The weekly true Democrat., 1907-08-30
IMAGINARY HAPPINESS
OF THE CITY LIFE
Farms Are Being Deserted--BacA to
Farm Now the Cry.

and especially from the cities where
the population is becoming so terribly
congested that the problem of handling
il is becoming a serious one indeed.
Farms in all sections of the country
are being deserted, and those who
formerly occupied them are exchanging
farm life for city life, and the problem
is indeed growing to be one of very
serious nature, one that is commanding
the best thought of our country.
While many are moving from the farms
to town, few, if any, are ever inspired
to move from town to the farms.
The sole ambition of the farmers son
seems to be to- turn his back on the
farm as soon as he attains to the age
when he is expected to look out for him
self and get job in the nearest town
or city as a clerk or something else,
dreaming that this constitutes the ideal
life and gives freedom from manual la.
Dor, and once the boy from the farm
has worn the stiff collar and "biled'
shirt and been town "dude" there is
no use trying to tell himof the beauties
and freedom of country life. The pure
fresh air, the singing of birds, the early
call of the barnyard rooster are no
longer sweet to him, the first love of
HIS illG has given pave W lilC oNtSih-
osity of city ways and he is as much a
prisoner as the man in Jail.
AS matter of course there is a rea-
son for ell of this and the reason lies in
the fact that country life has not been
surrounded with the advantages and
pleasures it was entitled to. The law
makers of the land have legislated in
favor Of the classes rather than the
masses, the great combinations of cap
ital have had every protection that the
law could give. The farmer, with the
product of his toll, has been completely
at the mercy Of the manipulatOrs of the
markets, and the producer, who, of all
others, should have an acquaintance
with the value of his product, has had
no voice whatever in fixing its selling
price This system is largely RESPONSE
BILE for the conditions of today and the
restlessness Of the farming classes
and their dissatisfaction with their lot
in life.
Another strong reason why so many
leave the farm and seek homes in the
cities and towns is the miserable con-
dition of the country highways Nobody
cares to be buried in the country for
ever, but as conditions now exist the
man and his family who live in the
country any distance from town are
practically cut off from the rest of the
world because the miserable condition
Of the roads prevent them from visit
ing or being visited. The American is
social in his nature and as a rule, if he
can help it, he will endure no life which
shuts him off from communication with
his fellow man.
There is no question about it, there
are many men in the country who
L.,
doctors, manufacturers, etc, and these |
should seek the cities and towns, be- |
cause that is where they belong to full |
ly develop their powers, but there are
also thousands of men in the cities |
struggling for a living, scarcely making |
both ends meet, who would make ideal
farmers, and these should go to the |
farms for their own good and the good |
Of the country.
Economist who study conditions view |
with no little alarm the present drift of |
the population from the farms TO the |
cities and towns and they see. and in no
very distant future very serious state |
Of affairs unless something is done to
stem the tide, but what to do or how to |
do it are the propositions that demand |
the attention of the best and deepest |
thinkers.
OnG Dldn WHICH 'COInIHeluS lLSell anu |
which Just now is receiving the atten- |
ton of the United States government |
is the introduction of farmers from |
foreign countries. For the most part |
the older countries are so densely popu- |
lated, both in the farming districts and
in the cities, that the people of those
countries welcome any plan that prom
ises relief from the congestion, and /
large numbers of them will doubtless |
come and make good and industrious |
citizens, bringing into cultivation mil
lions of acres of waste land and there
by adding millions Of dollars to the val
ues Of the country.
Within the past few years there has 1
been a decided decrease in the values |
Of farm properties, or in other words, |
farm lands have not kept pace with the |
increase in other properties, although |
farm products have enjoyed a healthy /
increase in selling prices.
No legitimate business pays a larger
or surer profit on the capital and labor !
invested than farming. At times the I
labor is hard but il is the most inde-
pendent life on earth, and no class Of
people enjoy the commanding position
that the farmers do If they would only |
make good their opportunities and de-
mand their rights.