The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-02-05
: I: President ?
SS<Ja1neS j. Hill:
: On Foods :
!; and Farms :


james J. Hills analysis of present
and prediction of future conditions
in The Worlds Work would be quite
alarming were it not for his presen-
tatiOn OF a practical remedy for both
present and future evils. He shows
not only what we must do to be
fed but also how We may be fed
more abundantly and more cheaply
A point of possible weakness in
Mr.. Hills argument is his evident be-
lief that the population OF the
United States will be 200,000,000 by
about the middle of the present CEN
fury, or in less than fifty years. If
there shall come even an approach to
| the economic conditions against
which he warns us the matter of
population will be to large degree
self-regulating. If there comes time
when this country must import food
stuffs at high prices immigration Will
be effectively checked and there will
be an outflow to lands where the
struggle for existence is less siren
uous People will come to ~us from
other lands only as long as there is
plenty to eat at fairly reasonable
prices, and there are many who would
leave us if they could live more cas-
lily elsewhere.
The number of inhabitants in the
United States fifty years hence pre-
sents no cause for serious anxiety to-
day. The larger problem appears IN
other features Of Mr.. Hills admirable
article That is the establishment
of conditions that will make posi-
BILE the reasonably easy and comfort
able existence of even 200,000,O0O
people in 1850. Mr.. Hill with entire
correctness places the burden OF the
solution of that problem with the
farmers of the country. THE value
of our annual farm product" he
says, "is now about eight billions OF
dollars. 1t might easily be doubled.
TIE farmers of the nation must save
it in the future, just as they built
it in the past" Such an undertake
ing would unquestionably be, as Mr..
Hill declares, IAN act OF patriotic
service to the country, contrlDu-
ton to the welfare of all humanity
These are admirable phrases, but
they are open to Reconstruction.
The American farmers are not ask
ed and will not be called upon to en-
gage in a movement of merely char
liable or patriotic service. 1t is re.
uuired of them that they serve their
fellow men while best serving them
selves. The expansion and develop
ment of their industry to it's highest
stage is a matter which combines
profits with patriotism and phl,an-
thropy. If that is charity and pub
lie spirit, let us hope that our farm
ers will make the most Of it. AS
their bosoms swell with love of their
country and kindness toward their
fellow citizens, may their pockets
fatten to the bursting point with the
dollars that flow into them, provided
that the rest OF us get enough wheat
and beef and eggs and potatoes and
other things to eat, and get them at
prices that will not impoverish us.
We are certainly in the farmers
hands.
Mr.. Hills article is a valuable con-
tribution to a movement the force OF
which becomes more and more evil
dent from year to year. The coun-
try needs more farmers and it needs
vast improvement in farm meth
DDS. The needed results can be
brought about, as Mr.. Hill says, "only
by a general understanding and prac-
tice of agriculture as modern science
and experiment work explains it; bY
such instruction as we now give in
our technical schools and Institutes
for the trades" In other words.
farming must be made a business in
stead of a mere manual industry
New York Sun.