The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-24
OUR LETTER BAG.
SOME THOUGHTS or READERS
or THE TIMES.
The Chamber of Commerce and the Rail-
roads-CoIoneI Runn's suggestiop-The
system OF English Farm Pupils In TINS
rnuotrv

much in vogue OF sending young men u
this country from England to learn farming
has given rise TO so much misunderstand-
ing, unfavorable comment, and ridicule, n
few words in explanation and defense may
serve TO throw little light on the subject.
The first question that is asked in treat
ing of this matter is ''why do these young
men come over here at all! Why do mol
they stay in England, for 1t must surely be
easier for them TO get employment there
where they have friends aud influence,
than here. where they have neither the one
nor the otherr' TO answer this question LET
Ms take a brief review Of the earlier CON
ditlons Of their country.
la all countries where there is, or has
been. monarchical form Of government
supported by nobility or titled aristocracy
il will be found that class preludices are
very largely prevalent. This is especially
the case with England, and to and the
cause Of il we have TO go back to the days
| of old. when knights were bold and baron'
held their sway" In those times the pop
ulation of the country was comparatively
small: the king had absolute power; ths
lords or barons had power over the rest OF
the people. and were subject TO none Dul
the king. Having this power, therefore
they had nothing TO do but live, for they mac
everything provided for them by the people
who were then IN the CONDITION OF
| serts and in complete suOlection u
tho mobiles. who were owners OF the
Land. and rulers Of the people living on the
land. Under those conditions OF society
there were but two classes, the upper and
| the lower-the mobiles and the people. Inc
great .middle class" had not vet been called
INTO existence. The people were the work
ers. the nobility the drones. In the exist
| ing state of affairs, then, the mobiles dld MOI
take part i'm the agriculture or trade OF thC
counirv. All those pursuits were lett en-
| tirelv 70 those TO whom alone they were sup
nosed 10 belong. the dignity of the nobility
| would be outraged if its members should
/ stoop TO engage in the occupations
of the common people. They mus
| keen themselves aloOf and let the
vulgar herd: do. all that was necessary
| for their support and prosperity. IN que
| course of time. however, as the population
increased, the families OF the noDllliV pu
| forth their branches, and those who had 10
claim TO the titles of nobility. owing to then
remotcness from the parent stem. were MOI
vested with the powers and privileges ina
those titles conferred. and were, of course
reduced to the necessity of providing lOl
themselves. Reared in the traditions o
their ancestor, the blue blood o.
nobility running in their veins, taugh
from infancy to look upon those o
The Iaboring and trading classes
as their interiors, they were not II
| a position to follow the pursuits that they
| followed, and chose as a means OF supper
the occupations that constituted "the pro
| lessiOns" Of that age.
Thus was formed what is now known l'
us as the "Nlddle class" At the present
day, although the old class prejudice Is Goa
| siderably weakened. persons OF the upper O
middle classes cannot engage in trade Of
manual labor without, TO a certain extent
losing caste among those of their own RAM
and station in life. still, 1t must not De sup
posed that these occupations are considered
| TO be of themselves derOgatOry. The che
reason why they are avoided by people o
higher rank is because they are, for Tho
most part, resOrted TO by persons OF the lower
GRADES of society, and to engage IN then
necessarily involves the mingling and asso
ciating. and being identified with persons
of an inferior social status.
Now, in the case of young man VINO
after entering upon and pursuing suci
course Of study as may be prescribed iol
fhose intending TO follow one on other o.
the professions fails TO pass the final exam
ination by which alone he can gain admit
lance 10 that profession, what is to be done
The profession which he has chosen is CLOSED
to him. lie cannot commence over again
and study for another profession, anC
| trade is impracticable for him unless ht
is willing to De looked upon as an Outcasi
bv his family. and spend his days among
and become member of IA class OF people
on whom he has been hitherto accus
toned TO look with contempt, a.
inferior to him in the social scale
The largeness of the population as com
pared with the size of the country makes
the obtaining of desirable position outside
of the professions a very difficult matter
and he very naturally turns his face toward
the colonies or the United states, where h'
can hOnOrably engage in pursuits from
which the preiudces Of society In his OWL
country exclude him at home.
The next question that is asked Is: NV by
do they almost invariably come over herr
as farm pupisY" The nearest approach Z
an answer 10 that can be arrived at by ask
| Ing Yourself what they could do if they cam'
i'm any other capacity than as farm pupils
The average Enlishman, fresh from one o
| the public schools or universities, knOW'
| lust about as much of the manners ant
customs of American life as he knows
about the shortest and most direc
rsute TO the North Pole. Imagine sucl
an individual, then, landing at New
York a stranger in a strange land, Will
positively not one human being within iOu
| thousand miles OF him whom he can call hi
friend or TO whom he can turn for assistance
or counsel. For the first time he realizes
that he is utterly alone and is now entirely
dependent upon himself and on no one else
The sensation is rather Supplying
i'm its suddenness, and cannot -
fully appreciated except by one wh'
has himself experienced it. Hitherto
all his thinking and providing has been
done for him, but now he is suddenly
brought face TO face with the necessity o
thinking and providing for himself
What Is he TO do Where is he TO 20 ; lie
does not happen to know anybody. and If he
seeks advice from Il stranger he may nnC
himself in the cold embrace OF the ubilui
tOus ''buncO" man. The chances are very
much in favor Of his staying in New Y0rh
seeking employment, and finding none, I'm
Ill he has exhausted his resources, and ha'
to return to the old country in discontinue
How infinitely preferable Is it 10 pay
few hundred dollars TO one OF The
agencies that undertake TO md de
sirable homes for young men and then they
can start out on their journey with the
comfortable assurance that they Will NEE
with a kindly reception and cordial wei
come when they arrive at their destinations
The principal farm pupil agency in London,
referring 10 the fees charged for locating q
pupil, says in its explanatory pamphlet
'The question may arise in the readers
mind, why should any charge be paldE II
is undoubtedly true that young men ear
seek and probably obtain temporary EN-
plOyment for themselves without paying
any premium for being properly directed
where to 20 and for being provided with
settled home on their arrival, bui
the attempt has been found dangerous
unless they have friends 10 whom they car
apply at all times, and then of course the
services ola responsible agent are not Sc
necessary. Ii is very difficult for young
man without advice, in the States, TO ascer
tain the best spot for his purposes; he would
probably hang about large cities, where
employment is as difficult 10 find as II Is In
England. or if he should settle upon some
country district he must lodge in hotels, ano
when successful in finding employment,
ii might only be of Temporal
nv nature, or with undesirable CON-
rades or acquaintances; and even
if the consequences were not dem0ralizing
4 no