Milford chronicle., 1893-09-08
The Farmers ana Legislation.


The Farmers and Legislation.
There is nothing more striking in
the eleventh census than the marked
increase in urban population over
that Of rural districts. During the
last decade the cities Of the United
States have doubled their population
while the country proper has in
creased but twelve per cent, and
this, TOO, is relatively the condition
Of all foreign lands.
This tendency to desret the farm
and go to the large towns and cities
is due to the marked differences in
social and economic conditions.
Upon the farm there are long hours
ofwork and little pay, with few op-
portunities for enjoyment Or mental
improvement, while in the cities the
work is lighter remuneration greater,
and there is more leisure, with null
tiplied facilities for advancement
and culture. Up with the sun plod-
ding all day long behind the plow
until the darkness of night envel-
opes him, with II heavy heart the lad
longs for something better and with
hopeful expectancy be turns to the
city. Year after year a tenant a.
mer, with nothing else to look for
ward to, discourages and depresses
him and he is ready for any change,
believing that any modification of
the situation is better than the pres
ent.
There is not class Of people in
the world that work harderand longer
for as little pay as the farmers, and
this alone is The secret Of so many
of them turning away from agricul-
tnre. With jiiyt remuneration the
e. e.i.sq-1.,s ;..s viii remain as content and
happy as any other class Of people,
and tile disposition to abandon the
farm with She actual occurrence will
together ceA Ase and vanish.
The farmeF is regarded as the le-
gitimate prey st almost every class
Of people, although he performs the
most useful and absolutely essential
work of the Nation, cSothing, feed
ing and sheltering the world. 1t
would not be surpri sing ifin retail
alton he should develop some Of the
mean traits of those who afilict and
impose upon him. The railroads
rob him, the commission merchant
steals from HIM also, sending in re-
turns for produce only what he him
self does not want; legislatures turn
only deaf ear TO his cries, and soci-
ETY. casts him out as ebay seed"
for the lack Of culture lie cannot az
ford to attain. Formerly this was
not so, the ruling minds of the Ma
tion we're farmers, living upon, own
ing and tilling their own soil making
and executing the laws of the State
and governing the Nation. The
farming industry then was prosper
GUS and so now it would continue if
the conditions were the same. As
our cities have grown to a great ex-
tent through foreign population leg
islation has been dominated bY urban
influences and as a consequence laws
favoring the rich and discriminating
against the farmer have besn enacted
and carried into force, for the rich
are the inhabitants ofcities and towns
and the controlling influence is vested
in them. Our public men have at
tanned conspicuous position not SO
much because of overshadowing per-
sonality and great capacity, but
rather through the power of riches,
purchasing what they could not
otherwise attain. But this, too, shows
the depth of degradation of those
ready, not only to sell themselves,
but also to sacrifice their neighbor's
interests and the State and Nations
as well
The United States, and Delaware
preeminently,is On agricultural land,
with kindly soil and producing a
greater diversity ofcrops than any
country in the world. It is the
greatest industry we have and is the
source Of nearly all our riches, al
thoug the farmer himself receives
but little. 1t is right and just, then
that legislation should he directed
towards building up and sustaining
the condition Of those tilling the
soil, so that the industry may be
come more honorable and remunera-
tive. To this end every farmer in
Delaware should direct his energy,
thk + primaries Of all parties,
insisting that no man committed to
legislation detrimental to the inter