Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1912-04-04

as much concerned as is the country
population for the we'll being of the
farmer.
Something Wrong. With Farming
Communities
''That something is wrong with
rural communities, as the Country
Life commission insists is only too
we'll known. There is not in this
country, as in the older settled parts
of Europe, the same rural depopula-
tion and agricultural depression
which widely prevail in the old
world. Our happier condition in this
regard is, however, due to the cir
cumstance that we are blessed by
Providence with an abundance of
fertile land upon whose resources
our popuation does not yet press.
Menace of Rural Exodus.
"But even now we have in one
sense serious rural exodus. There is
a growing tendancy for all the bright
est and most enterprising youth of
the country to prefer the chances of
a town career; and also a tendency
for the owners of agricultural land
to move into cities and leave their
farms to be worked by tenants.
Both these tendencies are to be de-
plored and should engage careful
thought where they are most mark
ed.
"Our city populations have been
physically and morally sustained by
the constant inflow of the best coun-
try blood. This cannot go on indef-
initely. If this human reservoir
from which the cities have drawn and
must continue to draw SO much of
their best citizenship becomes de-
pleted and deteriorated, the cities
themselves will be the greatest suf-
fepers from the evils which always
threaten nation which as whole
abandons the country for the town.
National degeneracy will then pro-
ceed apace. Here we open up
vista of social speculation which I
cannot today pursue. For want to
emphasize an aspect of the rural life
problem which concerns every work
er for his living in the United
States.
High Cost of Living
Beyond question the growing cost
of the necessities of life is in no small
measure due to two economic facts:
Firstly, the farm lands of the United
States do not produce nearly as much
food as they might produce under
conditions more favorable to the
farmer. Secondly, owing to the lack
of organization among the farmers,
the marketing of their products is
controlled by middle interests which
lower the price to the producer and
at the same time increase the cost to
the consumer.
"Now this is serious state of
facts. 1t arises out of a wrong atti-
tude of public opinion towards the
most important body of wealth pro-
ducers in the country and a general
tendency to subordinate the interests
of the rural to those of the urban
population.
The Cooperative System
Gas 1 have often stated, believe
that it is essential to the welfare of
the American farmers that they
should adopt generally the coopera-
tive system. which already has prov
ed highly advantageous in few in
stances. In many of the states of the
Union there are gratifying examples
of associated effort by communities
of farmers to improve their economic
conditions and to increase the oppor-s
tunities and means for special salts
factions,
Extended Utilities More Widely
II see no reason why the depart
ment Of agriculture should not stand
at the head Of and foster the move
ment for these great and far reach
ing agricultural reforms. In that
department we have one Of the larg-
est, IL not the largest of any govern
ment in the world. The progressives
demand that its utilities should be
far more widely extended, and one of
their first objects when they come
into power will be to see that the de-
partment sets itself to work out
broader scheme than has vet been
attempted for the uplifting, technic-
ally. commercially, socially and
Of the American farmer.
Social and Political Aspects
"A word must be added on the 20
cial and political aspects Of the coun-