Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-02
THE NEW ENGLAND FARM mn,
LEM.
Tho Debt Which the Cite, O~
Country. 10 The
SIlndau

1he Debt Which the Cite, Ow
Country. 10 The
| Sunday Globe
ne New England farming problem, :.
one 70 WnIch attaches a melancholy -
ieres$. ne unpleasant truth is now co.,
orally acknowledged that the agricnlt1raI
INDUSTRY In TINS section is not what i
used 70 Be- and the man who bg tillags ~
the soil can make h;s VI
bring him, out even with the world at tSs
end OF each year, is regarded as the for.
rule. eins
To explain and account for this stat :.
things, number of reasons have III VI
sven. The tariff is one. UneonaI oo h
petition with the great and fertile vast I !
another. There is force in these IT,
doubtedly the tariff has borne heavily ~,
on the farmer and an even worse oroi-
threatened.
| Without question the magnitude of an
ricuture operations in the west and ~
cheapness with which its products can Is
| delivered in eastern markets have mod
his struggle harder. There is. however,
something else. 1t may be the result IS
cases already mentioned, but without in.
curing too closely into its origin it i
worth looking at directly in the face
! There has been disturbance of the old
equilibrium between the country and the
! city. From the country the city must de-
rive all that makes urbsn life possibIe-its
food, It's clothes, its horses, the material
for It's elegant buildings, and finally and
not least. to q considerable extent. itempn
| The country towns are the sources of sun
| ply from which healthful blood is being
constantly diverted into the great pro-
! fesslonal, business, educational and philan-
throplc arteries already established in the
cities. The youth In the country, catching
| glimpses and echoes of the metropolis.
tires OF the prosaic repose of his home en-
vironment, and ends by preferring to drive
q herdlc or nor Sc car rather than A
pillow or hay wagon Consequently farm
labor, both indoors and out, has become
scarce, poorer In quality ard higher in
price while farm products bring less than
formerly, and taxes tend to loftier ati-
tudes.
Thus we are led to expect what the Off
cial figures of the census confirm that
while the cities of New England show
satisfactory growth in wealth and popula-
ton. many of the country towns exhibit
sad falling off in these respects. The
cities may think they have reason to feel
eomplacent about this, but if so they are
in error. If the benefits seem to b. all on
their side now, reaction must inevitably
come from which they will suffer There
Is at present false adjustment of general
social and economic conditions. There is
too much venous and not enough arterial
blood flowing through the general system,
and the result Will be ultimate stagnatlon
What is tie remedy?
1t may De that more than one will be re-
quired to effect radical cure But one
thing is evident. Since the cities have
extracted so much from the country re-
Taxation has become necessary. Some of
the superabundance of surplus capital
must go back to renew and redeem the
worn soul.
In every city there are millions of dol
lars, unused in business that find their
way into the most uncertain and frequent
ly abused speculations. simply Because
promising legitimate opportunities of in
vestment are not open. Why cannot some
of this surplus be diverted to the wasting
land? 1t can be purchased at fabulously
low fguers, and thus the great bulk of ex
penditures can be put into Improvements.
There is nothing affords more peasur-
able, or, in the end more profitable return
for money judiciously spent than agrlcn,
ture. The capitalist or the syndicate will
find an invention open almost anywhere
and welcome ready.
The farmers, will be glad t@ cooperate
md join their labor ana experience to the
sapital that may be offered to employ
them.
; The acres. are not rebellivus but worn
f and tired like the dragged out hus-
| L.. i l,,l ap1n
) Let them, be cultivated, fertlized, gwen
, variety that is rotation in crops. Let the
taxes be vanished and the wheat encour-
aged as never before. Then to series
, of half wilderness, disfguring our hills
and valleys, will succeed refreshing scenes
{ of beauty and evidences of prosperity.
, These are no mere fanciful suggestions.
, There are not few sporadic instances OF
THEM successful application, but the move
I ment has not ~ vet become general
Q enough to affect the grand result. A
wealthy New York gentleman, firing OF
i the noble but expensive sport of yachting
4 has purchased several farms in southern
Berkshire, and is doing good work IN I'M
porting and breeding blooded horses. Inc
plain old farm house, built after the coun-
!. try models of 50 years ago he mas trans
= formed into mansion of manorlal ng-
i nifty and proportions.
!. In this enterprise he not only hndS
pleasurable and useful occupation, but mas
! a place to entertain hosts of congeria
:, friends by introducing them to nature
i under the most favorable conditions, bq1
= instead of one such instance there should
y be thousands. -,
i Retired capitalits or business men with
surplus means would ind life larger ana =!
sweeter by helping to develop. either 9l-
rectly or through responsible agents, t9 y!
n natural resources which are presented II
y such profusion and upon such very favor =
n losing icbt against hard conditions. tn
1 about time for the each man to BRING ny ny
a his powerful reserves, and redeem a 'u -
e land upon which rich and poor alAA' y
4 universally depend.
= A Fine Tree.