The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-09-15

were increasing Dy anOtner percent
age lust as stable You would know
what catastrophe that assured by and
by.
Crisis Is Approaching.
ut means the samo thing. In kind
and consequences, when the agricul-
tural population. tie producers and
deDositors In the great national treas.
ury of wealth. is declining year by
year while the city population. which
thrives only by drawing drafts upon
the land and cannot live year after
these cease to be honored. rises at
its expense Yet not only is such
crisis approaching. but II is being hast
ened by legislative stimulation In
favor of other industries while over
looking this.
I'm 1890 only about "a per cent Of
the American people lived In towns.
AT the time Of the Civil War the per
centage had risen TO 16 In 1900 more
than 81 per cent Of our population was
urban. Tho change is portentous;
and there is no doubt that the com
ing census will show It o have pro-
ceeded In the last ten years with ac-
celerated speed. In spite OF the warn
ings OF economists, tho amelioration
of farm life. the opening OF new and
attractive employment on the land
through the spread Of irrigation and
the growth OF the fruit industry. the
encouragement of public mon and the
wider dissemination OF agricultural
education. the percentage Of our popu-
lation who work on the farm constant
ly declines II that proceeds too far.
II is as ii dry-rot had eaten through
the umbers supporting some great
structure. We should consider now
the change accomplished and that i'm
pending.
More Mouths TO Feed.
with our annual increase OF over
Is per cent In population from natur-
al causes. and immigration that has
not been less than three,Quarters OF a
million any year since 1902, there Will
be from two TO two and a half million
more mouths TO feed every year Hav-
inc in view this increaee In population.
tho declining Average Yield per acre
OF cultivated land in the United
States after II has been farmed for 4
few years, the rise OF per capita con-
sumption with higher cost OF living
and the movement of the working
population away from the land the
time is now approaching when we
shall not only cease to be wheat sell
ing nation. but will find it necessary
to import a portion Of what we con-
sumo.
Our foreign trade In the past has
rested mainly on our exports. Of
products drawn from the earth d.
rectly. or only once removed. Our
manufactures for export are to large
extent natural products subjected to
few simple processes, How are we
10 meet the immense trade balance
against US; how prevent financial
storms of frequent occurrence and de-
structive force; how feed the coming
millions. If the farmer-who pays
most of the bills-has retired to the
city or the country town In order that
his children may the better enjoy their
automobiles and enter into the de-
lights of the social game?
"A stationary or declining product.
soil becoming annually less produc-
tive. q revolt against the life of the
farm and consequent rise In wages
amounting. since 1895, to656 per cent
VIII oOdIu. COMPEL buCU Il5c OF all
prices as bears ruinously upon town
and country alike. Our real concern
Is not so much TO save the homo mar
ket from the inrosds Of the foreigner
as 10 keep 1t from destruction by an
enlarged city life and neglected coun.
try life, crowded artisan population
clamorlng for food and foreign de-
mapd for the product OF their wages
limited to fields where the competition
of all the world must be met and over
come.
More Is Required.
The consumers of breud through
out the world increase by probably
from four to FIVE millions evory year
In our own country VIC shall require
from 100000 TO 15000.000 bushels
more annually for seed aud home con-
sumption. The domestic supply can
not be maintained by present meth
DDS. Not only is the cultivation OF the
soil being neglected. but ii ID also no.
! toriously ineffective. Our wheat prsd.
uct per acre from the older lands falls
steadily. Our national average Ia less