The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-15
THE DECLINE OF AGRICULTURE.

The subject of Governor Mounts address
before the State Grange was an important
one, and he handled it as few other men in
the country could. The decadence of agri-
culture and how to arrest it is a subject of
great Importance and universal interest.
Notwithstanding the great progress we
have made in other directions agriculture is
stiH the great American industry, the chief
source of national wealth, the mainstay Of
the greatest number of happy homes and d
conservative factor of great value in our
social and political life. ANY material deca-
dence of so important industry would be
national disaster of serious import. The
first symptoms or indications of such deca-
dence should excite public alarm. Such in
dications do exist, and are already attract
ing attention and exciting comment among
public men like Governor Mount, who are
capable of regarding the subject from a
practical as well as from a social and
political point of view. One of the most
unmistakable of these indications is the ten
dency of young men born and brought up
on farms to abandon agriculture for other
pursuits and leave the farm for the city.
Our urban population is increasing out of
all proportions to our rural population.
There is a growing tendency to depletion in
the country and congestion in the towns, re-
sulting in the Gripping of our greatest pro-
ductive industry and the increase of nom
producers and of poverty in cities. An in
terview with Senator Mitchell, of Wiscon-
sin, published by the Milwaukee Sentinel,
has just fallen under our notice, in which he
says:
The great trouble with this country is that
we are ceasing to be an agricultural people.
Everybody is tiocking to the cities and over
crOwding them, While the broad acres that
should support the population are being
neglected. L never was so impressed with
this idea ! have been since 1 have traV-
eled so extensively in the far West. II L
were young man l would jump right out
into the country and become farmer.
Governor Mount remarked on the tendency
to overcrowding in the cities, but he made
another statement which is still more sur
prising. He said that right here in Indiana,
comparatively new State and until recently
almost exclusively an agricultural State,
there are large tracts of farming lands
which have been exhausted and abandoned.
II am told,'' said the Governor. that in
Clay county alone there are 10000 acres
given over to waste. When visiting in
Switzerland county a short time ago
found immense tracts showing utter neg
lect" The Governor learned that these
lands had been exhausted by reckless and
unscientific farming year after year until
they were no longer worth cultivating.
What has become of their former owners and
the boys who were born and brought up on
them? Have they gone to cities to exc out
a half-starved existence as day laborers, or
perhaps to become Anarchists or criminals?
Exhausted and abandoned lands have been
familiar feature in some of the Eastern
States for many years, but it is a surprise
to learn that they are increasing in In
diana. Yet a majority of Indiana farmers
are to-day pursuing the very same methods
that have exhausted the lands referred to by
Governor Mount.
The question is what can be done to arrest
the threatened decline of agriculture and
stop the movement of population from farms
to cities Can the State do anything? We
doubt it. The Governor thinks that farming
can be made more attractive as well as
prOntdDle, Dy lSdCnlIlS VI lliS
science in the public schools. Il expect"
he says. Ito see law placed on the statute
books of the State this winter which will
provide for the teaching of the primary
principles of agriculture in the public
schools We question the feasibility OF
this. 1t would be adding another to the de-
partures from our common school theory,
already too numerous. The little that could
be learned of the primary principles of agri-
culture would probably be at the expense of
the primary principles OF other branches
necessary to a common school educa ion, and
the slight knowledge thus impaired would
not go far towards popularizing agriculture
as vocation The State is already doing
excellent work in this direction and disseIi.
mating knowledge of scientinc farming at
Purdue, and we doubt the propriety of try
ing to make it special branch of instruc-
ton in the public schools Whatever can
be done TO maintain the dignity and prevent
the decadence OF agriculture should be done,
but farmers themselves can do more than
| anybody else The farmers Institutes, now