Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-15
THE rood SUPPLY

This paper referred q few days ago
70 the declaration Of that shrewd OBJ
server James J. Hin as 70 the food
problem that now confronts this
country lie is OF the opinion that
tho increased cost OF living. rather
than imperial ambition or race decay.
is the cause OF the downfall OF ma
lions; and the long-continued decline.
industrial depression and national dis
treas that sometimes anlict the great
or world powers without amounting TO
actual overthrow be regards az due
TO the same cause.-The scarcity Of
rood
The real reason Of the increased
cost Of living he finds in the relative
decrease OF the farming areas and in
the lack that agriculture as an in
dustry shows OF keeping up with the
Improvements constantly made in
other lines.
The census seems 10 confirm this
argument. II shows that in 1890 only
3.4 per cent OF the American people
lived in towns At the time Of the civil
war, the percentage had risen TO l6.
In 1909 more than 81 per cent Of
our population lived in the cities.
In tS47, forty-scvcn per cent. in
1850. fory-four per cent. iu 1890,
thirty-seven per cent and iu 1900
tlirty-five per cent Of those above ten
years Of age engaged in gainful oc-
equations were ina agricultural pur-
suits n is not improbable that tho
new census will show the farm popu-
lation reduced to so per cent OF the
whole
This change Mr. Hil regards as
portentous OF evil lie maintains that
unless this tendency is corrected we
are likely 10 become within ten years
wheat-importing nation From the
fact that last year the value of our
total exports classified as food stuns,
either crude or partly on wholly
manufactured. and food animals.
amounted TO S43S,o00.o00. while we
imported OF tho same classification
S32s,0OO,O00 leads this hnancier to
declare that we are no longer foed-
ing the world and that unless We can
increase the agricultural population
and their product. the question of
source Of supply at home must super
sede the question Of market Tor
our own products abroad
AS to the cause Of this relative de-
cline OF agriculture IN the United
states Mr. Hin thinks that other in
dustrles than agricultural have been
unduly stimulated by government aid
and that they would have nourished
and grown amazingly ia the country
without any artificial stimulus" be-
cause the large percentage Of the
total population heretofore, engaged in
agriculture furnished an adequate
market But this condition. he shows
is rapidly changing Thus
If in a population Of 100. 700, 600 peo-
pie, which we shall have shorty a.
per cent are engaged in Agriculture.
then 45.000O0O people are calling upon
the labor Of 55.000000 for clothing, pro-
fessional service. commercial help, tools
ana furniture and all the smaller conf
forts aud luxuries H. instead, the az
rieuitural percentage IS reduced TO 30.
only 10000 900 people instead Of As. co.,
OO0 people make such demands while
lOOOO000 instead OF 5000 600 compete
Nm supplying them. A stationary or de
Ginning product, a soil becoming annu-
ally less productive. a revolt against
the life Of the farm and a consequent
rise in wages amounting since 1895.
70 ho.b per cent for ordinary day labor
on the farm without board and 81 3 per
cent with board, compel such n rise
OF all prices as bears ruinously upon
town and country alike. our real CON |
Germ is not so much 10 save the home
-lffsf from Nsa o.
er as b. keep IL from destruction By an
enlarged city life and a neglected coun-
try life, a crowded artisan population
clamoring for food and foreign de-
mand for the product Of their wages |
limited 10 fields where the competition
Of All the world must be met and over
some"
Tere, then. Is a problem 10 the solu- |
ton Of which statesmen may well. as
they ultimately must, turn their main
attention. The new generation must be
educated along the lines OF present ana
future reality rather than on those or
past history and fables, or current nc
tion.
II H. IA fact, already the fashion
a. talk about industralism in The
schools. and by this term most men
mean saw and hammer work instead
Of brain cultivation. But clearly such |
a change m educational methods would |
be disastrous 10 human industry as
well as b human thought
What seems 20 be- needed is 10 teach
in the schools more OF the principles |
OF reality, more ~ the laws OF nature. |
not simply more hand work ln order 10
meet the demand that men shall b. |
able 10 utilize the soil. the climate. ana /
tho other natural agents in the produc- /
ton OF cheap. abundant ana whole /
some food-the stan of ufe, the main- I
stay of civilization, and the only sure /
foundation of amy national ana indi- /
yidual advancement
Does the hookworm have cyrse