The Atlanta constitution., 1900-04-09
Improvement of Farm Life.


We print elsewhere, from the pen of
President Charles W. Dabney, of the
University OF Tennessee. an article on
the Improvement OF farm life. which
has TO do with a subject of pressing in
terest.
President Dabney does not overstate
the case when he describes the great
disasters attendant upon the abandon
ment of farm life. The heart of every
country is in its rural strength. The
homes OF a happy and self-supporting
people dotted all over the country.
are the best guarantees OF law and or
der. and the very highest evidence OF
genuine prosperity. II is a mistake
TO measure advancement by the mere
question of dollars and cents which
pass through the exchanges or by the
increase OF factories and warehouses /
where cOngested humanity seeks an
outlet. \ higher and a greater evil
dence of prosperity-that kind which
viii extend through the coming gem
erauons-is TO be found in the devel-
opment Of strong. self-reliant men and
women, masters OF their own actions,
subject TO the orders Of no employer.
exercising upon their wide acres all
the attributes of sovereignty and pre-
pared 10 illustrate all that is best and
noblest OF their country whenever the
occasion demands. Ii was such pop
ulati0n as this which existed i'm the
south in the days before 1860, and il
was due TO the spirit of not only the
men. but the women of such a condi-
tiOn. that a great minority was en-
abled TO keep up an unequal struggle
for four long years.
The rebuilding OF our country homes
is one OF the greatest works which
now lie ahead of the people of the
south. Every man a farmer and every
man living upon his farm. will furnish
as many fOrtresses against attack as
there are farms For the creation of
this condition il is necessary. OF course.
that there should be a good market re-
turn for all the farmer has TO offer.
This can only he attained by diversif-
cation in work. and by an intelligent
vigilance in regard TO the markets.
Right al the present moment there is
some danger. owing to the high prices
which have prevailed for cotton OF
OVERRIDING that work: hut there is yet
time To correct this mistake. if il is
imminent. The farmers OF the south
can rely upOn il that there will be a
good market Tor cotton during the COM
ing fall. but they can also rely upon
the fact that there will be a good mar
kot for breadstuffs OF every kind and
for live stock. Therefore. every farm
er in the country should undertake a
reform Of his own by devoting all the
energy necessary to the satisfaction OF
his home wants. and then if he sees
around him markets for a surplus OF
those other crops. he should undertake
that in preference to the raising of cot
ton.
Professor Dabney touches upon an
other question which comes home TO
farm life. and that is the Indifference
which has been manifested in many
sections i'm regard To local improve
ment. An over-attention has been Civ
en- to great political questions TO the
neglect of the public roads and the
schoolhouse. There is much truth in
this statement of President Dabney. 1t
had its proyocatiOn in that for the
years past an outside attack has been
made. not only upon the territorial
solidarity OF the south. but upon the
civilization of her people as well. 1t
was necessary to meet this issue. but
as has been eIOquently stated by Hon.
u. 4 TOmpkins. AnglO-SaXOn civiliza-
ton has met this attack and conquer
ed: and now for the first time our peo-
pie are in a condition TO look more
closely into their home affairs. Here
in Georgia We have many evidences of
the growth OF this feeling. We have
certain counties in which no extra ef-
fort has been made for Improvement.
Constrasted with them we have large
number OF counties. such as Floyd.
Pulaski. Troup and many others. which
have undertaken extra efforts to build
up and to thrive. Washington coun-