The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-05-31

l this and 81 onld prlle our counlryS pop,
lllaaon. When this nation began Its
independent existence II was as a ga.
ton Of farmers. The towns were
small and were for the most partimere
seaeoast trading and fishing ports,
The chief industry Of the country was
agriculture and the ordinary cilzen
was in some way connected with II. In
every great crisis Of the past a pc.
jculiar dependence has had to be plac.
ed upon the farming population; and
Ills dependence has hitherto been jug.
titled. But 1t can not be justified IN
the future II agriculture IS permitted
to sink in the scale as compared with
other employments. We can not a..
ford TO lose that prominently typical
American. the farmer who owns his
own farm.
Yet II would be idle 10 deny that In
the last half century there has been
In the eastern half Of our country 0
falling OF In the relative condition Of
1.-THE tiIIers OF the soil, although signs
are multiplying that the Nation has
walked up to the danger and Is pre-.
pairing 10 grapple effectively with Il.
East OF the Mississippi and north CT
the Ohio and the Potomac there has
been on the whole an actual shrinkage
In the number OF the farming popul1.
lion since the civil war. In the States
|of this section there has been a growth
t0f popniation-fn some an enormous
growth-bnt the growth has taken
Iplace in the cities, and especially in
the larger cities. This has been due
10 certain economic factors, such MS
1.-THE extension Of rtifrods, the devel.
opment Of machinery. and the open.
ings for Industrial success afforded by
the unprecedented growth OF cities,
The increased facility Of communlca,
tti0n has resulted IN the withdrawal
from rural communities OF most OF
the small, widely distributed MANI.
featuring and commercial operations
Of former times. and the substitution
therefor Of the centralized commercial
and manufacturing industries Of the
cities.
The chief offset 10 the various ten.
denotes Which have told against tho
farm has hitherto come In the rise OF
the physical sciences and their appll.
cation TO agricultural practices or to
the rendering Of country conditions
more easy and pleasant. But these
c0untcrraflfng forces are as yet IN
their infancy. As compared with &
few decades ago, the social or coli
munity life Of country people in the
east compares less well than It for.
merry did with that OF the jewellers In
cities. Many country communities
have host their social conference, their
sense OF community interest. In sn;h
communities the country church, rpl
instance, has gone backward both as
Il social and a religious factor. Now
: we can not TOO strongly insist upon
the fact that 1t Is quite as unfortunate
to have any social as any economus
falling on. Il would be a calamity 10
have our farms occupied by n lower
.Itype Of people than the Woodworking
=. self-rcspecting, independent, and es
sentially manly and womanly men and
women who have hitherto coastitu.
cd the most typlcally American, and
on the whole the most valuable. Gle
ment In our entire nation. Ambitious
nalive.b0rn young men and women
who now tend away from the farm
must be brought back to It. and there
.iiore they must have social as well as
| economic opportunities. Everything
: should be done to encourage the growth
) In the open farming country of such
; institutional and social movements ~
J Twill meet the demaud Of the hest type
! of farmers. There should be libraries
assembly halls, social organizations Of
! Ill kinds. The school building md
. the teacher in the school building
! should. throughout tho country dis
| trlcts, be Of the very highest type, able
+. TO 1T. the boys and girls not merely lc
Illve In, but thoroughly to enjoy and
, 10 make the most Of the country. The
country chHrch mHst be revived. All
. kinds Of agencies, from rural free de
livery to the bicycle and the telephone
+. should be utilized TO the utmost; good
i. roads should he favored: everything
should be done to make Il easier FIT
the farmer TO lead the most active
and effective Intellectual, political AMI
economic life.
!, There are regions Of large extent
/ where all this, or most Of this, has
already been realized; and while this
Is. perhaps especially true Of great
j.. tracts Of farming country west Of the
Mississippi, with some of which
hnpa fo{r{,, t, ,,ar-onof J,.....,3