The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-10-04
BACK TO THE FARM.
as you can

The steady movement from the rural
districts to the cities throughout the
country has become somewhat of a per-
picking problem for the reason that it
has been feared by many that the pro-
ducing class would eventually become
inadequate to supply the consumers of
American farm products. 1t is thought
this movement in some sections at
least has reached high-water mark,
and the papers are now beginning to
discuss the subject from the opposite
standpoint.
Will there be a great reactionary
movement to the farm? Will the cities
begin losing, population while the great
ranches of the Western country will be
Subdivided into smaller tracts Or high
ly cultivated soil.
These are questions that the Kansas
City Star says must be answered af-
Tentatively, because OF the large num-
Der of business consultations that are
going on from day to day. The prob
lem seems to have been suggested pri-
marily to the Star through the consol-
idation of the Memphis and Frisco sys-
tens under one management, with
headquarters in ST. Louis. e<
Attention is called to the fact. that
one set of general oirices will now be
required where formerly two did the
same work. Numbers of clerks have
been dismissed because Of the cSmbi-
nation. In all the administrative de-
partments Of these two roads oneman
now practically does the work of: two.
In. every newly formed trust. or
consolidation this same process is in
evidence. Vast numbers of men Ihaye
been thrown out of employment and
forced to see new fields Of labor
Through the period of prosperity of
the past three years most of the: men
who have been forced to find new sit
uations have been successful ! The
prosperity Of the country has obened
up new avenues Of industry that have
easily absorbed the surplus laboS.
Apparently this process Of cossoli-
dation will continue. From a phrely
business point of view the saving in
cost or production warrants the: cut
ting off Of useless employees.
Yet there must be a limit to pros
perity. The time will be reached when
commercial enterprises will be unable
to absorb the men thrown out OF en-
ployment. The factories, the street
railways, the wholesale houses and
special industries will have full com
plement of men. /
When that time comes the tide viii
inevitably turn back to the soil. . It
wiH be a choice between living :on
farm with comparative independence
and working for small salary; in
large city. There will be better eul-
tivation of the soil. Large farms Will
be subdivided among small land mold
ers. The Kansas farmer who soWs his
quarter section in wheat will in time
sell an eighty. He will diversity the
CROPS. Small fruit, vegetables and
many smaller items Of farm produc-
ton will make the gross total Of re-
ceipts per acre from farming lands
higher than it has ever been ip the
United States.
It is dimcult to tell what effect this
will have on the social life of the peo-
ple. They cannot help becoming more
thrifty. At the same time the spread
of metropolitan comforts will make ru-
raj life more attractive than ever be-
fore. there will be daily distribu-
ton of mail. There will be telephones,
county and township libraries, excel