The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-11-19

never a minus quantity. 1t may seem
small thing to run farm, but no other
business requires as much labor and
anxiety for the profit realized. Is it any
wonder that the farmer complains that
farming does not pay, when he has
exhausted all his ingenuity to secure
crop and fails though no fault of his
own?
When pressed for the necessary means
| of support, he loaks at his haId-worked
wife, his children lacking the advantages
of education, smothers his own desires
and the hopes now hopeless because OF
that mortgage that stands like beast of
prey ready to dcvour all that remains if
he ieiaxes his vigilance for one moment
| there comes sigh from the very depths
of his nature that tells very plainly that
| farming does not pay under such circum
stances. That such is the conditioned
large portion of the farming population
| in the East, the last census Will give
ample testimony.
l wonder if there is a man in all this
land who does not wish to attain some
thing more than mere living-an animal
existence, to cat and drink. Such
spirit attends savage. not civilized
condition. | would not give much for
the man who fails to have that old idea
of RAINY day allow ance in i y
If we should try TO get y g &
various people as to wha' i
tute living, the answe.. Very
complex. 1t is surprising 10 what a
| small amount even the pecessaries of life
can be reduced. But let us look at the
situation squarely in the face. What
has become Of the thrift and energy of
the Eastern States Where arc the sturdy
descendants of Yankee land? Is there
but one ID ten of them left? Where are
the owners of those farms now grown to
forests, and those homes that are gone to
decay? Why is agricultural land Of SO
small value in the very centre Of con-
sumers? Why has the population of
cities increased 45 per cent, while the
farming population has increased only Is
in the last decade? 1t is not because
| profits have been so small? Is it not for
the same reason that the Farmers
Alliance, State leagues and oranges have
sprung into existence with such rapidity?
For the last fifteen years there has
been general depression in the prices
of farm produce. The reaction after the
war; the opening up of the northwest as
a grain and cattle raising section, and
the enormous overproduction added to
the increased wages that it is necessary
to pay farm labor have taken the profit
| out of farming, except under very favor
able conditi Men have not sought
farming in the East because there was
profit in it. They Lave continued in it
because that was the. occupation thoy
had always followed. and it was difficult
or impossible to make a change.
1t is useless to tell the farmers son to
stick to the farm-that better lines are
coming. Such advice is like Josh Bill
| lings' remark about "caster ile.' "a
good deal easier to give than it is to
take. A young man cannot afford to
wait the best years Of his life for a
chance to make something. If it is not
| at hand, he will seek elsewhere. There
Is DO class of young men IN this country
| that are better calculated to maize their
! way in life than the farmer boys. They
have always had to work hard. They are
accustomed to diffiulties, and know how
to overcome them They have left those
eastern farms because they could do
| better elsewhere. There is no law of
serfdom that requires boy 10 till land
| that is worn out, or to strive to restore
it to its virgin fertility. Many boy has
| left home with heavy heart, 10th to
| leave the scenes Of childhood and its
tender memories, and l will guarantee
he would never have gone had he not
known what life of toll awaited him if
he staid-how little there was to be
gained by the hard labor.
That present conditions will last
always is not likely. Every day adds
large numbers TO the population Of the
country-so many more mouths to feed,
so many more who will require homes.
The best agricultural land has been
taken up, and the limit of cheap produc-
ton must soon be reached. The virgin
soil of the Dakotas 20; .sssssme day oe
e!ha .ss-ss.s =, + ~ line market grows
enormously every year. The call for
exports of wheat and cattle will increase.
There is no new America to BIO developed.
Some day the food supply of the world
will not be equal to the consumption.
Then land that cannot now be worked
with profit will be needed to help out
this deficiency, and farming will have q
BOOM
Men must be fed, and much of the
energy that is now expended, foolishiy
perhaps, will be turned 10 the produc
ton of the necessary food supply. Then
farming will pay better, and not until
thea. There is nothing that will stimu-
late action more than the certainty OF
fair profit. That Is all that is needed.
j Some of OUT. most optimistic friends,
after carefully comparing statistics, pro
phesy that the change is at hand-that
the turning point is reached. hope
such may be the case. 1t carnot come
too soon to aid those who have Struggled
so long and 50 bravely to bear up under
adverse circumstances. All praise to
? them for their perseverance!
10 hal 10
legislation that the farmers alliance is
, calling for. Do not add TO the burden
, of land legislation. No good end is ever
reached by one class fighting against
, another That which secures the greatest
good to the greatest number is what is
5 needed and | trust that all is tending
under a superior guidance to that end.
, FREDERICK !. BOWERS.
Fergus County, Mont.
Dinner being announced the president
Mr.. Coudon desi grated Messrs. Magraw
Sutton and Wilson as the committee to
examine and report on the condition o
Mr.. McCullough's premises, etc. upoi
re assembling after dinner the COMMITTEES
reported through Mr.. Magraw the very
excellent condition of Dir. Mccullough
premises and buildings, and only SUI
gested change in the swine house.
Mr.. John r. Bond having been absen
: three consecutive meetings was rell
stated in membership by vote of tn
club.
At four O'Clock the meeting adjourned
the December place of meeting to b
determined By the president.
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