The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-04-02
THE RESTLESSNEsS OF 1896.

At no time before In the history Of the
United States has there been such q
manifest restlessness on the part of Q
large number of its citizens as to where
they shall locate and establish themselves
for permanent livelihood. This state
ment is made without reference to the
temptation which has lured many TO start
for Alaska and other mining regions
There has always been a tendency on the
part of the people OF all nations to hunt
for gold at any point where there has
been given the least hint Of its presence.
From all accounts the tendency is strong.
er upon the people Of this coast than
ever before since the old days OF 40. 1t
is hard to see the wisdom in many Of the
wholesale departures for Alaska, where
one may be said to cut himself off from
supplies for q great part of the year.
The movement toward well known gold
fields within a weeks horseback ride
from the centers OF population scattered
through the northwest has much to COM
mend it, especially SO tar as it is confined
to men Of capital who can afford to take
great chances for greater returns, and on
the part Of those who are willing to work
and can either mine for wages or stand
the rub of seasons prospecting.
However, to 60 back to the initial
statement, the restlessness OF the agricul-
tural classes is something surprising, or
would be surprising If it were not for the
fact made doubly apparent by this very
restlessness, that the hard times have
struck every section OF this country alike.
The agricultural workers in the
southern states are as dissatisfied as any
and are moving toward California and
the northwest THAT is, the whites), while
there are hundreds of associations being
formed all through the south by the
blacks to go in colonies back to the moth.
er soil of Africa. This desire to leave the
lands OF the south stirs up the land own
ers to supply the places OF those leaving
or about to leave with other agricultural
workers, which they are making every
effort to draw from the agricultural
classes Of the middle west. These efforts
are going forward in concert with railroad
companies, and in Chicago, st. Louis
and the far eastern cities agents with YER
bal arguments as we'll as literature are to
be found in great numbers. In the east
ern, middle and northeastern states there
is widespread dissatisfaction with the
results OF labor for the past few years, and
the old families, who have held the soil
for generations, are In many instances
selling to foreigners and casting about for
q new place to locate. In the old north
eastern states the lands are being bought
at very low figure by farmers who come
over from Canada. So rapid are these
changes in ownership going on that it
has completely changed the appearance
OF many neigborhoods and school dis
tricts. In the middle west notwithstand-
ing the great efforts OF the south to lure
the land workers into the warmer climate,
there is a tendency to look to the Pacific
Northwest. The southern states seem to
them too old part OF the country and TO
afford very little chance to them. They
know it is PLACE offering inferior social
conditions and the starting point OF yell
low fever, as well as the constant home
OF malaria. These facts make it much
easier to turn the average Illinoisan to.
ward the west than southwark. In Kan
sas, Nebraska and the Dakotas, the set.
tiers have come to realize that about
every fourth season is so bad as to more
than offset three good ones, and the ten.
dency OF these people is to move west
ward. The depletion thus caused is met
by Swedes and others who are brought to
the abandoned farms by immigration
agencies in the interests of mortgage
holders, and SO the displacement and re.
placement goes on from season to season,
the tendency being to bring to the north.
west the more substantial class of the
dissatisfied percentage. OF those who
seek new country there are few who
find their hopes fully realized, and Of
those some would gladly turn back to q
home where recollection pictures plenty
There is no such old home, and the above
brief glance at the changeful tendencies
OF the year 1896 is worth the considers
ton of all who are struggling to make
new homes. The reason why the old
home OF former generation seems tc
present less of hardship and more Of
plenty is that the old idea in the east was
to raise what would support the home
family in any event, and then trust to
finding a market for the surplus. This
is done now in the New England and
eastern middle states, but there are al
many on the acreage there existing az
can be sure OF doing this. Once Out
oil the old hive, and there is neither room
nor invitation TO come back. 1t is an
unsentimental view OF the matter, but il
Is the truth, as all realize who have in
their weakness abandoned a western
home to return TO the old one.
#
PETERS resolution for the appointment
of n araciaI or,so;ftaa - q 80 ..uuk.~. 4.