The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1914-05-09
FOR THE OPEN COUNTRY.

u. H. billiard, in Chicago Public)
l read this morning that in forty
principal cities of this country the
price of staple articles of food has
risen sixty-five per cent since 1899 Is
lit not sufficient answer to the cause
for this startling increase to tell the
equally amazing statistics concerning
the growth of cities and towns during
the same period? If it is not the whole
answer, Is it not at least the main
answer? To the common man, upper
picked by learned reasonings concern
ing the production Of gold, is it not
clear that if we have fewer hogs and
cattle in proportion to population, that
| if we have each year fewer people
raising potatoes, cabbages and chick
ems in proportion to those who are
holding or hunting jobs in the cities
and towns, the price of these things
will naturally rise?
In spite of the numerous conferences
and commissions on the subject of
rural improvement, in spite of the
often heard cry of back to the land, it
seems that full recognition of the
Importance of the subject is very far
from being realized. Meetings are
held on twentieth floors in big cities
where there is unco serious discussion
aabout rural churches, rural schools,
farmers wives, ETC.; we have been
doing this now for dozen years or
more; yet, if any one will drive ten
miles, away from the railroad, in al
most any part of the country, he will
see how little is even beginning to be
done in the way of making the rural
neighborhood a more inviting place
The country Is there with all its
beauty of tree and plant and rolling
field, but mans work for comfort, con-
venience, education, social intercourse
and amusement is largely lacking. The
farmers wife is still beset with incon.
veniences, while she hears and reads
of the marvelously increased comforts
of her city sister. The country school
house Is poor shack of a-building In
comparison with the school in even
the country town. There Is little social
life, not even the good old cornshuck,
ings There is church once, or perhaps
twice, month. The modern boys and
girls born in the country begin from
early years to look forward to quitting
The talk Of back to the land and of
colonization schemes is mostly futile.
Life in the city takes the nerve out of
people for the life in the open country
Some one has wittily remarked that
the only genuine cutlery of back to the
land came from the family in Noah's
1AIh' SSl IdllIly lLOSS VI US lO-udy WHO
are doing the talk do not want to go
back. 1t is the other man whom we
want to have go back, and he does not
want to go any more than We do. 1t
lis pressing problem how to check
the lure of the town, how to have more
of our people raising hogs and yege-
tables. Mr. Roosevelt well said, In the
introduction to the report of his Com
mission on Country Life: 1--WE were
founded as nation of farmers, and in
spite Of the great growth of our indus
trial life 1t still remains, true that our
whole system rests upon the farm, that
the welfare of the whole community
depends upon the welfare of the farm.
er. The strengthening of country life
is the strengthening of the whole ma
ton"
Something might actually be occom-
.plished by directing all efforts toward
holding those in the country who are
still there, especially the growing-up
children More can be accomplished