The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-09
SAVE THE BOY CROP TO MAKE THE CORN CROP
President w. w Finley the Southern Railway Banquet Given by
Fauquie CounbBoa of Trade Wanenton. Va

The subject on which I have been
asked to speak this evening, Save the
BOY Crop to Make the Corn Crop" Is
ane Of the most important that can en-
aaEe our attention. Upon the finding
81 some practical and effective way OF
#lessening the drift of young people
Efrom the country to the towns and
Of our present-day economic and So
cial problems including the high cost
. of living and the congestion of popu-
lation In our larger cities.
Until relatively recent years agri-
cultural production in the United
states was largely in excess of home
. consumption and relatively a large
proportion of the manufactured goods
used by the American people were inn
ported. So long as this condition pre-
Xyailed there was a sound economic
treason for the drift from the farm TO
In dustriaI and mercantile Centers. That
reason still exists in some restricted
1 localities. as in parts of the Southern
| AppalachiaD region where opportuni-
. fses for successful agriculture are re-
&strfcted by the topography of the land
land where nearby mountain and PED
mont manufacturing cities and towns
#offer opportunities for profitable IN
| dustrial employment. This does moi
[apply to the United States as a whole,
l ~ Il.
Ement from the farm has gone to such
an extent that, while agricultural pro-
sncta arc sffH exuortrd In consider
d bie volume, the margin between pro-
{duction and the home demand is
growing smaller and haa practically
{Fanished as TO some classes OF pro-
snrts At the Same time population
In some Of our larger cities has be-
come so congested that. even In pros
naror,g times many find ii difficult to
nhtata DrofYtah bic enpIoyncnt and,
during f,nras. Of business depression,
Ittsa nrohiaYn of relieving distress and
!. ravantfnpr a-t,,a1 starvation lis serious.
tvhira tbis condition exists. in cities
tnnra 10 An insistent and uasatisfiei
demand for reliable and efficient farm
s,bor
.ysacts so Ybe Farm
Tbfs condition has become so acute
that orna nized efforts are being made
| ~ {uduea naouie from the cities to
| u,s,xta onto farms and to divert newly
) rysvad Immigrants from the cities 60
the r,,s,rfry. The people sought TO be
| benefited by this hack to the farm
| ,src,,asanaa arr ofteu jiI-f7ttet, either
bv srasning or ternperarnent for farm
u n srs .f,4,e unreasonable tgr ex-
80. ) largo narcenfsge Of failures
ssrnnngy fhcse of this class who under
tame farming. In my opinion, the
Freaat efqersiye way OF solving the diff
ar,,sfv both for the farm and fer the
civ III .hw stamping or greatly dinain-
ssh,nw the movement Of young people
| From the farm. If this is TO be ac-
ear, uftshea we must first answer the
1nssYsnu why bevs leave the farm and
fnnn and the best methods of so
changing conditions as 10 make them
nref.er country life
The reasons which ifunci oue boy To
leave the farm may be- different from
these that influence another These
reasons are partly economic and part
Nv social and they can only he removed
Nv changing economic and social con-
aittons as affecting the boy on the
farm These conditions differ in diff
rarant localities. In some rural conf
,1unittcs social surroundings are not
the most attractive. Terms in the
schools are often short Churches are
| far apart. with services sometimes as
infreaafent as once month. In some
kfocalifics there are few, or no. social
gatherings 10 attend, little music, few
hooks or papers to read, and few inn
proved implements or other con-
var,iet,ces TO tighten work on the farm
| anta In tho, farm home The boy has
IitfIe announcement financially to re-
main on the farm. He liz ambitious
ana. ON many farms. can see little op-
nnrtnnitv far advancement. TO n GER
lain extent we must look to govern
ment for the changing OF these crn~
| sitsons through the provision Of edu-
rattoneI systems which will best At the
NAV Far success as a farmer, through
the proytsion Of good country high
Navs which will facilitate the business
ana social relations Of farm opportuni-
Ties. through the working out OF I'm
proved methods in agricultural coll
iaras and on experiment station farms,
ana through carving knowledge OF
such methods 10 those farmers who
have not been able to avail themselves
|of AGRICULTURAL college training.
| Primarily, however, / believe we
kmust look to the individual farmers to
Firing about the most important OF
these changes. nv Investigation OF
tho nnes,ion has led me 10 The con-
victfan that the reason why a boy
leaves the farm can often be traced to
the conditions surrounding him
Methods on the farm where he lives
may not be of the best. There may
H. 4 lack of implements and can-
yanienres designed TO Tighten farm
work. Proper attention may not be