The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-12-09
RE Deser,,on or the Farm.

%decadence of agriculture and the threat
ened loss OF social and Industrial virtues
supposed to be inherent only in n
yeomahry.
There is no foundation for the hslief
that those born upon the farm are desert
ing the vocation of agriculture except as
may be necessary to secure employment.
The fact that the rural population has
diminished in some hill districts OF Very
low fertility, and even i'll some Of the
more productive States east Of the Miss
issippi, Is not proof OF that voluntary
desertion oil the farm in which SO many
| believe.
That vast numbers leave she farms an!
seek careers in the towns is true, and il
may be true that in some eases The i'm
peiiing motive is the meagreness OF the
returns from agricultural labor; yet IN
most cases the cogent reason has been
not the greater possibilities OF success in
the town, but the absolute necessity Of
thus relieving the threatened congestion
oil the rural labor market. T0 certain
natures the town always has possessed
an irresistible attraction, and. always
will possess it; but this has little or 10
direct relation to past, present, or pos
sible economic conditions. 1t is rather
an exhibition OF that gregarionsnnss
which Is an element OF human nature
aud forces people TO exchange The isolst,
ed and. to them, irk9ome lie II The
country Tor that OF The town.
Apart from this, the impelling reason
fer the constant movement from farm IL
town is 10 be found in economic condi.
lions surrounding farm life. Thesa have
entirely changed daring the last fifty
years. This change has been OF such a
character as 10 force an eyrr-jncreasinp
proportian OF those born upon the farm
into ether Yocations; not because CT an
oFerpeWef,ug desire to leave the farm
rat for The reason that it no longei
affords Tie Required e~mplcymtnt. II
other @3f b, those leaving the farm have
been crowded away nom ii by ;he ever.
Increasing use Of improved processes anf
iohoi-saYepg devices. jhis is - i;cIeel
uot only bg lac findings Of the cei.su,
aHt ~ gGe car et aGi5ef4tutsl a5o,
4tlri0n.
White the ~teiatet census Of 1850 10
mol tulAisil al the data desired, yet susl
as are available show the population /,
nave increased by 10 per cent. betwear
1850 and 1890, as against an increase o
some 221 per cent. in the number of farlu.
and 30 pei e III the acras of improg
ed land included in the farms. Itistfu,
that there might have been an increast
Of tho nuulbor OF improved acres withop
a proportionate increase III the numbp.
Of farms, as was the case between 1SSi
ard 1889: but there could he 10 incrensD
in tae numbef Of farms without a likt
Increase III tbs number OF farmers
Since 1850 Tine increase III the numtrr o
farms ia thu GDited States has been
third greater than ttA simultaneous in
crease it The population, Therefore, TN
number Of farmers. relatively 50 tin
whole population, cannot he less naw
hpi realty is rs per cent greater than J
was FORT thgee years since; am! ii III
ratio il 40 Tess, but graatey, il follow
thar tlere eaa have Necn u9 4nca de
~sertjon Of tha fa!lts "a has oeen bewau
ID.
shonla it be pretended thai hi
deserlion Of the fafn is = phase Of A,oel
lean sociai a1I industrial condition
known only since the civil war. tt j
merely necessary to slow That from lS1
10 1850 population increased sos ~
cent. and Ire nugab0r Of farnis 81 pe
cent, as did the Improved acres; aud tha
While the population increased ST. DC
cent. curing the twenty yeats enEin,
with the Census of 1880, the number 0
farms increased s0Ire 50 per cent. an
the cultivated acres more than lcs pc
cent.
There can he 40 doubt, Their, thai th
+ population has increased ntueh NOR
rapidly since 1886 than. either tle nun
beT OF cultivated acres; and that tfi
disparity is moi due 10 the.yoipntary Dc
sertion OF the farm by Tie sons OF I'll
farmer, but is attributable wholly te Ii
T., practical cxiausliono Of the material trol
which new farms al be made. Ihi7 j
clearly evidenced every tine a fraclio
l
OF an Indian reservation is thtoygn OPP.
TO settlement, as is The c~orr0llary th4
farms are no longer available in uuu
bers Sufficient to maintain an .ncreas
thereof on a parity With tits increase
:. population, These changed condition
account, in the most complete manne,
for the present and Increasing jnfiow t
the towns of 20 much OF the increase {
the rural populations.
ABIDE from the proof afforded by til
relative increase Of population, the nun
Der OF farms and the number 81 improve
acres, AS well as the number Of acre
actually under the plough, we have,
possible, better proof that The deaertioi
: the voluntary desertion, is wholly mvtl
ical, in the volume of production OF til
/ more important farm staples as relate
7 10 the whole population. III 1850 til
$ grain grown equalled 81 bushels 81
|, each unit OF the population. tn 1856 tt
Y unit quota lad increased to 3D.4 husElei
81 O"ing 10 The devastating effects of III
4 civil WGr fro ~nIaut;tv pra4ttrsI Ia, lgr-