172 BOARD OF AGRICULTUIIE. 



acquire a disgust for the quiet labors, and as they suppose, 

 small profits of the farm, and in tiaies like the present, when 

 ship building is dull, they become dissatisfied, complain of the 

 country, and start for Minnesota, hence the large emigration 

 this spring. 



"But I think the real cause of the immense emigration, which 

 is so thinning our eastern towns, lies deeper than we are apt to 

 think. The complaints made have real grounds. It is hard for 

 a man to support a family here by lai)or. If he can get in 

 debt he U almost sure to become inextricably involved. His 

 labor will not enable him to pay for a farm if he takes one. 

 At the west it is supposed to be dillcrcnt. Now why is all 

 this difficulty and what is the remedy? "Poor Richard" told 

 us the wliole matter years ago. " The eyes of other people 

 ruin us.'' " What will people say " if farmer A. should appear 

 at church in plainer garb than farmer B., whose income is twice 

 as much, and who in times past, while striving for an honest 

 independence, sulyected himself to charges of meanness, and 

 his daughter to slights and insults for wearing a bonnet which 



O O CD 



had been ■u'tntered over. " What will people say " if our 

 parlor has less costly furniture than the trader's, or the dining 

 room floor is not carpeted. In short, " what will people say," 

 if the frog does not swell quite up to the size of the ox. 



"Now is there any remedy for this state of things? Can we 

 live here at the east, in a simple, plain manner, according to our 

 means, and retain our standing in society ? I think not. A man 

 moves to the west; himself and family can content themselves 

 and be respected by their neighbors, in a house of two rooms, 

 furniture enough only for use, none for show, and wardrobe 

 comfortable rather than costly. I hold that all wealth is the 

 product of labor; even the forest and the soil are not wealth 

 till labor gives them a value. If this be true, those who labor 

 with their hands support the community. If the classes who 

 live by mental labor, or by no labor, or even by manual labor 

 which produces nothing, as those who "buy and sell and get 

 gain," are in greater numbers than the community needs ; if they 

 must live in a most expensive style, it seems evident that the 

 laborer must work proportionally more hours, and have for 

 himself a less proportion of what he produces. 



