The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-18
URBAy IuuIGR4TIoY.

The tendency of American life is city
ward. At least it has> been so during
the last decade. The census report for
1900 shows that 2S,4 ,69S people of the
United States live in cities of more than
1903 inhabitants. This is little over 81
per cent of the entire population and an
increase Of 8 per cent over the proportion
reported in 1890.
Taking into account the cities and
towns with a population of more than
800, we find that less than one-half Of the
people of the United States live in the
country, strictly.
In 1890 there were $50 places of more
than 1900 people In 1900 there were
LIS such cities, just two less than
double. For twenty years there has been
an exodus from the farm to the city. The
superior social attractions of urban life
and the more eongenial work of the fac
tory was the prime cause of this rural
migration. The same change of popu-
lation from the country to the city has
been going on in Germany under the inn
perial policy Of industrial protection.
This urban development at the expense
of the rural section however, reached
It's maximum in 1895. Since that time
the balance has been preserved and the
tide is now setting in toward the farm.
Aside from the natural reaction which
was bound to come on account of a
scarcity of farm help and the natural in
stinct of man to live from the soil.
number of circumstances have arisen to
drive the population of the city to the
land.
The formation of trades unions in near
ly every branch of industry tends to
monopolize opportunities for labor in the
city and deter the country folk from ven
turing into new fields. The combinations
of capital, doing away with individuality
among employers and eliminating the
man with small capital, makes for the
same result; while the wider knowledge
of scientific farming, by rendering the vo-
cation to a large degree certain, mas
made it attractive to those side
tracked in many other lines of endeavor.
If the consolidation of capital and the
close organization of labor in the indus
trial fields of the city will continue to
drive the surplus labor to the farm,
they will be public benefactors. 1t Is
on the soil where man is his own
master at last. When all has been said
that can be said on the subject, it is the
intelligent farmer who comes the near
est to the attainment of happiness.
Pioneer farm life is not at all IDEAL
Neither is a hap-hazard farm life-a life
conducted without plan or knowledge
of the forces that go to make up ordi-
nary success. An idea is prevalent that
any one can farm, and then some wonder
that so few make money at the business.
He who puts into his farm the same
amount of energy and brains that is ex-
pended in any other vocation to conquer
success will never have reason to com
plain of his lot.
Other forces are at work in favor of the
farm. Every new line of transportation,
every new trolley line, every automobile,
every free delivery mail route, every new
telephone line, adds to the desirability Of
farm life Year by year the state ex-
pertinent farms are giving to the people
knowledge that lightens labor and in
creases farm profits. The time is COM
ing, and that soon, when the farming
community will have it's social life, when
the drudgery of the serf will be confined
to the limits of the cay
City life at it's best is cramped and ar
tihcial The royal blood of the nation
comes from the forest, the mountain and
the field.