Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-29
The coIIeqe Youth From the Farm

If was a hopeful and helpful address
which Prof. L. H. Bailey OF Cornell
lI University gave at the Amherst Agrl-
cultural College commencement
Wednesday. Notwithstanding the
geat urban growth and development
n the time. and the domination of the
CIV in the thought and life OF the
CU,ntry. two-thirds of the population
ar still to be found outside the large
cites: and if the open country presents
a ease of arrested development "here
better can the student at our aSricul-
tuy,I colleges look for a life Of useful
ness and leadership than in the coun-
try and among the rural population!
II is common complaint thar
mann or most of these agricultural
students seek city occupations. Inc
tendency is a natural one, for it is III
trade and transportation and manufac-
tunri NJ and. so FeIf ;tffa esttn great mate.
rial Hizes Of the time are being Won
But there is limit to possibilities,
even in this direction. and undue con-
&c stion will sooner or later compel re-
action. The country will then success
fully asSert a claim to its fair snare
of the genius and energy for develop
ment, as must inevitably be the case
since the urban life is not independent
of the non-urban and cannot MAINTAIN
progress and prosperity without cor
responding advance in the conditions
of life and industry among the Sc per
cent of the population to be found on
the farms and in the small towns.
We thus look for better times in ag-
riculture. and particularly New Eng
land hill farm agriculture. Something
is needed in the way of tax and tariff
reform and legislation in restraint of
trust monopoly to equalize industrial
conditions as between agriculture and
manufacturing: for it is not quite true.
the governor of the state to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. that fortunes
are now to be made on the farm "as
well as elsewhere" But for all this a
brighter day seems to be at hand for
our rural sections. Their isolation.
their solitude, SO destructive of spirit
and energy among men, are being
broken down by rapidly extending and
improving methods of transit. and
markets for farm products are draw
ing more and more closely to the farm.
The telephone and the rural mail de-
livery are contributing enormously TO
the tolerability and attractiveness of
rural life, and the great service Of the
electric railroad may finally be over
Swallowed by that which the auto-ve-
hicle will render.
Surely the trained young men from
the farm can no longer fail to see op-
portunity for substantial service in the
farm community. Prof. Bailey has
pointed out some lines along which
effort may be made to achieve results
of incalculable value to society. The
field is a large one and the laborers
are few. The man Of spirit and re-
sources will find opportunity for lead
ership and service where to others 1T
may not appear to exist. And il the
material reward be not great, salts
faction may be won which will prove
of far greater value to the individual.
Let these young men of the agricul-
tural and the other colleges turn back
to the home community in the same
hope and determination with which
they look toward city employment
they will find no lack of opportunity
for distinguishing service, and
achievement can easily be made tol
average higher. than in the great crush
of our present urban congestion.-i
Springfield Republican