The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-31
EROE OTHER PENS
NOT A HORSELESS AGE.

The horseless age that has been so
persistently predicted is not merely
slow in coming; the facts indicate that
1t Is farther away than ever, and per-
haps may never come. We hope 1t will
not, while at the same time welcoming
all the new aids to rapid and untram-
meled transportation. People must be
riding great deal more than they
ever rode before. The automobile in
dustry in this country has quadrupled
in value in the last three years, and
has developed at even a greater rate
in the number of machines manufac-
tured. But the statistics of horsef1esh
keep on expanding.
There were more than Ii, 600 900 horses
in this country in 1897, but, according
OF the figures for the year just closed,
there are 1915, 900 horses in the United
States at the present time. This is a
gain of nearly 40 per cent in a. decade,
a much larger one than the human
element can show, in spite of our large
and continuous importations. Not only
are there more horses but evidently
they are better ones,a striking triumph
for the science of eugenics, since the
value has increased about fourfold, and
increasing prices of feed would not ac-
count for all the difference. The horse
cannot be put down or relegated to
obscurity. He survives the withdrawal
of the stimulus of race gambling in
Missouri and comes out in fairer pro-
portion than ever. AS mechanical
rivals multiply he rises in the scale of
dignified personality. The very fact Of
the high cost of the power machines
increases his value, just as we have to
pay more for corned beef when porter
house steaks go up. The last horse
will probably take his leave at about
the same time as the last man.-Boston
Transcript.
-
BACK TO THE FARM.
The United States is not the only
nation becoming keen1y alive to the
Improvement and betterment of agri-
cultural conditions, although We have
clearly taken the lead in this work. Re-
cent consular reports show that nearly
every country in Europe is experience
ing a reaction from the tide of migra-
ton toward the cities, promising no
ted change in every branch of the
farming industry: This has been
forced, particularly in Europe, by the
high prices of farm products, particu-
| larry in fruits and vegetables, making
| the work of the small farmer more pro-
| fitable than it has ever been. So strong
| has been the demand for a change in
agricultural conditions that the Brit
| ish parliament has passed what Is
known as the small holdings act. which
| contemplates the introduction of in
| tensified farming.
Under the Engi1Sn law provision Il
made for cutting up some of the large
estates into small farms. Provision is
made for the settlement of differences
| between landlords and tenants by q
| board of arbitration, for the payment
| of damages for destruction of crops by
game or animals, and for cooperative
| buying and selling. The new law viii
! take effect January 1, 1909, and already
thousands of families that have beer
4 living in cities and villages, finding
| employment in the factories, are NOV
1 ing back to the farms. It is estimated
that 100000 acres of English lands
now devoted to pasture, hunting pre-
serves or lying fallow, will be taker
i up by small farmers within the next
l two years.-Omaha Bee.