The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-05
THE RICHMOND vfRGINIAN.

ing the boys OF Virginia how to farm,
10 doing a. much good 40 any preaoh-
er OF my acquaintance.
Then, We city people, back to the
farm. Farmers are independent and
prosperous. Their products were
worth -&SaS, 200, 0nn nora---in 1909
than In 1905. their corn crop was
wheat. S725. ooo. 600; their hay. sses,-
900 ,ooo: their oats, s400, 900, 0o0;
their potatoes. 100000. Yes.
the farmers are In clover. with corn
in the crib and potatoes in the bin.
Since the depression OF 1908 the
average recovery in iron and steel has
been 57 per cent; In vehicles 1t has
been - per cent; In food products.
II has been - per cent The reruv-
cry OF 81 per cent. In vehicles Is due
largely to the automobile trade. The
conclusion II that We are riding too
much and too fast and walking too
slow and working too little.
In Virginia there are thousands of
acres untitled. Virginia 10 not rails
ing as much wheat now as she raised
before the war. / never shall for
get my establishment when ! first saw
the farms growing up In sage grass
and oid-field pines. wondered how
the people lived. Scientific and prac-
teal farmers, who learn how TO get
the greatest amount out OF an acre
at the least cost. take some OF these
old sandy fields and clayhiils and
grow 40, so, so and rs bushels of
corn per acre. In the cities, thou
sands, many of whom were born on
the farm. have crowded together IN
shanttes In the back ends and second
stories OF stores. and are eketng out
a miserable existence, when II they
would 70 back to the farms that God
made, they could make an honest
living and be independent. Any
person who works can make iytns
on the farm.
The rehabilitation Of the country
In the duty OF the church as well as
the State. How can that be accom-.
pffsf1ecf If you want to improve
conditions make roads along which
people can ride i'm ease and safety.
Also build up your country schools.
those little seats Of learning from
which came. In the early days, our
mighty men of state. Where was
the pedagog. real Mark Hopkins.
there the bright. ambitious country
boys and bright country girls studied
where they could commune with ma
ture and natures God. and could
think consecutively for an hour and
study three hours without the buzz
of the street car and noise or the
train. Yes. strengthen your country
schools. and bring back to their old
time glory the country churches.
People have left the country--many
of them did not know the city. for Il
they had they would have endured
the inconvenience of the rural dis
.ssicts, because the roads were so
wretched, school accommodations
were so poor. and church privileges
so few.
If we want prosperity wisely dis.
sributed, we will go back to the rura
districts and people again those farms
repair those houses, build the fences
that have fallen. and this country
will blossom like the rose. 1t IL de-
/ sirable for the kingdom OF God. Re
| suscitate those churches that were
temples OF orthodoxy and spirituality
| in whose pulpits long ago stood tins
preachers with the faith OF Abraham
| and the logic of Paul and the elo'
ouenee of Apollo and the persuasive
| ness of John. The great preacher
were in the country: the pulpits wers
thrones of power. and the eharehe:
| were redoient with praise and re-
| snieuaent with divine glory.
| Oh, carry me back to those happy
timesi