The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-03

where apply forces for the uplifting or
mankind
The topic assigned me is Agricultural
ton. II Will limit my remarks to
one Sline-Education necessary for the
GToilers upon American Farms.
AS we look at the United States from
from one point we are amazed at its mar
5velous growth, the wonderful additions
to its wealth and power. the rapid In
crease of its cities. it's manufactures,
Its commerce, and the phenomenal de-
velopment Of I'LL Its resources, until we
are ready to cry wonderful! wonderful!
wonderful! Let US chnnge our view point
and we noto that some of Its prosperity
Is more seeming than real; that our
harvests have been made at the expense
OF the wealth OF the soil; that our lands
are becoming Impoverished; that there
has been general lowering Of the civ!li-
cation of the country by the removal
OF the most Intelligent and progressive
classes to the city, and especially of the
more ambitious young men. and their
places filled by foreign-born people from
the south OF Europe,
Thinking people note with alarm the
rapid growth OF Cities as compared with
the country: the concentration of wealth
in the cities, and the gradual transfer
of political influence from the country to
the city.
EOII4 LOW LII 1cvU u Ilc IOldl gum III
populn ton In the United States was
13.ll0S72. OF which the cities made
7,643.Sl7, or bs.3 per cent. and the country
gained 5,467Q5o or All per cent. Farms
including improvements and stock, now
furnish only one-hfth of the total value
OF the property of the United States.
While rural conditions are actually no
worse than they were thirty years ago.,
relatively they are worse. Rural condi-
lions in many Of the States and espe-5
cially in the Southern States, have chang
ed but little in thirty years. Inc houses
are a little moro dilap1dated: tho fences
give evidence of moro decay: the high
ways carry moro water In the wet season
and are somewhat less easily travelled
in the dry; but the environments are.
about the same; no paint, and slight evil
dence Of thrift; the same old mule stands
at the door with his rope line on the
ground. hitched to O plow that Adam re-.
jected as not up-to-dnte; the same old
bushes are IN the fields, and the same
old weeds In the fence corners: no strange
sights disturb tho serenity of Rip Van
Winkle; wages nre about the same, and
the conditions Of farm life are almost
exactly as they were thirty years ago.
Tho Southern States arc not the only
sufferers from this failure OF the agri-5
cultural forces to keep step with the
progress OF the world. From 1890 to 1000
there was marked decline In the value
Of farm property In New York, Penn
sylvanin, New Jersey, Delaware, and all
the New England States. except Nlassa-
chusetts. It was two millions IN Della
ware, and les millions In New York,
This is attributable solely to relative
decline In productive capacity Of the rural
portions of these States and to the strong
compensation OF the manufacturing in
tercsts. The productive power OF farm
workers differs widely In different States
For, tho sake of comparison, we will
take Vermont, Iowa. North Carolina,
South Carolina and Alabama, Each farm
labor In Vermont produces an average
Of $327.37 annually In farm crops; adding
500 the average income from stock per
laborer and we have q total earning
capacity OF $Al7.a7 for each person en-
ployed upon the farms of that State.
Each farm worker In Iowa produces
$Gll,1l ANNUALLY In farm crops; adding the
income froom stock, $f7.OO, md each
working person shows productive power
of $1,077.11 annually.
Estimated In the same way, the total
annual productive power OF each worked
on tho farms Of South Carolina is $l47.40;
In North Carolina Sl5a,T5; In Alabama,
$1bO,OS,
The young man meets this problem;
Shall lie stay OF tho farm, accept the
wages Offered, ana i've tne coH!otl'ess
life such wages can provide, or shall he
20 to the city. where he can earn three
10 five times as .mucN and have what
his ambition gdsplres ton II that Is the
whole Of the proposition. and he Is u man
Of Judgement and energy. he will 90 70
the city. The number that make this
choice will increase In geometl9cal ratio
as long as rural conditions remain us
they are.
Who takes the places Of those thrifty
young Americans who abandon the farm?
In the main. the foreigner; and as long
as the foreigner camo from tho north Of
EUROPE that exchange WAS not especially
detrimental; for the thrifty German and
Scandinavian soon became excellent
Americans, Later their places have been
taken by thousands from the south Of
Europe to the end that rural conditions
arc worse IN many districts than for
lnerly.
1t is simply an Industrial Invasion Of
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