Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-12
AMpRIcAN FARM BOYS

In the course Of recent conversation
President Roosevelt strongly MAIN
tained that country boys and youne
men should stick to the soil and to
agriculture and keep away from the
cities" Good advice but not likely ia
be needed. For life Of comfort, in
dependence and comparative freedom
from worry the country probably is
preferable TO the city. These elements.
however, do not hil the measure of the
bright American country boys ambi-
ton
It Is said TO be a fact that nine
tenths Of American men who have at
tained eminence in the various fields of
laudable activity sprang from the farm
OF the country village In almost every
country community there are ex-
amples Of ambitious youngsters who
headed for the nearest city and after
ward achieved notable success. II Is
the impression made by such achieve
ments on the minds Of bright country
boys that makes them eager to try
their fortunes in the whirl of city life.
There would be less yearning for the
cities on the part of country boys IL the
failures of their class to attain success
in city life were as conspicuous as the
successes. The failures of that kind
far outnumber the successes, but only
the latter stand out as glittering al
lurements to the country lad. Like the
stories Of tyros who go down to Wall
street and make fortunes. where one
comes into the lmelight as a winner
a dozen others who went into the same
game "comes out at the little end of
the horn"
But If there were hundred failures
to one success the eye of ambition
would overlook the hundred and rest
admiringly on the single one. The
country boy who is made of good
STUFF believes in his own ability to win
in the city whirl and he will not be
happy till he tries. The rainbow of
hope that inspires him embraces all the
prismatic colors and all are of the
brightest hue.
And then again, there is a large ele-
ment of humbug in the idea that the
farmers life is alluring because of its
presumed independence and freedom
from worry. Some very pretty things,
done both in poetry and prose, have
been written about how the farmers
life is the life for me-" but the writer's
thereof probably were not persons who
had handled farm implements.
President Roosevelt hardly can be
, rated as high-class authority in the
matter of farm life. All that he knew
about methods of agriculture in his
earlier years was gained by plowing
through New York's deep SHOWS, man
ipulating silver fork at the table and
property. And his final experiences in
the wilds of the west was in the role
of a picturesque range rancher rather
than as a plain tiler of the soil.
The cities need one class of men and
the agricultural districts another class.
The young man who is fitted to make
a good farmer must have natural
liking for the vocation, and probably
he would not prove successful in city
store, in a bank. or as a politician.
But the youth who detests the farm
may have in him the very stuff from
which to develop a merchant prince"
great financier or 3OO-pound alder
man.
American farm boys who are we'll
primed with pluck and ambition will
seek the cities in spite of all the adj
monitions of President Roosevelt and
other well-meanlng advisers. Let them
go. The cities as we'll as the country
must be supplied with the best product
of American manhood and it is chiefly
from the farms that the supply for both
must be obtained.