaping legislation or in the
administration of justice. The Western
politician has not as yet sought to capture
the votes of tenant farmers by the promise
of reform in the matter of leasing farm prop
erty.
"As minor crops are generally neglected
in the West on account of a lack of markets
for them, and the tenant farmer receives no
returns for his labor till he sells his corn and
small grain in the fall or winter, he finds it
difficult to secure credit If he is stranger.
He can obtain money only by paying most
exorbitant rates Of interest and giving secur-
ity on his stock, farming implements, or
growing crops. Bankers and money loaners
in all the Western States do very profitable
business in making loans that are secured
by chattel mortgages
'Stock-raising is more likely to prove re-
munerative in the West than any other
branch Of husbandry, but persons who rent
farms are not generally in condition to en-
gage in it, They have not the means TO pur-
chase and keep breeding animals. Money
can be made in raising horses, but tenant
farmer can ordinarily own no more horses