The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-07
BACK To THE FARM,
JOHN D.'S SLOGAN
CIean-Cut Outline of Great Plan
to BE Worked Out by the
Foundation.
CONGESTED CENTERS OF
POPULATION OUR MENACE
America Must Raise More
Wheat if Progress Is to
Be Continued.

| NEW 1Ohh, Marcn VI nc Hlpet I'M
portant function of the great Rookie
feller foundation, which the national
| government has been asked to charter.
will be to place on a straightforward
| business basis the "back to the farm
| movement. While this does not come
from Mr.. Rockefeller himself, l am
| Informed by men close to HIM that he
and his son, who Will probably nave
! the active management of the founda-
ton, arc convinced that In tins move
ment lies the solution of many OF the
NEST pressing problems that confront
modern society. And now Mr.. Rookie
feller, through his foundation Is gong
to work with the same keen business
judgment which has made him the rich"
est man in the world; TO get results IN
this way.
Mr.. Rockefeller's philanthropic aim
is stupendously broad, and YOU may he
sure that it will not miss anything
making for the material welfare OF the
country. His career as business man
argues that. He would admit, were he
asked, that he regards material wealth
as the foundation upon which civiliza,,
ton must rest, Educational and moral
progress would halt without it, 1t is
certain then that American problems
Will be the foundtion that will aid IN
solving those relating to creation and
OF WtbllH-Ubl bl IHulNiu-
ual fortunes. but of general prosperity
with much higher average of IN
dividual wealth,
Solution of Great Problem.
Among these problems none appeal TO
Mr. Rockefeller with more force than
the one which is presented by the slo.
gan, FBack TO the farm The farm IS
primal source of wealth, the support OF
all industries. But the growing trouble
in our country is that our agricultural
resources lack development for the dou-
BILE reason TINT too small proportion
of the population turns to farming and
our methods, notwithstanding the fact |
that farming is coming TO be regarded |
as an exact science, do not develop the |
full possibilities of the land under cul- |
tivation.
Mr.. Rockefeller sees, as well as any |
other intelligent student of industrial
and economic progress can see. what
this means II is estimated that by |
about the middle of the present cen
tury the country;s population will be
200.000.000. How are these millions to
be fed7 1t will require, unless we are
to fall TO a lower scale of living, at |
least 800 100000 bushels of wheat for |
our bread supplies. Twice only In our |
history has the annual Weld exceeded |
100000, 900 bushels. The increase IN |
the Weld since 1888 has been only |
little more than % per cent. while the
increase in population has been over
63 per cent Meanwhile cities and towns
have become congcsted and the trades
and professions overcrowded, while vast |
areas of agricultural lands have been |
neglected or partially developed and the |
prices of food have advanced at rate |
wholly incommensurate with the rates |
of wages paid TO the toilers whom the |
farmer must feed, but whom he cannot |
1pnnap nn1ocS hrs bprS |
are increased
How Plan Will Work Out.
The foundation will solve the problem |
of getting the millions TO the farms IN
this way, broadly speaking. Steps will
be taken TO find out just which of the
tenement dwellers in the city have the
possibilities in them of making success |
full farmers. Such of these as care 10 |
make the venture Will be financed; that |
is, they will be taken to the farms and
furnished with the necessary supplies TO
make their crops. 1t will be In no sense
a charity n those financed will be ex-
pected to pay back into the foundation
all the money advanced, but on terms |
that will not hamper them. The railroads |
will cooperate in this movement, not
from humanitarian motives solely, but |
from n thorough business standpoint. |
Every new farmer along the line OF a
railroad makes business for the road,
both freight and passenger, Hence,
the railroad will work in harmony with
this phase of the Rockefeller founda.
ton,
1t. may also be said that in this work |
Of populating the waste places of the |
country with the surplus people of the |
cities instructions will not be over |
looked. A careful study will be made |
of the adaptibility of the prospective
farmer to the various sections of the |
country. aud he will be sent west, south |
or to New England and the east as it |
seems he will do best
Mr. Rockefeller S clear business sense
IS seen in this plan 1t will not only |
result iii great good to the individuals |
directly benefited, but to the country
at large, and will in the end not de.
plete the funds of the foundation. for
the money advanced will be paid back.
Much of John D. Rockefeller Junior e
philosophy has been expressed in a |
series Of "Don 'ts' The best of them
are here given:
On success-Don't sit and walt for the
door to be opened.
On borrowing-Don't spoil friendship by
on work-Don't be ashamed 10 do any |
work that falls 10 your hands Don't |
be afraid to make lowly beginning.
On tempcrance-Don't drink The man
who drinks is not asked to hold respon-
sible positions.
On bravery-Don't shrink from crIti- |
cism, Don't be n gutter. Don't be afraid |
TO assert yourself. You must let men
know that you are not afraid to do
things,
On rches-Don't worship the Almighty