Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-26
FARM OF THE FUTURE
Home of Culture, Happiness
and Prosperity.
METHODS MUST CHANGE
Management Must Be Intelligent
and Business-Like.
WHY BOYS CROWD TO THE CITY
No Opening for Ambition Under
Present wastefus Conditions in
the Country.
WHY BOYS CROWD TO THE CITY
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Northern Electrical Manufacturing Son-
pany of Madison, Wis. referring to a re-
cent letter from Albany about the aban-
doned farms in the state of New York.
calls my attention to paragraph in
recent number of the Tribune Farmer
in respect to the decline of farm lands In
northeastern Ohio, which are now being
abandoned like those in New England
and New York, because u the lack OF
labor John Gould, who writes the
article, says that cit Is not because these
lands are worthless, or that they cannot
produce crops The answer to why they
are being abandoned Is summed UP In
the fact that in the new plan of wage
earning one loses caste who milks COW,
and 50 young men seek modern methods
and far-away opportunities. 1t was once
the ambition of our young men to pe
their own taskmasters and possess tneir
own homes. Now it Is to work on sal
airy and count eight hours days en-
ployment."
mo doubt the present scarcity OF farm
labor is due largely to the fact that the
majority of farmers sons nave 1or years
been drifting into industrial centers away
from the FARMS" said Mr.. Fox yesterday.
'fbut 1 have lived on both sides of the
proposition, and believe that I am in
position to sympathize with at least
some Of the young fellows who have been
leaving the farms. believe that a ma
jority of them are going to the cities be-
cause of that very ambition-to be their
own taskmasters and possess their own
homes. and not, as Mr.. Gould suggests,
because of the lack of it.
but 1t is no. the boys fault" continued
Mr.. Fox. when farmer gives his
son, first of all. a higher development
Of the intelligence which is born in him,
50 that through education he may broad
en- his understanding, and when, in adj
son the privileges and advantages which
his developed intelligence should COM
mand of applying his knowledge to the
business of constructive farming. and of
then. will the boy be contented to stay
on the farm: and more. / venture to
say, he will then choose it in preference
to any other, livelihood. I do not know
of any other business that would stand
the reckless waste and losses now COM
mon upon the farm, because of absolute
lack OF intelligent direction. / do not
know of any business today which Is SO
much in need of well-directed thought,
genius and thorough business engineering.
do not know of any business promising
gres ter returns for the proper application
of brains, capital and industry than farm
ing. That agriculture Is the most potent
factor In determining the wealth and
the qualities of the people needs no great
err proof than appears in the annual re-
port of James Wilson, Secretary OF Agri-
culture at Washington. When the whole
country is trembling with apprehension
concerning the finances. when all other
resources are in jeopardy, the first ques-
ton asked is. how are the crops and
what have the farmers in store?
Economists generally state 1t as prin-
ciple that agriculture Is necessarily slower
in its development than the mechanical
1t f-s- k1x-t~
material of production and profit: such,
for instance. as milling and the manufac-
| ture Of foodstuffs, slaughter and packing
| houses railway transportation, etc. In
| this I am inclined to disagree to a large
extent. for in this age, at least, there are
/ no longer good reasons for the continue
ton of primitive methods in agriculture.
| In the judicious selection Of seeds and In
telligent handling OF soils the farmer may
| increase his output per acre by 10 to 80
| per cent, and sometimes even more.
| There can be no surer source OF profit
| than in the solution of the great problems
| of breeding live stock: though, in spite of
| this the real breeders. the geniuses. the
| originators, designers and builders of i'm
proved grains and live stock may almost
be counted on the fingers of one hand.
There is but one Burbank, and there are
| no Americans in the same class with such
| great British originators as ColHng,
| Cruickshanks or McCombie and other
| great IOunQeIS lOI tDe DEScUS VI i've SlcSh.
True there are some noted American
| breeders of various kinds Of live stock.
| particularly of the American trotter. Few
| of them, however, very few indeed. can
be classed as great when compared with
| the European originators of breeds.
| VERY few of the improved farm imple-
ments have been invented or designed by
farmers" continued Mr.. Fox. THE farm
| has never produced but one Babcock and
at the present rate very much fear will
| Iii IT,,
century. Agriculture needs more men of
| such mental caliber in its work. men of
| inventive genius, who will introduce the
utmost economy into every process and
| department OF farming. as it is applied in
manufacturing. and in reality 1t as a
straight manufacturing proposition.
There is another question in farming.
| however, which Is today demanding
greater attention than the question OF
originating breeds; namely, business econ
ony, and II is this very question, l be.
lieve, which is driving tho best young
men from the farms"
MANY famous captains of industry,
bankers, railway managers ana otheI
business magnates have been farmers
/ boys" I suggested.
Yes" replied Mr.. Fox. that is GER
tainly true. My observation has shown me
| that very many young men make rapid
advancement after leaving the farms and
entering the industrial field. Their early
Gus. perseyering and patient. Farm boys.
as a class are thrown more upon their
own resources, and therefore are natur-
| ally more observant, and, upon entering
into the employment of other industries,
are quickly spotted because of their physi-
cal force, patience and resourcefulness
and are in consequence. rapidly advanced
into positions of responsibility.
One needs only to study the pages of
the business directories or go through
some of the large manufactures. partsc-
| ularly of the m .ddle west, to find that the
positions of responsibility there are large
| iy in the hands of sturdy western farm
bred Young men. Closer scrutiny of these
young men ana their daily habits reveal
| further that their advancement 'is conse-
quent upon their patience and Willingness
to analyze details, and to master force
| fully the difficulties they encounter AS
soon as they show ability to do these
things they are given the opportunities to
do them. and responsibilities are placed
upon them, hence personal develop
ment and its attendant compensation
The work 10 made attractive by
offering the opportunity for development
and the prospect of remuneration for val
liable services. The result OF all this is
that the best young sinew and brains OF
our country Is gradually drifting into in.
dustrial lines, and the development OF
agriculture Ii left, In great measure ir
the hands Of men who are not only will
Il ing to milk the cows, but to continue te
milk them all their lives. utterly devoid OF
high ambition or ability to see beyond.
|, 81 can name a large number Of promi.
nent business men of my own personal &C.