The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-06-29
The Census Returns Are Very Dis.
appointing.

appointing.
AS the census reports for Iowa are be
ing tabulated they show losses in
nearly all parts of the state. We have
not noticed single gain from any coun-
try precinct in the state thus far and
Take Fremont county, for instance.
Every township has shown decided
loss and every town has shown loss
show small gains. In Page county, in
and Clarinda, the total population of the
This is the general tale from all parts of
few other towns show gratifying gains
general losses over the state.
What are the causes of the losses and
what lessons can we learn from them?
The chief cause is undoubtedly the
general drift of the population into the
proving method of farming by labor
required to do the work on any partic-
uidi i"fhl 10 uSCieasiHS year ny yedi.
Steam and steel are taking the place of
human muscle on the farm. In the old
days the raising of forty acres of corn
meant big lot of work. There was the
stalk cutting, the narrowing, the mark
ing out, the planting one row at time
and the slow process of cultivating.
Now machine goes into an untouched
field and the first time across the field
0nn1nfac hn no of 11a nj
ing two rows and at the end of day
has thirty acres of planted corn to it's
credit. The cultivation is done in the
the same way. The cultivating and
harvesting are done in the same siren
uous manner. There being little for the
boys to do on the farms they are drift
ing away. They are drawn to the great
cities because of the great opportuni-
ployment in the new industries, and be-
cause, we are sorry to say, of the allure
ments there for pleasure. Iowa has no
able to keep pace in population with
those that do have. But not all the
losses from the farms are to the cities.
young men 10 other states in search of
SHCdpCf lduus AHlSSouIl, ShlduOilltt,
Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Idaho, Dakota,
the young men from the Iowa farms.
The small towns of Iowa are dependent
wholly upon the farms for support and
the loss of farm population necessarily
reduces the business and the population
Of the towns. Its currents for the
changes in conditions sweep along with
must adapt ourselves to the changed
conditions as best we can.
Should farm prices be reduced? BY
no means. The productive quality of
Iowa farms will keep the price high.
The Iowa farms will continue to feed
the growing multitudes in the great
cities and with the increasing demand
for food products the price will adj
vance. We think there will never be
any fifteen cent corn again. The corn
land of the world is limited but the de-
mand for corn is unlimited. A good
Iowa farm is today the very best piece
of property any man can own. 1t will
remain valuable in spite of any losses of
population. The demand for the prod
ucts to supply the great markets will
keep the farm valuable. But there will
i De feaculOn IN pOpulaUlSn. iowa Will
not remain forever corn field. It's rich
soil will produce abundantly of fruits
and vegetables and other crops and di-
versitied farming will bring to the farms
increasing number of men to raise the
crops. The big land owners will die
and their farms will be divided. Fac
tory towns will grow in the state and
will become less and less depend
ant upon the farm communities for sup
port, while they will create local de
mand for products of the farm. The
men who have left good old Iowa il
search of cheap land, after trial O
desert and mountain and swamp anc
sand and clay and stone, will turn long
ingly to the rich loan of the Nishns
and ,Nodaway valleys and the Other
garden spots of this state and will re
turn as did the prodigal son of old ant
will eat,again of the fatted calves.
Iowa may have lost few people bu
we are not, discouraged. She is goot
and faithful and we intend to pin on
faith to her.-Shenandoah Sentinel
Post.