Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-08-31
Problem OF cities Growth.

In one sense this problem with which
I'VE have 20 deal Is very. very old wher-
ever civilizations have hitherto sprung up
dhey have always tended to go through
certain stages and then to fall No nation
can develop a real civilization without
cities. Up TO certain point the city
movement is thoroughly healthy: vet II is
q strange and lamentable fact that all
ways hitherto after this point has been
reached the city has tended TO develop
at the expense OF the country by draining
the country of what IL best In II. and
making an Insignificant return for this
best In CONSEQUENCE, In the past. every
civilization in It's later stages has tend
ed really TO witness those conditions un-
der which the cities prosper and the
men decay" There are ugly signs that
these tendencies are Al work in this ma
ton Of ours. But very fortunately we
see now what never before was seen In
any civilization--au aroused and alert
public interest In the problem. recog-
milton 81 Its gravity and a desire 10 at
tempt It's solution.
The problem does not consist merely
in the growth Of the ctty Such a growth
In itself is good thing and not a bad
thing for the country. The problem con-
sists In the growth of the city at the ex-
pense OF the country; and. even where
this is not the case, In so great an equal
ity OF growth In power and interest as to
make the city more attractive than the
country. and therefore apt 20 drain the
country of the people who ought to live
therein.
The hum an side OF the rural life prob
lem Is to make the career Of the farmer
and the CO reer Of the farm laborers as at
ttractive and "a remunerative as CORE
spe nding careers in the city Now I am
well aware that the farmer must himself
take the lead in bringing this about A
century and a quarter ago the wise Enc
fish farmer. Arthur Young. wrote OF the
efforts 20 improve French wool "A s,hltl-
vator at the head Of sheep farm OF Bnn
or 1000 acres would in a few years do
mere for their woods than al the aea-
demicians and philosophers will effect IN
ten centuries" II is absurd 20 think that
any man who has studied the subject on
" theoretically Is dt to direct those who
practically work nj the matter But
friends l wish 10 insist 10 YOU hereto
you practical men. who own and work
your farns-that Il IS an equally perui-
cious absurdtv for the practical mao Ia
refuse to benefit by the work ~ the stu.
dent The English farmer l have Quoted
Young. was a practical farmer but he
was also q scientific farmer One reason
why the great business men OF today
the great industrial iesders-have Rops
ahead while the farmer has tended tr
sag behind others, is that they ara far
more willing and indeed eager ~ profit
by expert and technical kuewledge-the
knowledge that can only come as a re-.
suit Of the highest education. From
railways to factories no great industrial
concern en- nowadays be carried or
save by the aid OF a swarm Of men wht
/ have received L high technical educa
/ ton In chemistry, IN engineering. IN cleo
/ tricity IN one or more OF scores Of sue
~ al 80 htte
I hig railway man does not ask college,
! trained experts to tell him how 10 rur
! his business; but he does ask numbers OF
! tn5rn each to give him expert advice ant
( aid on some one point Indispensable 4
| his business, He finds this man usually