The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-25
DECLINING RURAL POPULATION.
The Outlook for Agriculture in the
 Middle Western States.

The Outlook for Agriculture in the
 Middle Western States.
 A recent State census indicates that while the town and city population of Iowa is increasing, its rural population is decreasing. Grundy is cited as a typical Iowa agricultural county. Grundy Center, it's county seat, is growing. but in 1895 the population of the entire county was 144s1; in 1900 1S,- 759; and in 1905. 1S,s64 "There are fewer people on the farms of Iowa, :" the Cedar Rapids Republican believes. than there were even 20 years ago, and it is probably right.
 There is no special reason why Iowa should be alarmed. What is taking place there has taken place elsewhere in Illinois, for instance. One cause of the loss of rural population is the increased value of land. Many of the rising generation of farmers, hay ing much muscle and enterprise and little money and no land, go to new States where land is cheap. Many Iowa land owners are selling out to
 men from Illinnois and other older States. The Illincisan who sells his land for s125 to s15O an acre takes his money to Iowa, where, at $S0 to $100 an acre, it will buy more acres than he had in Iowa. Tho interest," ipo yon,narnofst j.f no,,,,lo tior fapdr +n increase the size of farms and decrease the number Of farmers in the State it affects.
 Another potent cause of the de- crease in rural population in old States is improvements in farm machinery. Think how many men it would take to plant, cultivate and harvest this years crop without the drill, the riding blow, the steam reaper, the mower and any number of oter implements that might be mentioned. Agricultural impliments are being improved every year. The more they are improved the less men farm work takes.
 Formerly the farmer no matter how | well of he was, stuck to the farm house to the last, even after he had be- come unfit for hard work. Today the { farmer who has acquired competence often moves into the nearest village or ! town when he gets along in years and enjoys his ease. He may rent his farm or let one of the boys work 1t, If he 1 has many sons he may set up one in i business in the village. The drift of population from the farms is not ex- i clusively to the large cities. The small places get their share of it. The popu- lation of the villages and towns in sev- eral Illinois counties has increased, while that of the rural townships has 1 declined.
 But the decline in rural population 1 in Iowa and other Middle Western States will be brief Soon all the available agricultural land in the country will be taken. Soon the growth of towns and cities will make neighboring farm lands in old States so valuable that, to render it's owner ship profitable, intensive culture will be necessary Pease and tomatoes, gooseberries and strawberries will sup plant cattle and corn. Four hundred acre farms, steam blows and thrash-. ing machines are not adapted to inten- sive culture. It means small farms and human labor. With intensive culture the agricultural States vii get back their lost farmers and farm workers and thousands besides.- Chicago Tribune.