Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-04-20
OUGHT FARMERS TO COMPLAIN
SOME COMMENTS FROM THE OUTSIDE


The writer has been interested In the
discussions relating 10 the condition OF
the farmer and his pursuit and agrees
with Mr.. Powers and also with
Mr.. McDorman that the sad
condition of agriculture Is not peculiar
TO that calling alone, but the same de-
preston has touched every business in
terest In the land, unless II is the busi-
ness OF otfice-holding, which so far re-
mains on the protected list. The In
creasiug number of business failures GER
.ainly bears out this conclusion. In
every city Of the West business men who
used TO drive sporty horse down town
In the morning are now patronizing the
street cars, while many former patrons
Of the ears find il much to the benefit of
their ''heslih" to walk. Every business
concern from the peanut man To the
wholesaler is cutting down expenses and
fixed charges. and business and profess
sional men are seen every day wearing
oyercoats that few wears ago would
have been cheerfully offered TO the first
relief committee that chanced to apply.
The writer in his capacity OF COM
mercial traveller calls on the grocery and
general store trade in both iron mining
and farming districts, and while the
farmers are delivering choice potatoes
on cars at l0c. per oushel, and wild hay
NJ So (loose), some dealers are selling
~ lbs. grsnulsted sugar for one dollar,
and paving me 81 80 per cvt. for same.
Miners on the Minnesota ranges set
81 - 10 Sl.15, and have work about hall
the time. Not long since | stood At the
top of the mine Shaft aud watched a lot
Of brawny fellows coming out OF the
shaft at six O'Clock with their candles
fastened 10 their hats where 500 feet
below they had flicsered their dim un-
certain light on ten hours OF harder
labor than any farmer has TO perform,
and when those hard and toil-stained
faces were turned toward the squslid
shanty home, with It's bsrefooted chill
dren and worn aud hopeless wife, what
tiller of the soil. however humble and
poor, would have exchanged places with
one Of them?
OF perhaps two hundred grocers, the
writer has known. in the past ten years,
al least tifty that have not only lost all
their capital, but have judgments against
tltm tIliN IN tfutudAN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
they can never pay, while not ten OF all
that number have made one single dol
lar more than living. These times
seem 20 favor no msn, unless IL Is the
one who has his substance reduced TO
dollars aud has those dollars In vault.
But. "a Mr.. McDorman says, this will
not always last. and agriculture as a
pursuit will not be behind others; aud
when We stop 10 consider the scenes
that after all do so much 10 improve or
mar our little drama of life, IL seems
that the shaded country home, with its
brooks, its woodlands and its meadows,
ought not 20 suffer in comparison with
the mine, the factory or the brick-wsii-
ed pens Of commerce.
The writer grew up on farm and has
plowed his fence row many time, and
is familiar with the gentle tap OF the
alder root on the shins. But IL his salary
hold out a few years more, there will be
another case of a slave returning 70 his
bondage. Some farmer, whose shoulders
are stopped with the clearing and I'M
proving of a spot on the Creators beau
tiful footstool, and who wants TO 90 ill.,
20 'husiness, can Then find the fellow
who would exchange the catering, htt-
tering, toadying life of trade for the
more independent one of the farmer; :;
and the luck" sud the signs Of the
moon must be bad indeed, II the wolf
gets In the door.-H. G.. MOONEY, In
Country Gentleman.