Norwich bulletin., 1911-09-16
CROP SHORTAGES AND URBAN PROSPECTS

I quarters of certain cities. Maybe we
farmers will have to consider it. Per-
sonally, / don't banker AFTER the
stuff. Still, it is something to have in
mind as a last resort. have heard
of certain daring eaters who are said
to like skunk meat. There ara those,
in other parts of the world, who find
grasshoppers filling. Once a party OF
Long Island adventures tried a dish
of fried angle worms. | think / should
take woodchuck first, if my choice were
restricted to these latter viands. But
it would need "a long time at solely
vegetable diet before / should want to
test any of them.
However, it is the city people was
| talking of, and the hard struggle which
the coming winter seems to promise
them. While 1 was thinking of them
my eye fell on an abstract from the
recent census showing the ratio of city
and country growth in population be-
tween 1900 and 1910. In round num-
bers the present population of the
| United States is 100000; in 1900 it
was 100000 In 1900 so in every
| 100 people lived in the country: 40 in
the cities. Now only "a of the 100 live
| in the country, and As in the cities.
| That is to say. the figures show that
| the long existing and deplorable ten
| dency from country to city, from rural
| to urban life, is not only unchecked,
but has proceeded faster than ever
| during the last 10 years. In all but
| two states-Montana and Wyoming
| urban population has increased faster
| than rural population. In seven states
| there has been an actual decrease in
| the number of those living in the rural
| district. In no state has there been a
| decrease in the number of those living
| in the cities. In no state has the ur-
ban increase been less than 10 per
| cent, while in six states it has been
| more than 100 per cent.
There you have it. constant pro-
| portional lessening in the number of
country producers; a constant proper
| tional increase in the hordes of city
| consumers. Is it any wonder that there
| is not only a proportional but an &C
| tual decrease in the amount of sup
plies which the producing country is
| able to send to the consuming town!
| Is it any wonder that prices are high
| and promise to be higher? Is it any
| wonder that consumers are dismayed
| at the prospect? Is it any wonder that
| foreseeing economists are gloomily
predicting trouble?
1t is very easy to make a pyramid
| stand on it's base. But the task is in
! finitely difficult to balance it on its
| apex. Nevertheless, that seems to be
| our condition. The economic situation
| has become top-heavy and the
shores" which happen to be at our
| command are neither long enough nor
| longer. Something is going to tumble
ere long, if present tendencies are not
| checked and reversed. Our national
| prosperity our whole social structure
can rest securely only on the continent
| vida base of rural productiveneSS. So
1 planted, neither tempest nor terrene
| CONFUSION could overturn or greatly
| disturb it. But in fact the base of our
| prosperity pyramid is shrinking and
| the top is bullying, toadstool fashion.
| And toalstool is an emblem neither
| of wholesome life nor of permanence
It's the old story of Mrs. Partington
| and the Atlantic ocean. She tried to
sweep the ocean out of her kitchen and
| failed. When the human oceans tide
sets towards the cities, it will take
| more than any broom to stop it. Argu-
ment, warning, persuasion are alike OF
little avail to stem the flow. The call
of the crowd, the lure of luxury the
ignis fatuus of wealth all combine
| their pull, like that of many moons to
draw the human tide city-Ward. AS
the real moon draws after it the fluid
and mobile waters of the ocean, SO
these city seductions draw after them
the less fixed and stable elements of
| humanity. But that moon may long
call in vain upon the shores and the
mountains and the granite-rooted con-
| tlnentS to follow her They remain in
| their places moveless and substantial,
whether the tickle and sloppy tides
flow or ebb.
| The farming community of the ccun-
try may we'll be ikened to the solid
continent which resists the whiting
currents of air as well as the under
mining of tides. You and I, brother,
have the right to take some satisfac-
ton that we are in it and of it. We
have the right to feel some pity even,
for the lighter elements which go drift
ing after the moon or before the wind.
don't believe, however, that we can
do anything very effective to stop the
| general trend city-ward. It is a mark
| of degeneracy, but it seems to be racial
and countrywide. All we can do in
our individual way is to stand against
it, ourselves, and use what influence
| we have in our own homes and neigh
borhoods to oppose it.
Il There are those who seem to think
that the gradual introduction into the
country of electric lights and bath
rooms with hot and cold water will
help to keep some contented there.
Well, perhaps such things may have
| occasional effect. Mrs Partington's
broom swept some water back But
the drops flirted seward from her
| broom were not noticeable beside the
| incoming Atlantic. Some deeper and
| stranger -,