The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-19

matter Of big farms. Before the war
Dixie was the region of big landed estates.
and the north of small land holdings; but
now the northwest, at least, promises to
outdo Dixie. Even in many Of the middle
northern states men of wealth are gradu-
ally buying up the small holdings; and so
general is this becoming the case through
out the country, that we have landed
aristocracy forming on the one hand, and
a peasantry as distinct as that of England
or Germany forming on the other. We
have no figures at hand which furnish data
as to what proportion of those who are en-
gagged in filling the soil are farming the
land of others, but we are satisfied that
the proportion is greater than everybody
knows.
There may be some who will be pleased
with the prospect of future big farming, as
painted by Senator CASEY, and the ''busi-
ness principles" that may be applied to
that industry. But what does this golden
prospect mean9 1t means monopoly of
the farming lands by the rich, and their
cultivation by dependent class of rural
laborers. 1t means the reduction of our in
dependent farming community to serfdom.
1t means the enriching of the landowners,
the pauperization of those who cultivate
the lands. 1t means land barons on the
one hand, serfdom on the other. 1t means
that while England and Ireland are max
ing desperate efferts to tear loose the
hand of landlordism from the throat
OF their agricultural industries and
are discussing the means that will enable
those who cultivate the landss to become
the absolute owners of them, we in the
great republic of the New World are COM
placently drifting into the evils from
which they are seeking relief. 1t may,
perhaps, mean a better cultivation of the
SOIL, and consequently a greater yield OF
products, and the accumulation from the
SOIL of greater wealth. But into whose
hanos Will the enlarged product, the in
creased wealth go! Not into those of the
laborer, but into the landlords, who, by
MS increasing wealth, will rivet fast the
shackies of his tenants, whose labor will.
IN addition to procuring their scant daily
bread, forge the chains which are to hold
them retainers to their master-their
lord. Wealth will increase 10 doubt. I'M
der this system of farming on a big scale
and the increase of big farms; but it is as
clear as MONDAY sun that men will decay
under 1t. And the philosopher no less than
the poet may exclaim-
Ill tares the land, TO hasten ills prev.
When wealth accumulates and men decay.
AND SO long as country's people. not her
gold, are the measure of a country,s
wealth, 1t is more important that we seek
the independence and nobility of our peo-
PIE than to devise means for accommodating
riches. Especially when that increased
wealth is destined to find its way into the
hsnds OF the few, creating class distinction
-arlstocracy with the natural instinct to
perpetuate to their posterity the adyant-
ages which wealth has brought to them
Ihere is real danger here. Men nav
scoH 1t If they will, but MONOPOLY
IN land is as much aud more to be feared
imam any other species of monopoly Why
more to be feared! Because more perma-
nent; more difficult to destroy, and because
there is something in the possession of
large landed estates which makes men mora
arrogant IN their demeanor
why, even the Greeks shout q warning
to US from the long distant past on this
SUBJECT. After pointing out the affluence
OF individuals in Athens, showing how the
houses of individuals were grander than
the public buildings even, and others were
farming lands of such an extent that thew
mad never dreamed, their great orator said
'Ihe cause of this difference is that for
merIy the people were lords and masters of
IN oi+
celve from them his share of honor. Office
or profit Now, on the contrary, these per-
sons are the disposers of emolumepts.
everything Is done by their agency: the
people are treated as underlings and de-
pendents, and you are happy to take what
these men allow you for your portion
How long will 1t be before some historian
or orator may arise and address such Ian
guage to the people of the United States if
the tendency to "big farms" and other
monopolies and trusts shall continue as in
the past decade? Well, not long if it were
not for the fact that the people of the
United States are not made of that material
which is essential to the making of serfs
They lack the ox-like patience which sub-
mits to the goad. They will endure about
SO much from would-be lordlings and then
they are liable to read new declaration of
independence; and when they do they have
the reputation of sustaining it. So If this
tendency to monopoly continues, and es
pecially as to lands, there is a crash immi
nent and those who wish to avoid that
calamity will use an influence against the
increase of big farms and ali kinds of mon
opoly, and they will insist that the people
Of the United States shall always be super
ior to individuals or to any class of indiyi-
duals that NAV arise in our cnnntru