The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-15

in the City and on the Farm-The
Pleasures of Country Life-oppor-
tunities for Higher Education.
written for The Catholic Bulletin by
Rev. j. Gmeiner.)
God the first garden made, and the
first city, Cain"
-CowleD.
God made the country, and man made
the town,
What wonder, tnen, that health and
virtue gifts
That can alone make sweet the bitter
draught
That life holds out to all-should
most abound,
And least be threatened in the fields
and groves?"
Copper.
1t has been estimated that in 1850
one-eighth of the population of the
United States lived in cities of 5000
or more inhabitants; in 1880, nearly
one-fourth; and at present, perhaps
only one-half.
This rapid increase of the popula-
tion of the larger cities at the expense
of the country is cause of regret
to well-wishers of humanity; for every
intelligent observer will say that
country-life has many advantages for
body and soul and for temporal and
eternal welfare that are often want
ing in cities.
country for the cities? 1t is wide
spread opinion that country people sim.
ply like city life better.
With some, such is the case; but
with probably the great majority it is
not. How often these latter leave theil
happy and peaceful country homes
with sadness of heart and tears in
their eyes to look for living in cities
which they cannot conveniently fine
in the country. There are some causes
beyond their control that urge then
on.
Reasons for cltyward Trend.
In the first place, cities offer a wild
field of most varied industries AM
ways of making a living. Cities pro
duce or manufacture not only the nee
essary articles for use, but also praC
tically an unlimited number of article
that are not strictly necessary, but
at least, useful, ornamental, or desiI
able. The necessary articles have
limited amount of demand For in
stance, if man has all the stoves
tables and chairs he needs, he doe
not care to get any more. But as t.
other articles not strictly necessary
but only useful, ornamental, or desiT
able the same mans limit of buyin,
will be limited only by his tastes AM
the length of his purse.
The country products are nearly al
necessaries; they have limiteC
amount of demand; and if the suppl.
by far exceeds the demand, the price
get so low that it would not pay coun
try people to raise them. For illustra
ton: People eat certain amount o
bread; if they have enough, they d,
not care for more. Hence, If there i
by far more wheat produced than cal
be used for bread, the price of whea
goes down to degree that raising
would not pay farmers for their labor
Hence, again, if there were by ia
more farmers, than there are, an
they would produce correspondent
surplus of wheat, soon good man
would have to give up because farm
ing would not pay. Thus it is NO
only with wheat, but with farm prC
ducts generally. A certain Unite
amount will pay; considerable SUI
plus will not pay. Hence, also, onl
a limited number of people can
farmers, and if considerable numbe
more would become farmers, other
would be pushed out of farming tt
there would again be fair numbe
to make farming pay.
Another reason that drives man
country people to the cities is tn
| plain fact than in many country fan
lilies there are more children than ca
, remain in the paternal home or b
otherwise provided for in the countr.
The only alternative for them is to e
to the cities.
Another most powerful cause {
driving country people to the cite
has been the gradual introduction {
all kinds of farm machinery sine
about 1860. 1t is stated that speci:
agent of the government has invest
gated this matter, and the result {
his investigations was, that -four me
with improved agricultural implement
now do the work formerly done b
fourteen This means that, on a.
{ count of the introduction of moder
agricultural machinery, ten out {
every fourteen have to leave the far
or country for lack of paying emplo.
ment.
| The causes mentioned explain to
, great extent why the population {
cities has grown so rapidly sine
about 1850 and why the country pop
lation has proportionately decreases
There are some other but less In
! perative causes that induce people
} leave the country. Among these ma
: be mentioned the isolation of farm hf
lack of social life, lack of churche
/ and educational facilities. In man