score, but they stated that they wished to control the hours of labor anduuniber 

 of apprentices, etc., by a committee. The proprietor asked how many of the 

 committee he was to appoint. " Xone," they said. "It amounts, then," replied 

 the owner, "to this, that you propose to run my business; I am not constituted 

 so that I can allow that. Now all of you who wish to work for me under the 

 old arrangement can do so, and I will protect you ; any that now leave my 

 employ can never work for me again." About one-half the men remained; he 

 was obliged to teach new men at a great loss. Those that left put a patrol 

 about the works and kept it there for fourteen months, to assault and intimi- 

 date those who were working and trying to support their families. Several were 

 arrested and imprisoned for their lawlessness. Tho owner was successful in the 

 end, but it cost him forty thousand dollars to carry the fight through. 



You, often in doubt, look at a manufacturing establishment and think of it 

 in comparison with your farms, but do you realize that often such establish- 

 ments represent as nmch capital as is invested in one hundred farms and employ 

 more help than that number ef farms would do. Mr. Lester T. Osborne stated 

 in his paper, read at the Farmers' Club of Egremont, that there had been a 

 great decline in the value of farms, and in the prices of farm products in the 

 past few years. Xo doubt this is so, but it is also true of everything. Mills 

 have declined in value; three are idle in the town where I reside, and one was 

 recently sold at one-fifth of its cost. This is also true of other manufacturing 

 lines, owing to more favorable locations, new and improved machinery, etc. 

 You farmers are troubled about short water for your stock often, but the 

 manufacturers suffer great loss and expense for steam, when such a drouth as 

 now, prevails. It does me good sometimes to know the troubles and annoyances- 

 of other business men, and to find that no one is free from such things, but I 

 think there is a better prospect ahead for the farmer. Nearly all the best 

 land has been taken, and there can be no such increase in acreage in the future 

 as there has been in recent years. The population is increasing faster than 

 farmers are. Mr. Erastus Win man, in an article in the North American Review 

 for July, gives some very interesting figures on this point. He says: "' The last 

 census showed an increase for ten years of about twenty per cent. In the cities 

 the increase was 45 per cent.,^ while the farming increase was only 14 per cent." 

 From 1871 to 1885-fourteen years. Mr. Winraan states, that " the increase of 

 farmers and farm lands was 112 per cent while the increase in population 

 during the same period was but 44 per cent." This shows why farmers' products 

 have been so low, but now a change has come and the largest crops ever rased 

 in this country are to be marketed at good prices to supply the markets at 

 home and abroad, and as the population is increasing within this country and 

 abroad faster than the farmers, it is certain that farmer's products in the 

 future are to bring better prices, and that means prosperity to all classes, for it 

 increases the purchasing power of the largest single class in our country. So, 

 farmers, cheer up, run in debt sometimes to enlarge your business and work it 

 off. Do better always if you can, but if you cannot, then enjoy what you have 

 and don't go a])out grumbling at » verything. Look at the pleasant side of 

 things. Some always look at the dark side and see all the defects. Show them 

 a fine horse or a fine cow that may have nine good points and one defect, they 

 will always notice and point out the defect and talk about it more than the 

 other nine good qualities. I have traveled in this country and in Europe and 

 find that there are as good, pleasant and comfortable homes among the farmers 

 of Berkshire county as exist among any class of people of like circumstances, 

 and much better than in most places. A very rich acquaintance of mine was 

 asked how it seemed to be worth millions. Tie replied he had never thought 

 much about it, but he knew he had no more to eat now than when he was 

 much poorer and that he thought he did not enjoy his food as well. He 

 certainly did not sleep as well as formerly and could wear no more clothes. 

 Money often creates more wants than it satisfies and the worry and fret about 

 the loss of it takes away much of the pleasure of its possession. All classes of 

 people are at times discontented and this is well illustrated by the story of 

 "The Grey Mare is the Better Horse" Several years ago a man married a 

 wife and,' as he should, thought she was the pleasantest, most agreeable and 

 loving lady of his acquaintance. After a few months^ however he thought 



