Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-05-19
The Boy and the Farm.

streets oil every city IN the land. -
William Jennings Bryan.
If there is one lesson taught Inv
history, IT is that the permanent
greatness of any State must de
pend more upon its country popu-
lation than upon anything else.
NO growth of cities, no growth OF
veaith can make up for a loss in
either The number or character of
,he farming popqlssion.-Theodor
Roosevelt.
lhns tne two leading opponents
OF public life in America plead
against the migratory movement o.
the boys and girls Of the farm TO
he factories and the cities. How
10 prevent this movement has been
subject of study by statesmen,
sociologists and political econo-
mists for years; but as factor Of
national importance it has never
before assumed the proportions i,
reaches today.
ContrarIly, every effort is being
made to induce residents Of large
cities who are unable to get work
to seek employment on farms in
the west and the southwest. Strange
as 1t may seem these people who,
in great majority of cases are re-
duced To state of dire poverty and
distress refuse to leave their crowd
ed and filthy tenements, which
breed disease with every succeed
ing day, for place where they can
satisfy their wants and breath the
pure air of freedom.
The situation is a paradoxical
one and well worthy of the great
amount of attention being given it.
1t may be said, however, that efforts
toward the correction of this evil
can hardly be expected TO meet
with any marked success for years
to come.
Reasons for this are many.
Schoolgirls may advise what ac-
ton 10 take to make the fam boy
satisfied with the calling they
would force upon him. Statesmen
may euact Legislative measures
which would make that calling
more attractive; but what can they
offer the country boy which will
make his life so promising fnan-
cially as business career in the
city?
/ The mistaken idea is prevalent
that the farm boy leaves his home
because he is Disconnected with his
social environment, and that his
country life does not offer enough
of amusement, in other words that
he is dissatisfied with his home
life. This is not true. The farm
boy loves his home, It's surround
ings, loves his parents and it causes
him many heartaches to leave
them; but he does leave because he
sees In the city more opportunities
for commercial and financial en-
terprises, better social advantages.
more opportunities for meeting
people financially, socially and
politically prominent, and more OPP
portunities for making a mark in
the world.
The desire of the farm boy to en-
ter commercial lite of the city is,
in vast majority of cases, first in.
stalled IN him by his parents.
With a natural pride they over
estimate his capabilities and be
lieve he can establish a name for
himself that will be as illustrious as
that of many farm boys who have
/ preceded him. The result i'm a
large percentage of cases is that he
ekes out bare existence at some
small clerkship from which he can
not or never does rise above.
OF course this is not true in all
cases. Men who have been most
successful IN business careers spent
their boybood days on a farm.
But a great many farm bred boys
would have been better of and far