The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-08-11
The Agricultural Renascence in North Carolina.

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is away from the farm, there is a tide toward the
farm now the like of which was never known. The
ancient curse of the farm has been lifted. For
there was a curse upon it. Had there not been,
human instinct would have kept the entire race
on the farm. Fleeing from this curse men have
built the cities and the shops of the world; and
out of these cities and shops have come not only
the farmers market, but his present deIiverance
from the ancient curse. 1t is not the curse of
labor. Men labor everywhere, and every man
thinks his work is hardest. It is not the curse of
poverty. There are more poor people in the cities
than on the farm. We have no problem of the
rural poor. 1t is the curse of Isolation. Mans
longing for society, for contact, for conhict-his
gregarious, sheeplike nature, against which he so
often revolts, but which holds him fast and sends
him to church, to school, to political convention
and to city and town-moves him away from the
farm. This curse of isolation made him ignorant,
for the countenance of man-according to Solo
mons the great educator. This curse made
him the prey of the organized forces; for it pre-
vented him from organizing. This curse made
him a laggard in lfes race, cutting him off from
the worlds great forward marching, and he has
followed fifty years in the rear. This curse de-
prived him of the comforts and luxuries that his
city brethren enjoy.
But see how this curse has been destroyed. Here
is the day of good roads, striking it's blow upon
the head of the dragon, Isolation. Here is the
free rural delivery striking it's blow. Here is
the quick transportation-fourteen hours from
North Carolina farms to New York City-strik-
ing its blow, making the truck and fruit and
chicken business lucrative. Here is the agricul-
tural college striking it's blow. Here is the rural
graded school and it's library striking their
blow. Here is the return of mans ancient
love for Mother Nature striking its blow.
Here are the beginnings of organization
striking their blow. Isolation is dying and dying
fast. And with it will go ignorance and preju-
dice. And in their stead will come intelligence
and clear-headedness and progress, and such con-
tent as man is suffered to have.
Of such is the Agricultural Renascence. Mark
how great are the forces that are making for the
supremacy of the farm, coming, you will observe,
from the cities, every one of them. But these are
not all. The factories have carried away 100000
tenants, many of whom were and-destroyers and
made of them consumers of farmers food-stutfs
and purchasers of farmers cotton and tobacco and
truck. At the same time the negro has migrated to
a degree, and the farmers have wanted labor. But
this IS likewise an advantage. Less labor will
make for intensive farming, will demand more in
teAlgenJ farming, Will put d premium uPOn uP
date farming-rotation, truck business, cattle
and dairy business, quick marketing, and organi-
cation. The forces behind the farmer today are
compelling forces. He cannot resist them. He
must fall in with them and rise or he must fall
out and pass away. They will try many; and the
strong and worthy will survive.
This is the farmers day. His land is increas-
ing in value. His condition has vastly improved.
He 10 No longer isolated. His commercial situa-
ton is stronger and his political and social IN
+ fuence is inevitable. We shall have factories IN
North Carolina; and, we hope, a city or two. But