The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-05


one hundred farmers, representative
of the whole class, in Missouri. Kan
sas. Nebraska aud Oklahoma. have
answered the question. "What's Wrong
on the Farm?"
At first this evidence of public in
terest in farm families was disconcert
ing. aud sometimes it was resented
but IN the majority of cases the an.
swers showed that the farmers had
given little thought to the future OF
an industry apon which the life OF
the nation and the whole world de-
pends. Now. since the appointment
of commission to Investigate farm
conditions. hardly any other topic il
discussed in rural communities
Heretofore it had received no atten-
tion. except. perhaps. when some
father wondered why bis boy or his
girl had rdn away.
Many farmers say their children left
them when they ''came of age," and
others admit that they have been un-
able to keep them until they we're
that old. Education. it was declared,
in practically every case had produced
the change. the determination to
get into another walk of life. Dozens
of farmers say their chief mistake was
in not giving their boys share in
the returns. chance to save little
money so that they might have some
thing to start with at twenty-one.
All these farmers had in mind the
fact that when they left the scene of
their labors the farm would 60 to the
boys. Twenty two farmers in CEN
tral Kansas admitted that they never
allowed their sons to have any pocket
money. and that they had run away
between the ages of fourteen and
seventeen Thirty-three farmers lived
so far from towns, in fertile parts of
Kansas and Oklahoma. that their fam
lilies had no chance to 60 to church,
the most exciting diversion usually
presented. except about once month,
when circuit preacher came along
with doctrinal discussion or the
logical exposition that promptly put
them all to sleep. The mother of
one family of fifteen had never had
time to be lonesome. she said: never
had time to read the magazines or the
papers that we're received regularly /:
never had time to do anything except
work and take care Of the babies and
60 to bed. She was always ready to
go to bed, she said. and usually she
was tired, especially in harvest time.
'But I'm not discontented. /" she said,
in thin voice. 'I'm not lonesome.
But the children COMPLAIN
Everywhere practically the same re
ply was heard, ''The boys and the girls
complain" The spirit of unrest
manifested itself, usually. when the
children we're in high school. 1t
was developed most strongly in the
State universities and the colleges.
''Until they begin to see how others
live away from the farms they re sat
istied." farmer said. II they get
two years in an agricultural college
they come home changed, with new
notions; they want to put in new
ideas OF farming; they want all sorts
of Iabor-saving machinery they want
books and papers: they want to quit
work at sunset or sooner; they want
to go to town every day. We either
have to give them what they want or
they leave. Young folks are not
what they used to be.''
doesn't that apply chiefly to the
boysY" was suggested. Have you
found any labor-saving devices to
help the women in their work.?
''No," he admitted. 81 guess
they are doing their work as they al
ways did it. l believe that much
OF the trouble is caused on farms by
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