The Delta independent., 1907-03-22

meet it, or we shall meet conditions of
ovcrcrowding and artificial standards
and food and employment Inadequate to
the national needs, and So bc in danger
of destroying the stately temple once
reared with the highest hopes that ever
animated humanity. Which is it to be?
If we arr to walk safely in the way
of wisdom, there is much to be done.
1t is time TO begin. There must be.
first. a return to conservative and econ
omic methods, a readjustment Of ma
tional IDEAS such az to place agriculture.
and its claims to the best intelligence
and the highest skill that the country
affords, in the very forefront. There
must he national revolt against the
worship of manufacture and trade as
the only forms of progressive activity,
and the false notion that wealth built
upon these at the sacrifice of the fun
iamcntal form of wealth production
can endure. A clear recognition on the
part OF the whole people, from the
highest down to the lowest, that the
tilagc of the soil is the natural and
most desirable occupation for man. to
which every other is subsidiary and to
which all else must in the end yield. is
the first requisite. Then there will be
check administered to the city move
mcnt that lowered the percentage of
agricultural labor to the whole body of
persons engaged in gainful occupations
IN the United States from forty-four
and three -tenths in 1880 to thirty seven
and seven -tenths in 1890 and to thirty
tive and Scvcn-tcnths in 1900. With
public interest firmly fixed upon the
future, the country, in mere sclf-pres-
trvatIon, must give serious attention to
the practical occupation of restoring
agriculture to its due position in the
nation.
Tne government should establish
small model farm on its own land in
every rural congressional district, later
perhaps in every county in the agricul-
tural states. Let the Department of
Agriculture show exactly what can be
done on a small tract of land by proper
cultivation, moderate fertilizing and
due rotation of crops. The sight of the
helds and their contrast with others,
Chc knowledge of yields secured and
profits possible, would be worth more
than all the pamphlets poured out from
Lhc government printing office in years.
The government ought not to hesitate
before the comparatively small expense
and labor involved in such a practical
encouragement of what is the most i'm
portant industry of our present and the
stay and promise of our future. Dis
scminate knowledge of farming as it
should and must be, instead of main
tanning the pitiful bribe of few free
seeds. Declare everywhere, from the
executive chamber, from the editorial
office, from the platform. and, above
from every little school-house in the
land. the new crusade. Let the zeal
for discovery, for experiment, for sci
entihc advancement that has made he
focus itself upon the problems of the
oldest of sciences and arts; the corner
stone of all civilization: the improve
ment of tillagc and making grow two
grains where only one grew befo ore.
Only thus may multiplying population
secure its permanent maintenance. On
iy thus may the struggle for existence
that has power to either curse or bless
be brought to any other termination
than the peace of death.
a PICTURE OF REALITY,
have not drawn upon fancy for
single detail of this picture. This grow
ing increase of population, its rise to
over 2oO, 100000 before 1850, the ap-
preaching exhaustion of much of our
mineral wealth. the vanishing of our
public domain, the deterioration of our
soil, the terrible need which these must
bring. the strain on institutions and the
stress of industrial perpleXity or decline
arc as certain as the passage of the
years. l have given you the facts,
drawn from authentic sources. and in
every case under rather than over stat
ed. Let them be examined. criticised.
compared with official records. For
this is not controversy about theories,
but plain statement of natural facts
in the light of natures laws. Then let
the statesmen. the writers and the
thoughtful workers of to-day say if
they are not true. If true, what are
we to do? Where, save in concentra-
ton of national effort upon that first
and last resource of man ever since he
left Eden, is there sure escape and