Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-06-21
Ist FARMERS cosoIIlos.
AuorrrrL vrrw or IT.

"I.st me be quickly rich," exclaimed
Ortogrul of Basra. ..let the golden
stream be quick and violent" But OR.
togrul did not become suddenly rich. aud
farmers of the present day, although
they may covet sudden riches, will b.
very fortunate II. like Ortogrul, they
can by careful attention 20 business, Sc
cure q fair proportion Of the wealth
which they help to create. The desire
to get rich without adequate labor and
economy IL almost universal, and the r,-
salting state Of unrest has led many sons
of farmers To forsake the farm and en-
gage In other aud, in their view, more
desirable vocations. Hut there are
other reasons for leaving the farm aside
from the desire to become suddenly rich
aud to avoid manual labor. In recent
years some farms have bccn abandoned,
aud the population In rural districts
does not Increase In proportion to that
of cities aud villages. Notwithstanding
these facts, the number of acrcs now
under cultivation Il out of proportion to
the other Industries of the country, and
the difficulties under which farmers
labor warrant them In trying 10 Induce
Young men Ia engage In some other
business. The question-"iiow can the
hoys be kept on tie farm 40 often dis
cussod at farmer-' meetings and In agri-
cultural newspapers, IL no longer perth
nent Ia existing conditions.
The farmers profits were never large.
Formerly land was purchased at q low
price. and increase In wealth among
farmers ~as the result of improvements
made. Through rise In value OF land,
men became wealthy-as the term is ap-
piled a. fArmer.-who never really add
ci anything to their capital by crop pro
iuction. In New York, land advanced
La value. legltlmstely. on the basis of
improvements made, but false estimates
of local advantages also operated to
swell the price of farms beyond what
they would bsar under the competition
since dc,elop~d.
Eastern farmers thought that the
yrasse. suitable for daiiying purpose.
would not thrive In the West, and con-
sequ.utly that they would forever have
q monopoly of flr.t-class butter aud
cheese production. II Was also sup
posed that distance from marke, would
preclude w.siern competition. Under
the influence 10 thes. crroneous Views
the policy of the eastern farmer was Ia
hold the farm he already possessed, and
add to " as many acre. as possible, and
Young msn we're induced Ia purchase
and improve land that, " the truth had
been known, would have remained IN
state ~ nature until this day. Time has
proved that clover and timothy will sue
c.c,i, aud that fine butter and cheese
can b. made even farther west than
Ohio, and that di.tanc. L. not q formida-
ble barrier to competition, and AZ
steep hillsldes and barren
.and. Ia New York are no longer In de
mAnd.
Prom the year lsj0 10 l,G0 the In
crease IN prize of farms In Northern
New York va. nearly ~ per cent. This
advance did not deIcnd on improvements
made. Daring the ten year. from ls,i
to lsgl the decrease Ia value ~as a. great
a. the Increase In the first mentioned
de,ade. NoN, there are very few pur-
chaser. at any PRIV, aud mortgage sales
ar, th. only oncs made. The deprccia-
tion l. generally Attiibuied to Low pfice.
~ farm products. II I. fact, however,
that the average prizes % the principal
products of this section have been quite
a. great for the la.i ten years as They
were from i>i9 10 lS0D. IN no accoun,
u made of the decrease In price of the
land Itself, good farms economically
managed have Welded fair profits during
IN. last ten YEAR, bat when th. farm u.
included In the Inventory, very lev
farmer. find their capital Intact.
Wage. paid farm hands src ~ per
cent morc than In lS5., but With I'M
proved Implement. Il costs no more "a
tilI and harvest crops than u dill In
former wears. II l. not 80 much the
amouu, that I. really paid for labor that
aii.,t. the price oi farms ss IL !. Inability
to secure enough good help al any price.
IL l. no longer possible to obtain help by
the day When needed. ss could BE- done
Ia former years. Probable farming im-
pile. thorough tillage bat thorough
tlllage of all the land now under cultiSs-
,lou /. not practicable With the amount
~ labor non al the farmers command.
Farmers Institute. have beeu very sue
ces.ful IN showing the farmer how Ia
keep a given numbsr of cows on hall the
acre. formerly u.ed for that Purpo.e.
The demonstration II What can be
done with a few acre. may have In
creased the intrinsic value, bat u has by
NO means added 10 the market price o'
farms. The dairyman IL told To In.
crease hi. profits by selling one-half oi
hi. land aud adopting improved method.
In arrangement of the remainder. iiut
Nhrrc u the purchaser for one-haifi
AMI where the help to put the remainder
Ia profitable usef IL IL true that Win
plenty Of help incrva-e In production
would b. practically Unlimited, bu,
present price. could not D. sustained,
and depression would continue.
Ther. IL NO short cut by which far'n-
ers can escape from pre-ent condition.
They ar. the result Of the rapid settling
up aud improving, or rather ehhau.hng,
of unlialted fertile acres. Valuable as
the improvements In farm implements
aud machinery have been, they have con-
90 the ruinous competition maze
possible through cheap land. and an un,
h..lthful credit system. NO spetal