The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-29

are not agreed that he who leaves the
soil to seek his subsistence In the places
OF commerce and industry learns mis- mis-
take before he dies. But as the insect
creation which inhabits the air will col.
ieet around light that illumines the
darkness of the night, so will the
thoughtless and pleasure-Ioving of hui
mainly seek the light and excitement of
the city and its market places.
How long it will be before 1t dawns on
the masses who now turn toward city life
for the realization of their worldly am
bttions that they are seeking the ignis
fatuus of old one may not say. But In
one country of Europe at least the wis
dom of all this is dawning on the people.
In the little northern land of Denmark
the movement of the masses is the re-
verse Of what it has been in our own
country for half century; 1t is to the
land, rather than away from it. 1t is
said that the new movement in Den
mark is not the outcome so much of dis
satisfaction with the conditions of life
which the Industrial system imposes on
the worker, as 1t is of the improved con-
ditions of life which have been called
into existence in the farming commuri-
ties. But that the other influence has
been felt must be plain unless we wholly
ignore the facts of the terrible struggle
which has just been brought to close
between employers and employees in in
dustrial life in Denmark.
The movement which is credited with
operating to bring the working people
of Denmark back to the soil'' has been
in operation some time, and is manifold
in its expressions. Large areas of waste
land have been reclaimed and turned
over to the people. The spirit of CO.
operation in social, as in business, life,
has been developed among the tillers of
the soil. Aside from the organiza ton of
banks founded and conducted by and
for the peoIae themselves and from the
cooperative undertakings of different
kinds which have been developed, free
lectures and evening classes for the
working people have been established
through the patriotic cooperation of the
tees for the promotion of popular
amusements and cheap literature are &C
lively at work Nearly 100 peoples high
schools" have been established in various
parts of the country. The young men
and women, from eighteen to twenty
five of the peasant and working classes,
receive board and instruction at these
high schools for several months at a
time, and especially during the winter
mouths, at the lowest possible figure,
the line Of education thus received hay
ing special reference to practical scien-
tif1c training bearing directly on matters
Of rural life and occupation; while az
most in every. village a public hall has
been erected for popular recreation and
social gatherings.
1t will probably be found after all that
it is notyin the amelioration of the condi-
tons attending the lives of those who
pursue Industrial occupations that the
true solution Of the great question of our
time isnto@be found; but that it will be
discovered rather in the rendering of the
lot of those, who live by the soil moro
endurable and by putting an end to the
habits of rural life which place the man
and the OK on the same plane, leaving
each to chew out the cud of his ex-
istence in the dull monotony of physical
toll.