The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-24

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ment is thoroughly healthy; yet it is
strange and lamentable fact that al
ways hitherto after this point has
Deen reached the city has tended to
develop at the sexpense of the country
best in it, and making an insignificant
return for this best. In consequence,
In the past, every civilization in its
later stages has tended really to wit
ness those conditions under which the
cities prosper and the men decay.
There are ugly signs that these ten
denotes are at work in this nation of
ours. But very fortunately we see now
what never before was seen in any
clv1l1zation-an aroused and alert pub
lie interest in the problem, a recogni-
ton of its gravity and a desire to at
tempt its solution.
The problem does not consist mere
ly in the growth of the city. Such a
growth in itself is good thing and
not bad thing for the country. The
problem consists in the growth of the
city at the expense of the country, and,
even where this is not the case, in so
great an equality of growth in power
and interest as to make the city more
attractive than the country, and there
fore apt to drain the country of the
people who ought to live therein.
Rural Life Problem.
THE human side of the rural life
pTODleIn Is TO make the career OF the
| farmer and the career of the farm la
| borer as attractive and as reruunera-
| tive as corresponding careers in the
| city. Now. l am well aware that the
| farmer must himself take the lead in
| bringing his about. A century and a
| quarter ago the wise English farmer,
| Arthur Young. wrote of the efforts to
| improve French wool: A cultivator at
| the head of sheep farm of 5000 or A.
goo acres would in few years do more
| and philosophers will effect in ten
centuries. 1t is absurd to think that
| any man who has studied the subject
| only theoretically is fit to direct those
Tho practically work at the matter.
| But. friends, / wish to insist to YOU
| hereto you practical men. who own
| and work your farmS-that il is a per
| nicious ahsuriity for the practical man
| to refuse to benefit by the work of the
student. The English farmer 1 have
quot ed. Young, was a practical farmer
but he was also a scientific farmer. One
reason why the great business men of
today-the great Industrial leaders
have gone ahead. while the farmer has
tended TO sag behind the others. is that
they are far more willing. and indeed
eager. to profit by expert and technical
Fnowlcdge-tne knowledge that can
only come IS result of the highest ed
ucation- From railways to factories no
greas industrial concern can NOWADAYS
be carried on save by the aid of q
swarm Of men who have received a high
technical education in chemistry in
engineering, in electricity. in one or
more of scores of special subjects. The
big business man, the big railway man
does not ask colle-N trained experts 70
tell him how to run his business; but
he does ask numbers hem each to
give him expert advice and aid on some
one point Indispensable to his business
He finds this man usually in some grad
uate OF a technical school or college in
which he has been trained for his life
work.
in just the same way the farmers