Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-29
WHAT'S WRONG ON THE FARM?
How the West Views the Questions
the Country Life Commission
is investigating.

In the last two months more than 100
farmers. representatives of the whole class
in Missouri, Kansas. Nebraska and Okla
homa, have answered the question, whats
Wrong on the FarmT'
At first this evidence of public interest
In farm families was disconcerting, and
sometimes IL was resented: but In the ma
jorisy Of cases the answers showed that
the farmers had given little thought to
the future OF an industry upon which the
life OF the whole nation and the world
depends. Now. since the appointment of a
commission TO investigate farm conditions,
hardly any other topic is discussed In
rural communities. Heretofore It had re-
ceived no attention. except perhaps, when
some father wondered why his boy or his
girl had run away.
Many farmers say their children left
them when they came OF age" and others
admit that they have been unable to keep
them until they were that old. Educa-
ton, II was declared. in practically every
case had produced the change. the deter
mination to get into another walk OF life.
Dozens OF farmers say their chief mis-
take was in not giving their boys a share
in the returns, a chance to save a little
money so that they might have something
to start with at p.
Everywhere practically the same reply
was heard. THE boys and the girls COM
plain" The spirit OF unrest manifested
itself. usually, when the children were in
high school. II 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
satisfied" a farmer said. IF 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 lsbor-saying 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 10 give them what they want or they
leave. Young folks are not what they used
to be"
Doesn't that apply chiefly to the boysT'
was suggested. Have you found any
lsbor-saving devices TO help the women ir
their work.
NO" he admitted. Il guess they're doinI
their work about as they always did it
I believe that much of the trouble is caused
on farms by the lack OF proper systems
too many hours OF labor. After one OF M
girls ran away and became a stenographe,
we put in a schedule here. We go 10 suppe
now at s O'Clock and do the chores after
ward. In that way the women can elea
up things by Z O'Clock. For many years ",
didn't get our chores done until 8 O'Clock
and often Il was an hour later. Wed worl
In the fields until the last minute. an,
that kept supper waiting. I've seen tn
time, often, when We didn't eat until nearl
3 o'clock That was what drove the gir
away. Two OF my boys left me. too. but
caught them at Chicago. and they cam
back on the promise OF an allowance. +,
never let them nave any money. I mad
an agreement with them. and now the
share in the profits after the home ex
penses are paid"
M telephone. the rural free delivery o
mail and other innovations have done niue.
to improve farm life conditions. but the de
sired point still is far distant in many com
munitieS Farmers have kept their famuie
In poorly constructed houses that have N
eonyeniences: they have isolated them fror
their fellows; they have worked them 20
hard; then the boys go to the cities 10 b
mechanics or clerks or doctors: the girl
study 20 be teachers or stsnographers q
clerks. Their early environments have bee
such that they do not care 10 marry farm
eFs. for that, as a farm girl said. woul
be stepping from the fryingpan into L,
nre--Efarper's Weekly.