The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-01
SUMMER RECOLLECTIONS
Experience Of Several Weeks In Mountain
LatitudeS.
ABUNDANT CROPS EVERYWHERE VISIBLE.
srnsibIe suepe.t,on 60 the Farmers Alliance.
yIrRiniA's New Cities and Her New
Pe~opie-Eueps Vista.

summer. / find myself forced to adopt the
role Of a letter-writer for the public. One OBJ
lection 20 this is tho too frequent use OF the
personal pronoun. and the other IS that un-
less something worth reading is told both the
public and the writer are the sufferers. /
have visited none Of tho great centres
at which the world concregatos. either in the
pursuit Of pleasure or OF gain; my senses have
neither been captivated by the clories Of the
german nor have my desires been beguiled
by the inordinate thirst for gain which has
recently ragged over the length and breadth II
the land. II must not be inferred from this.
however, that | have not seen some Of the
great cities lately sprung up over the state:
or that / have altogether avoided the path OF
pleasure.
ABUNDANT CROPS.
Before referring to other subjects, I only
repeat what il generally known, that perhaps
in the memory Of man there have not been
such abundant crops of every KIND az now
cucumber the lands OF Virginia. Along the
rivers aud over the halls the corn stands IN
mighty hosts ss against tho genius OF desOla-
tion and want. Fruits 70 dice the eye at
every turn. The trees bending under their
exuBcrent treasures patiently endure the
strain all for the rejoicing OF the heart OF man.
The farmer feels reiiet. His hopes revive
WIFI IUt DID-IIffL OF Au' NtHu u ~ IFM ! a
his wonted pursuits. While gazing with a
sort of exultatlOn over these scenes / could
not feel assured that the relief o. the farmers
va. "A permanent one. If tho crops should
fail next year would he not be rs badly OF IA
ever Even if there should be n repetition of
the present state of things. would ne not be
deIuded by this temporary prosperity into
n renewal of the same system of agriculture
which. since the end of the war, has slowly
but surely brought upon him utter financial
RUM The further consideration of this
subject would suggest a rehearsal Of the
reasons for this. and / should soon find my
self involved in Il discussion TO show why the
poor farmer is now forced To sell his products
so cheap tnat he Is utterly unable 10 supply
the ordinary wants Of his farm or his family.
Under the circumstances and for the benefit
OF the reader | will drop the subject.
VIRGINIA's NEw CITIES.
Early in the summer. and while on the
wing. II so happened ! found myself delayed
for a time at some one of the new cities that
have lately sprung up in different parts of the
State. Indeed. the crop of these begin
60 rysl IN importance the natural
products of tho land itself. NY visits
had no reference TO business. but were
almost entirely accidental, and although
/ could not but experience all unde-
Enable interest in what / saw at most of
them. yet a painful sense OF doubt az to the
future of these urban paintings pervaded my
mind. ! trust / shall not be understood rs
rejecting upon the prospects of any one of
them IN what | may here say; having no
other wish than that the old State may soon
abound in cities teeming with people who
will consume the products of the surrounding
country. fresh from the thriving farms of "A
prosperous community. But at the same
time | must be allowed to express the appYe-
hension that this happy state OF things will
never come about until q dense population
first comes TO fill up and cultivate the waste
places which now surround the new young
cities.
SUGGESTION TO THE ALLIANCE.
And here ! am constrained 20 express
thoughts that occurred To me in this eonnec- !
tion while being hurried along over the splen-
did track Of the Norfolk and Western railway. |
If the Farmers Alliance people would cease
''politicating' and attend TO their legitimate
business one subject alone would employ |
their entire consideration until its ends were
accomplished. Neither they nor any other
agency or device of man can ever bring pros
perity into Virginia until her waste lands arc
occupied bv an industrious white population.
who themselves shall W their farms and
work them themselves. No country can ever
prosper a. long as the largest proportion Of
It's surface does not even pay the Government
tax upon 1T.
Moreover, if all the uncultivated lands in
Virginia we're to-day covered with green
backs or silver certificates. instead of broom
sedge and forests. they could not remain in
the keeping of the prOprietOrs OF these IN
profitable acres. Money to remain in "a com
munity must represent values. But if
these aforesaid greenbacks or a less quantity
of them had appeared IA the representatives
of what the farmer had gotten out of his
land. he and the rest of the community would
aoon become rich indeed. | have no time t.
give reasons for this statement. but will only |
repeat what has been said above as a corol- |
-. q ILL L-..ta. ALxa A. G.. /
duty of the Farmers Alliance is to get pOpu- |
lation into the country. This done. they
would indeed control the affairs of govern
mept. instead of being, rs they now are. at
the mercy of the manufacturers and monopo-
lists at the great money centres.
NEW PEOPLE.
But to return TO our new cities. As passed
along the caDaciOus streets of some Of these
i could not help being impressed ly the pc
culiar expressions OF most of their people. |
They all had a newly-arrlved look. seemed to !
be p~ersuading themselves that they were ex-
ceeding busy at something. but AZ the same
time did not appear 10 be n cheerful IA the
supposed possibilities of their tiourishing
cities would warrant. When out on the
streets they were often noticed with papers in
their hands walking with undue hate. "a #
some momentous crisis was at hand. Now
and then one would suddenly turn the most
prominent corner of the city. where might
be seen "A group OF IDLE eXpectantS and news
mongers. aud without apparent reason dissp-
pear in a boundless expanso of field newly laid
on into lots. lanes and 5ouleyards. At one
place my attention was particularly attracted.
Upon 81 large table spread out in the very
heart OF the city. where weeds and waste land
%sbounded, were spread out maps and
plans of every sort. Gathered about
this was a. very much mixed crowd of
strangers. and another class of men
who evidently meant business. At the mo-
ment j was looking on they were seemingly
excited by the competition raging between
rival purchasers. The advantages OF this
location and that and the amazing cheap
ness OF the lots then 10 he sacrificed were the
absorbing themes OF their discourse. For a
time all WAS hustle and business. and the
business was 10 show in glowing terms the
wonderful growth OF - city. In the
meantime, to an uninit ated spectator. il would
have appeared that many thousand dollars
had changed hands. and that many "A Young.
enterprising man had acquired a fortune in
the shortest possible time. A certain class
OF the legal profession were floating around. -
and II was not long before they We're observed
10 be buslly engaged in their improyised
Offices near 10y. What they were doing in their
usual disinterested way. the reader may know
better than / d.. 4 calm in business cir
cles now succeeded the tumult | had INST
witnessed. Having been DELAYED bv AN over
Que tram. / had time 10 observe more closely
the city and It's e%nylrOns. A iargo hotel had
already been built: IA distant smoke-staek
vomlted out its murky mass. where the best
ron IN America was actually preparing. and