The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-19
COUNTRY BOYs IN THE CITY.

SHOULD young man from the coun-
try seek a city career?" The Boston
Globe asks the old. old question, dis
cusses it at length, and reaches the
conclusion that sit depends on the boy
himself in each individual instance"
And that, indeed, is the sum and sub
stance of it. There are boys and boys
in the country. Some of them would
never amount to anything anywhere.
They would not know an opportunity
if they were to see it, and would not
be able to take advantage of it if
they were to recognize it. And then
there are other country boys who will
get ahead, anyhow, whether their lots
are cast in the city or the country.
Meanwhile, it may be observed that
it will be a bad day for the city when
the country boys cease to come to it.
They bring energy, health, enthusiasm
and the capacity for work with them.
They bring simple and strong ideas of
right and wrong with them, and it
may be asserted without fear of sue
cessful contradiction that the average
country boy who comes to the city is
pretty well grounded in a correct code
of moral ethics. He knows what right
is, and it is his wish and endeavor
to do right. He is not afraid or work.
He knows nothing of the "city by
electric light" and cares very little
about it. He has a purpose in view,
and he strives theoretically to achieve
II In too M nv iYSta ucac tho oit1 how
is taken up with social engagements, a
consideration of the cut of his coat, the
crease of his trousers or the shade of
his gloves. The country boy endeavors
to keep his face and his conscience
clean, and his hands and brain busy,
and pays minor attention to details of
dress.
Some of the most active and brainy
business and professional men in the
cities came direct from the farms,
without capital save healthy minds
and stomachs and strong ambition.
Being eager and able, they have work.
ed their way to the top. And yet the
fact must not be lost sight of that all
country boys who go to the city do not
succeed. Some of the poorest of the
poor in the city are from the country.
In the slums will be found those who
abandoned farm life under the impress
sion that a mere move into the city
would mean good living if not wealth
and ease. Such persons would not sue
coed anywhere. They have not the ca
pacity for success. And that brings us
around again to the Globes conclusion:
1T depends on the boy himself in each
individual instance
Life in the country, on the farm,
however, is not so isolated and cheer
less as in former days. Good roads,
the daily newspaper, the bicycle, the
rural free delivery of mail, the i'm
proved country school, the telephone,
the neighborhood church, have each
contributed to tightening and brighten
ing life in the country. The farmer
and his family are now enabled to
keep in touch with the outside world,
and as a matter of fact are generally
better informed with respect to cur
rent events of the world than the av-
erage city family occupying relatively
a similar position as respects income
and social status. Those who live in.
the country read and remember. Those
who live in the city oftener than other
wise read and forget, because there
are so many things to demand their
attention. And the improvement of
country conditions is steadily pro-
crossing. They are much better now
than they were ten years ago, and they
will be better ten years hence than
they are now. This ought to have the
effect of decreasing the drift from the
country to the city, and it no doubt
will do so. Meanwhile, we say let the
country boys of brains and capacity
come to the city. There is room and a
demand for them. No city ever had
too many country boys of the right
sort. They are the mainstay of the
country. May the rewards of their
merit never be less!