The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1909-12-28
URBANITES MUST
TAKE TO THE LAND

Recently the Silver State drew a pic
ture of certain conditions in the United
States most likely to be witnessed in
forty or fifty years from now, with the
enormous immigration from Europe
and Asia, together with the natural in
crease. Native-born Americans and
naturalied Americans who have become
assimilated, should lose no time in Sc
curing homesteads before it is too late.
Emerson Hough, in an article in Col
liers, places the pinch at only twenty
years, to bring about decidedly un-
desirable state of affairs. He thinks
| by that time there will be NO moro
food-stuffs to export. Farms win be
smaller. There will be the old class
distinction of aristocracy and peasant.
ry. Not one foot Of public land win
be untaken. Our forests will be almost
gone. Our mines will be nearly ex-
hausted, and our water power will have
passed almost wholly into the hands Of
a few wealthy interets.''
Two million people, including immi-
grants, are added to our population ev-
cry year. How are we keeping up
with thatf
ssThe answer is our soil is becoming
less productive every year. There be-
ing no proportionate increase Of farm
ers, farm labor has decreased so per
cent in the last ten years. Farm pro-
ducts cost that much more on our city
tables, and steadily advancing. We
need fifteen bushels more wheat per
acre, but the average product is be-
coming less instead Of more. When
Uncle Bill, the farmer, wakes up AMI
begins to boost the price Of our daily
bread yet more, we of the cities viii
begin to get a further touch Of life.
Situated between the farmer and Mr..
Aldrich, high food on one side, high
tariff on the other, and low salaries in
the middle, we will face conditions
that assuredly will tend to give us
pause
There is but one thing to do to check
and partially avert the impending
doom of the middle class, which is the
strength of the nation in war or peace.
That is to educate theose who are now
barely existing in the cities, to or
ganize little communities Of two or
more families, for company, and 60 on
the lands that yet remain, or buy .
few acres each near the more thickly
settled sections, where each family can
be self-sustaining first. Then the sale
of surplus products will more than
equal the net earnings in the city.
Many of these families, now in re-
ceipt of fair salaries, could secure the
lands and improve them more or less
before giving up their salaries, SO they
would have home ready to move into.
There is no instance Of farmer beg
ging or starving. He is always inde-
pendent and immune from the caprices
of trade and bosses, while the wage
Garner is ever liable to reduction Of
salary, or discharge, especially il ap-
preaching the Osler age Of 40, which
is the prime of life. In the country
there is peace and plenty, and should
be happiness. One is removed from
the dangers and temptations Of city
life. The children are brought up In .
pure moral atmosphere, and the par
ents can at least leave them home,
start and clean surroundings, which
is the greatest incentive to patriotism
and an honorable life. Removing this
surplus from the cities would also ad-
just the balance of labor and minimise
crime.
This refers to shop and other girls,
as well as fathers and heads Of fami-
lies Each Of them are entitled to 100
or 800 acres Of government land, -
long as 1t LASTS and that also means
husband to look after it If desired,
but time waits for no one.