The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-10-14

lent OF the Farmers Union, about
leeping boys on the rarm. While he
8 glad to see the boys stick to the
arm, he Is broad enough to want the
boys to go away from the farm il they
lave a natural bent for something
industry makes it possible for boys to
associate themselves with the thing
hat best fit their natural abilities
Yet this same problem Of operating |
the farms Of the county 1s one that Is |
giving Mr.. Frazier constant occasion |
Tor thought He has looked at the |
question from several view points and |
none has offered a solution. The rea-
son they do not offer a solution, Is
because they do not point out a source
OF farm labor. The town raised boy
does not have the same ability to
adapt himself to farm conditions that
the farm boy has to adapt himself to
town conditions. Nor can the boy
from town go to the farm and obtain
it for himself. Farming is a trade, a
profession. and almost anything else
that you may be disposed to classify
1T, and it takes a versatile man to get
the most out Of it unless he has been
trained in the work. The necessary
boys education. He, therefore, does
not make a good farmer as rule
until he has had time to learn.
Cost of Owning Land.
One thing that Mr.. Frazier mention
ed as standing in the way Of the
broader development Of the farms, is
the cost of owning land. The man
who has no land must have consider
able capital before he can farm at
all, unless he farms on a sharing sys-
tenn. The man who has much land,
finds himself handicapped by too much
dead capital tied up in unproductive
land unless he has capital enough and
labor enough to operate his whole
farm. Mr.. Frazier discussed with me
an interesting scheme for capitalizins &
the farm among a. number OF men
something as a stock company is capi-
| talized, and operating it comparatively
The project sounded attractive
| Whether it will ever be tried is an
| other matter, for farmers do not work
| together as much as they might Yet
just as Mr.. Frazier said, there is nc
reason why the joint system Of pro
ductiOn should not work as we'll with
a farm as with a factory or bank.
Yet no scheme will solve the Ques.
ton that does not show how to provide
labor. Any number Of schemes coulG
be made to work if labor could bt
found to work them.
The mills that are built, the mill!
that are building, the new projects o.
all sorts that are absorbing labor, arr
Essential to the advancing prosperit!
of the State. They afford market fo
the farmer, whether he raises cotton
tobacco, grain, produce, meat, or any
thing, for a lively community O
thrifty people will find use for any
thing that comes from the farm. A
the farm has the factory for a mar
ket, the factory needs the farm for
supply house, and both would worl
together in the most harmonious ant
prosperous way, developing the enor
nous resources Of the State IL tn
labor we're available.
But where to get that labor to peo
pie these Guilford county farms is tn
question. Where to get the labor {
fill the farms of every county Of tn
State is a problem.
Attracting Immigrants.
, 1t is an old story, this effort to at
tract immigrants to the State. Siowl
, some come, but too many native peO
! pie go to other states in search Of tina
, golden fleece which has kept me
!, wandering from the days of the myth
: olOgy OF antiquity, and in spite OF tn
magnificent resources developing i
: the State and in sight to develop. tn
last census showed that North Caro-
, lima had lost by migration, more tina
a quarter Of a million more peopl
than were gained by migration. Thi
is true of all but seven Of the state
t east of the Mississippi river. Fiftee
t per cent Of the people born in thi
, State moved away. Less than thir
as many moved in from other states.
= 1t would seem from these figure
= that the hope OF the State is as muc
! | in keeping its own people as in en
$ couraging strangers from other state
! or from abroad.
4 A little investigation OF this move
E ment ofpopulation shows that most {
;. ii from all the states of the East
: toward the big West. which still hs
l. room for a few more. But as tn
/ West fills up the immigration in ths
4 direction is gradually ceasing. and
: certain tide is back toward the East
With the knowledge that Mort
e Carolina has such opportunities to o.
81 fer as she possesses, there is a likel
a hood ~ current Of NnipYaftoo in n