70 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



known of the slums of large towns (where the farm 

 labourer would probably have to live), I do not under- 

 stand how, on this ground, there is any adequate reason 

 for preferring urban to rural life. 



There is one other cause frequently assigned for the 

 migration of farm labourers, which demands notice. We 

 hear much nowadays of what is variously termed " the 

 lack of incentive," " the want of a career," or the " hope- 

 lessness ' ' which are said to enfeeble the energies and 

 depress the life of the agricultural labourer. Substantially 

 it amounts very much to this, that a man has more 

 ' scope," more opportunities for, and aids to, advance- 

 ment in life in the town than he has in the country, 

 which is in fact a platitude. At the same time, it is 

 inaccurate to assert that the young farm labourer may 

 not by the aid of intelligence, hard work, and thrift (the 

 same qualities by which his fellows in other callings rise) , 

 become an occupier, and even an owner, of land, and an 

 employer of labour. No doubt, members of this club 

 could cite many instances from their own knowledge in 

 which this has been accomplished. 



Still, though there is in the country, no more than in the 

 towns, no bar to ability, no difficulties which energy and 

 perseverance cannot overcome, there is, it must be con- 

 fessed, one cloud which overshadows the life of the rank 

 and file, so to speak, of the agricultural labourers. This 

 is the seeming inevitableness of the workhouse when their 

 wage-earning life is done. In too many cases — except 

 where private charity steps in — the last days of a farm 

 labourer are days of pauperism. It may be said that the 

 working man, and especially the unskilled labourer, in 

 the town very frequently ends his days in the workhouse, 

 and no doubt this is true. It would seem, however, that 

 pauperism is more common in the rural districts than in 

 the towns (excluding London), as appears by the 

 following table, which I have compiled from recent 

 returns : — 



