Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-07-28
THE LACK OF FARM LABOR.
Better Prospects On the Farm than
in the Larger Cities

(CnarleStOn News and COurier) o.
Secretary Wilson'S belief that the
high prices of food stuffs are due to
the scarcity of farm labor has been
strengthened and confirmed by his
observations during his recent jour
ney through the West. 1t Is to be
doubted, however, whether the trou-
bles Of the consumer are due entire
ly, or even mainly, to the conditions
which Mr.. Wilson assigns as the
cause of these troubles, since the
monopolies which hay been effected
in practically every important in
dustry are certainly largely respon-
sible for the high prices Of the neces-
saries Of life. Nevertheless, the evil
which Mr. Wilson points out is evil
IDENTIFY real one and one which is
becoming more and more serious
menace to the country's prosperity.
We cannot exist without our farmers.
We must have men to till the land
or we will come to grief. At present,
the young men who grow up in the
country will not remain there. They
feel the lure of the cities and in in
creasing numbers they turn their
backs upon the fields and drift into
those centres Of population where
they believe there is better chance
for man to make his way. They
find work. most of them, but most
of them would have lived happier
lives, and would have died richer
had they stuck to their plows
How to stop this influx from the
country into the cities Is one Of the
most pressing of the problems which
this government is trying to solve.
1t is a difficult problem, and it is
doubtful that we can do much to-
wards finding It's solution. The evil
Is due to condition which seems to
be Seyond our power to alter. Not
long ago the cities really needed all
the young men they could get. There
was not only room for them, but
there was work for them. This, how
ever, is no longer the case. The de-
mand for young men in the cities has
not only been met, but 1t has been
exceeded by the supply. The trouble
Is that this fact, though it has been
demonstrated again and again. Is not
yet clearly recognized by the country
folk. The average boy, growing up
in Of thn 1T 4 too,
where the making Of money is at
best but slow process, keeps before
him the example Of some relative of
the last generation who went to some
large town while a youth, and by in
dustry and good fortune contrived to
make his way far more rapidly and
more successfully than would have
been the case had he stayed on the
farm. The scores of others who went
to town and who either failed or else
achieved no greater success than
those who stayed at home are for
gotten or ignored; nor is the fact
taken into account that it Is far more
difficult to gain foothold in one Of
the large cities to-day than it was
ten or fifteen years ago.
The condition Is one which will
remedy itself in time. The farmer
prefers to learn by experience, and
not until experience has taught him
the wisdom Of sticking to agriculture
will the reaction set in and the over
crowding of the cities cease. Mean
while, farming is becoming more and
more Of a science, the rudilnents of
which are to be learned better at the
agricultural college than on the farm
Itself. Fifty years from now there
Will be more farmers than ever, and
they will be better educated, will live
In better houses, and will have more
money in the banks than their faith
ers, who knew nothing about scien-
tific agriculture, or their brothers.
who gave up the green fields for the
city's streets.