New-York tribune., 1907-09-30

was taking place in the value of farm properties.
and many who had been struggling for years under
mortgages that they had supposed were not mors
than perhaps a third a fourth of the value of
their found the shrinkage OF values had
been great that their places could not ee sold
for more than the face OF the mortgages Conse-
quently there was a great exodus from the farm.
Some Of the former occupants OF these deserted
farms gave up the struggle and allowed mortgages
be forecos ed others being elderly have Ia
the time died. and their sons. aPpreciatinS
the hopelessness of the struggle have focked %
the city.
While most Of these farms still fertile and
capable of producing abundant crops. their
present (rnany Of whom are included among
your city savings banks and trust companies, being
acquired through mortgage foreclosure) are unabla
10 sell them at anywhere near what should be their
true value, and find IL just as difficult 20 secure
tenants owing 70 their location Most OF these
properties situated from three 20 Eve niles
from a railroad The value OF a farm property,
like everything else is regulated largely BY supply
and demand The supply at present appears TO oa
greatly IN excess of the demand. and consequently
a man looking for a farm rent or 10 purchase ID
not attracted 10 these remotely situated places
when he can select almost his terms, places
situated in closer proximity 70 railroad or tow1S
leaving these less desrably lHated farms wirnous
a tenant and with little or no prospect OF being II
demand by prospective purchasers
The critics Of the Syracuse Chamber OF Cor,-
nerce movement are pleased 10 refer these farms
as being merely '+unOCcUQied not abandoned Very
well. but Just supposng that in Syracuse and othec
New York State cities could BE- found today hun
dreds of idle and unoccupied manufacturing plants
that had within recent years employed and given
work 10 hundreds OF contented hands and from
which for various reasons the machinery had been
removed and the buildings being used perhaps
by nearby industrial concerns for storage purposes
or the like And suppose. too. that the Onerns
prosperous owners Of these plants were confronted
with the fact that. although well maintained the
values Of their plants had deprecated in value 40.
in instances % per cent Wltlln tne las.
twenty years; that It difficult for The present
owners 10 dispose Of their property at any price.
Impossible operations for lack OF efficient
and sufficient help. and equally difficult 70 md ten
ants for the same II conditions such as we haVe-
imagined actually existed manufacturing
centres these idle plants would Dc considered aoan
doned. or practically so, and not known as oelhs
rnoccupied- II such a state Of affairs existed II
the city great wall would go up from al PartS
NJ rre country and more tariff less tariff would
be demanded; the state and federal IaWIaahlnS
bodies would lose no time in getting busy IN ADOPT
ing measures that would be calculated 70 rurnfss
immediate and permanent relief However. thS
dark picture portrayed in the foregoing is a soo1
likeness OF what cOnfronts thousands OF farmers olf
this state to-day. and the imagined aO4h1'Ne
manufacturing plant, the rapid depTecla.I'
values the lack OF efficient help. appAes Win eeN
force 20 the actually abandoned farms anu Ho1e-t
OF farm hands that exist throughout the pure"
agricultural counties OF this great and wea-lnS
commonwealth ,.,.
Now as 10 the condition OF the villages ~ltl0
these thirteen agricultural towns and WnoSe We"
fare and existence depend almost eLl-e-S uANA-
farming country in which they are located
again consult the federal census taoies anu -
that between the years 1880 and 1900 VIII Oha'
,1nin1portant exception. every one Of the incor>,
porated villages within the apove mentioned 'er1
ritorv has decreased in population from one toS
eighteen per cent. The state census Of l'S snoWA
a stin larger shrnkage. This falling Of in popu-a-,
ton cannot be attributed TO the loss OF numerous
small manufacturing Industries that all country
villages at one time possessed for the reason thaa
most OF these small plants ceased TO exist al an
earlier date than that of twenty-seven years ago
From personal observation and inquiry nno lhaS
the unsatisfactory conditions touched upon N ia
FOREGOING exist in the adjoining counties OF Che-
mango. Otsego Oswego, the townships of the north
ern and northwestern portions Of Oneida and =
dare say in OF the other counties OF ths stat7
that are largely devoted to agriculture
The people Of the territory within which exs9
the unhealthy conditions pointed out draw largelys
for their necessities and do large amount or thelr
trading in Syracuse. Utica and other Central New-
York cities therefore does il require prophet on
a son of prophet figure out that II this alarus-i
ing decrease IN population and land values con-,
tinues it will be felt eventually by the nearbr
cities their manufacturers and tradeSmen? History
teaches US even from the times OF the ancients;
that centres of population and wealth do not longs
flourish after decadence of the agricultural in
-erests by which they are surrounded and upon
which they must depend tor their existence 70 .
large extent.
And now TO return to the original propositions
In view has been presented as facts as
applying to the towns of central and southern
Madison County and those of other nearby coun-
.es-the shrinkage of farm valuations the in
creased number OF deserted farms. the large falling
IF of population in these agricultural townships.
he scarcity of farm help. together with the de-
,rease of population in country villages-in
OF all this. isn't il worth while for the farmers
md business men of the sections affected TO get
ogether and talk matters and suggest and put
ntO effect the proper remedies. il conditions are
ound warrant concerted action? If so. why
sn't the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce idea a
ationaI one and why all this adverse criticism on
he part OF certain city newspapers and corrc-
pondents?
II would seem that the time ripe for the
arrner be doing thinking on his own ac-
cunt. Wei acting.
JOHN H. BROAD.
MorrisvilIe. n. Y. Sept. %. 1881