Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-02-28

only changes of any great import
which have taken place can he traced
10 the abolition of slavery and the
Invention of farm machinery. These
have affected principally the South.
In the North and West the conditions
are out little changed except that
farming Is not as profitable now as
! heretofore. In the West farms were
( mostly bought with borrowed capi.
tai, and in late years mortgages have
oeen foreclosed and many are renters
| now instead Of land owners. But in
the South, including Maryland, the
change has been radical. The ne
groeS have shown disposition to
crowd into cities. But the farm
houses are all occupied, and the cen.
Sus shows little, if any, decrease Of
rural population. The change, there.
fore, consists not so mrch In magni-
tude as in character.
In olden times the life of the edu.
Gated country gentleman of means
wasan ideal existence. The spacious
mansion was always filled with COM
pany- There was visiting, hunting
and various outdoor amusements,
whist indoors there were literary
and intellectual pleasures. Carefully
trained colOred servants reduced the
trouble Of housekeeping to mini
mum. Such farmers as these gener-
ally were public-spirited, and were
the political leaders in their respec.
tive neighhorhoods. When their
sons finished their education farms
would be provided for them or thew
would he established in business. II
Is this class which has nearly disap.
peared from the country. After the
war, when they were no LONGER able
to establish their sons as farmers the
sons had to go oelsewhere. The father
was not ready, perhaps, to resign the
management of the farm, and an
educated young man is no more will
ing to become farm hand and drive
his fathers plow than the son of the
rich wholesale merchant is willing to
drive his fathers dray. If he has
any ambition he will not settle down
to work which is worth no more than
from twelve to twenty dollars a
month with no prospect of advance
unless from that wage he can save
money to buy farm.
II is just such young men as these
who leave the farm that we find as
leading. governing men in almost
every city Of the land. When the
old farmer passes away or is ready
to give up the farm his son is proba-
bly, established in more profitable
business in the city, and the old
homestead is rented or sold. Thou
sands, too, have been sold for debt.
10 these causes must be added the
scarcity of domestic servants in the
country, which makes the life of the
farmers wife and daughters one of
constant drudgery. The farms are
now mostly i'm the hands of those
who do their own work. Labor
saving machinery dispenses with
many farm laborers, and they have
been driven to the railroads or the
factory for employment.
In Olden times the control of the
State and Federal governments was
largely in the hands Of the farmers.
Since the war that influence has been
transferred to the manufacting class,
and 1T has been used by them selfishly
and at times corruptly and to the dis
advantage Of the agricultural class.
And this, perhaps, accounts for the
prevalence of many of the crude no.
tions of government and finance that
now prevail among the agricultural
classes, who were formerly noted
above all things for their conserva-
tism. m.-BdlimOre Sun.