The Forrest City times., 1911-08-18
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great American humorist said !n a speech before the representatives of the Associated Press that everybody thought they could write play. run hotel or edit newspaper" He might have larged his list by adding become a successful farmer.s To put seed in the ground and see 1t grow seems easy that almost every one imag- ines himself capable of doing 1t successfully. But We know that farming, that is, successful farm ing is both science and business. One can make Just as complete failure of farming he can of practicing law, running hotel or edit. ing newspaper. It would be worse than useless to encourage the Back to the Soil' movement if II Is not planned and executed in way that is likely to be successful The natural yearning to
 get back to the soil" that comes to most people causes such a movement to appeal 10 those who are well qualified well to those who are poorly qualified successfully to do their part as cuuYators of the soil To go back to the soil is 10 the man of ordinary means and under ordi. nary circumstances something like pioneering, and not every man. by any means is capable of becoming successful pioneer. To undertake in- dIscrminately, unsetentiheally and without proper method and organization, to get people back to the soil will result in more of failures than sue. cesses, i'll more ot Injury than of good But this work can be accomplished in way that will he both effective and successful and which will in. crease the proportion of producers as compared with consumers All that is necessary for the accomplishment of this result is that the same fore SlSht anu organization should be adopted in start ing the business Of farming as is adoDted in tbe Inauguration of any other business enterprise If men ot means. who also have the disposition to help their fellow men. would realize that they could make a good paying investment. as well as relieve distress and suffering by helping others 10 return to the soil in the right way the back to the soil movement would then give promise of accomplishing all that its enthusiasts have claim. ed Tor 1t Such movement must of coursa b under taken on bushes basis; upon plan which will promise not only profitable return on tba investment, but result in giving good homes and steady employment to many people who need botb
 1t IS easy enough to say to the poor of the larqa cities that they should go back to inc 6oli; but for the successful acComplishment of such result money and considerable money ia required One cannot expect to make living on lew hundred dollars invested in a farm and the machinery necessary for it's cultivation any more
 hah one can expect to make a living on the same amount invested in any other business So in the hfst place. | requires money or credit to ony farm. and money or credit 10 secure neces- saTy Implements, machinery horses. cows etc to successfully conduct it. It will take from five to one hundred and sixty acres according to the char aolef o the soil and the methods of its cultivation to support family. You cannot expect large re. turns rom poor farm. or from good farm poor " cultivated. You cannot expect to receive a re- turn from farming investment ont of all pro portion to the value of the investment and tba labof expended thereon. The difficulty In thts proposition begins at once. Many of those whom