The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-11-18
If the Farm Fails-The Deluge.
Atlanta Constitution.

Atlanta Constitution.
THE truth is, il ] were advising a
young man in this country as to bis
future profession, l should say to
him that there was probably a great
er opportunity for real reward in the
profession of agriculture than in any
other profession this country af-
fords. '-President Taft, at Jackson,
Miss
when the forests are all cut down
and the mines are nothing but empty
holes in the ground, the farm lands
OF the country will rem ain capable OF
renewing their bounty forever. . . .
Here lies the true secret OF our anx-
ious interest in agricultural methods;
because, in the long run, they mean
life or death to future millions, who
are no strange invaders, but our own
children's children, and who will pass
Judgment upon US according to what
we have made OF the world in which
their lot is to be ast."-James J.
Hill, in The Worlds Works.
These two expressions are from
men with the broadest conceivable
opportunities for accurate abserva-
ton and reasoning.
Conformity, they sum up the ques-
ton OF agricultural education and OF
the issue, back to the farm" with q
big '~Hcity ineligible to the most
casual student of our present and
national destiny.
Mr.. Hills summary climaxes a re-
markable article. In it, he merci-
lessly analyses the drift from the
farm to the city, the folly of spend
thrift cultured methods, the wanton-
ness OF soil depletion and shows that,
unless checked, the end of all this
is, as inevitable as the sunrise, ma
tional and individual decadence, ma
tional and individual bankruptcy.
There is no middle. course; no pleas
ant invoking of the complaint 'some
more convenient season" plea for de-
lay; no waving away the Indictment
as the product of hysteria Or faddism.
The process has already set in. 1t
is testified in ruinously high cost OF
living, in increasing poverty of farm
labor, in city congestion and rural
scarcity.
And if the farm fails-then the del
uge. For the fertility of the farm is
the keystone OF the nations great
ness, its very existence; it is impossi.
BILE to name a single industrial, social
or economic activity that does not,
in the final analysis, depend for it's
likelihood upon the partnership OF the
man with the generous acres.
Into the startling picture painted
by Mr.. Hill, comes the more inspir.
ing light of the Presidents statement
Men ARE going back to the farm
Slowly, perhaps in insufficient mum
bers, but still they are going.
Not in the history of the nation
has the ingenuity of man worked
with greater mathematical pre-
cision to reach a situation OF rea
menace. Improved cultural methods
rural free delivery, good roads; the
railroad, the trolley, telephone, higf
prices for products-all these have
combined to diminish rural isolation
to place the man in the country more
upon an equality with the man in thu
city and to remove the leading fac
tors in the urbanwise movement anC
the enhancing problem OF simple sus
tenance.
reform" movements and nausean
have risen and dwindied in this coun
try. Paramount to them all, create
than any of the political issues will
which demagogues lash passion, i
the primary one of the endangered
American farm.