Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-08-19
Mr., CARLIN SPEAKS
TO THE FARMERS
Advises Country Boys and
Girls to Remain at Their
Homes.
PRAISES RURAL LIFE!
Representative Shows Great Increase
of Number of People Leaving Coun-
try For City. !.
PRAISES RURAL LIFE!

Groveton Va, Aug. 19.-The first
session of the Northern Virginia
Farmers Institute was called tc
order Saturday by Captain j. Brao
Beverley, president of tha institute.
After words of encouragement fol
the agricultural fair, which is 10 be
held in Manassas this fall, Captain
Beverley introduced Congressman G.
C. Carlin, of the Eighth Virginia Dis
trict, who spoke to the farmers for
about forty minutes.
Mr.. Carlin says: Congress is con-
sidering many things of interest to
the farmers just at this time, which
would like to tell you about, but can
not for lack of time. There is one
thing which is pressing upon the
mind, and we expect that when 1t is
discharged that the mind will be easy.
But as soon as one thing is finished
there comes another. So it is with the
government. This country Is undergo
ing a revolution now. The country IS
prosperous, and as long as the country
is prosperous, we will be able to stand
for revolutions. But there must come
a time when there will be quiet times,
when subjects shall be settled. There
il one fundamental idea that l wish
TO express to you, and that is if we
expect to n,,.::e \ success OF the.
farm we must keep the boys and
girls upon the farm.
"The safety of the nation lies in the
home. We American people have
built up six million homes, and to
keen the farm homie up to the stand,
ard we must check this movement OF
the bows and girls from the country to
the city. These figures are startling,
ten Years ago 81 per cent OF our
population was in the cities OF our
country. Today 46 per cent OF our
population has been found in the
cities. There is cause for this con-
dition, and it lies in the unattractive-
ness of the farm.
"Last week an old man and woman
from Loudoun county came to me to
hem persuade his only son who had
lef, the farm and secured position
in the city to return and spend the
time on the farm with father and
mother. There was farm there
worth more than $4,000 to be left
the boy. When confronted by myself
and his father and mother, the boy
said: ~ love my father, and l love
nv mother, but life on the farm there
is that of "A hermit. The roads are
either so muddy or so dusty that l
cannot get any place. When night
comes | have to go 70 bed with the
chickens. There was some sense to
his reasons, but I hope that he goes
back to his parents and makes the lat
ter part of their life happy.
sour boys and girls have right to
more of the pleasures of life. They
I 1--we their parents as much as child
rem do anywhere but the blood IN theii
vens demands opportunities for et-
fervascense. The question comes In
how are we going to keep our girls
and bows on the farm. 1t is the hope
Of the future that makes life worth
living, and parents should give more
thought to this side and stop CONNER
cializing so much.
Happiness on the farm comes from
our boys and girls, as they go abou
the farm and community having
good time Farmers, let US. wake u
from this period of commerciallsn
and clean up around our front doors
Sixty-five per cent of the solution Q
this problem lies in this fact. Labo
is hard to get on the farm these days
and the farmer that has family
enough to work his farm is mnkin
the most money, and the farmer
thinking of only how much work tn
boy can do, and not of his happ
ness. Farmers, lose site of the con
mercial side of boy"
Mr.. Carlin made timely observ
tions on the transportation, tari
tax on incomes, etc.