The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-21
Editorial Section.
Keeping the Farms Going.

TN CONNECTION with Mr.. Stickney' u remarks On
) the creation Of . great market town, one ought
to pay attention to the corrolary Of his state
ment that the town is not now greater than the
country it serves The market town is limited by
the area which is tributary to it except in far
its peculiar situation with regard to transportation
may give it portion Of the territory geographically
belonging to some other town. .8.s Isl 5
There is one other qualification and that is that
the market town must be prepared to buy well
as to SELL The market town which does not take
care to gather in and distribute all of the kinds
crops in its territory will lose part Of its ter
ritory not only with regard to the kind OF property
which it does not care for, but with regard to many
others, for producers will naturally buy where they
can sell, and where they can sell their main staple
to the best advantage there they will take their by
products also and there they will buy everything
they need. #sg
Cost Of transportation aside, distributing points
are therefore quite apprecably the product of the
character Of the population Of the market town. If
its business men and bankers are alert and full
of zeal for their locality they can do much to
solidate all the trading with their territory into
their own streets and lanes. Tug .as s ~
s But here is still another element to which Mr.
Stickney did not make special ausion, and that is
the necessity that the market town help to build
up the territory back Of ii. The town is ordinarily
so taken up With increasing Its population and
power that it leaves the problem Of filling up the
farming lands to the railroads and land companies
The market town ought to cooperate with the rail
roads and the land dealers to that the good lands
taken up by the right kind Of settlers and that
the best kind Of crops for the mutual profit Of the
country and the town are raised.
In addition the market town has vital interest
in practical farm education. Mr. Stickney went a
little too far in saying that agriculture lasts for
ever. 1t is almost easy to wear out farm as it
is to wear out a mine and as a matter Of fact the
farms of Minnesota. The first generation Of farmers
in the northwest probably did more harm than good.
They robbed the soil and gave back nothing to it.
The second generation conceived the idea Of giving
the land rest by change Of occupation. Diversified
farming has arrested in measure the process of
destruction. It will take the third generation Of
farmers to learn practically the lesson of renewing
the soil that it may become true that after the
farms have yielded their billions Of value there are
just as many billions left there before. =
This lesson is being taught in a scientific manner
by practical schools One Of the best in the country
is the Minnesota state school Of agriculture. It
behooves the traders and manufacturers Of the
ket town Of MinneapolsSt Paul to take an interest
in and foster this institution which is doing more
for the next generation Of farmers and hence more
for the permanent prosperity of this market town
than any other one agency