Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-09-06
BACK TO THE CITY" MOVEMENT


There are many assertions made that we must go
"back to the farm There is certainly behind the
assertion but that to be about all The trouble IS
that every wants the other fellow to do the back to
the farm stunt.
The truth is that the American people are becoming
steadily and rapidly urban and less rural in their
ideas The farm has not enough excitement not enough
hilarty to satisfy the American craving for speed
While the question is so generally discussed and the
beauties of farm life so eoqueny displayed the move
ment away from the country and into the city continues
with increasing activity.
The decennial census of the Agricultural Department
shows figures that are instructive along this ne II not
encouraging. 100 80,
In 1880 the urban population was 14,772438 and the
rural 358345 The percentage OF urban popuaton was
295 and the rural 7O In 1890 the urban population was
2272O223 the rural 402 491 and the percentage respec
tiyelv 36 and $50 In 1900 the cities had 0797 o5 and
the country 45197390 the percentage being 4oo ana
595 In 1910 the cities had population OF 42621'Sd
and the country 49, the percentage being 463 Tor
the cities and 53!7 for the farms.
If the increase in population for the past six years has
kept pace with the ten years previous and the
of those going to the cities and country has renamed te
same then there are in the cities about 49oOoooo
and on the farms about 81 100000 By another year or
two at the most at the same rate OF increase the pop
ton will be about evenly divided between the clues anu
the country. 49, 9 ooo
Between 1880 and 1910 the cities showed gain OF 2oo
per cent while the gain in the country was Az per cen
This is not cheerful showing for advocates Oh tie
sback to the farm" movement.
Another showing made by this same census Is that the
number of farms in 1880 was 2,984,3O6 and of these
1924 6O1 were operated by tenants or about 20 per cent
Tn 1910 the number of farms had increased to 40o6Szo
and of tenants to 2354676 during the same period Inc
number of farms had increased about 80 per cent Whe
the number operated by tenants had increased more than
100 per cent This shows the tendency of the farm own
ers to live in the cities and get away from the farms
Still another showing that is far from cheering to the
"back to the farm advocates IS that whe IN l0?o Ie
percentage of farms mortgaged was 2S2 1910 tins had
increased to 33 or about 20 per cent.
This is the condition for the whole United States but
here in Oregon the showing is far more unsatisfactory
State Senator Day in discussing state development IN
Portland recently stated that the increase IN population
in the state since the of 1910 was 259229 and OF
this Portland got 1167SS all the other cities 96}2 ana
the country 46069 Portland got 45 per cent the other
cities 3S per cent and the country II.
Down in Portland every few months there is con-
venon or gathering of kind for the purpose OF cor
recting this and steering people back to the tafn
The intent is all right and commendabe but the trouble
is that Portland does not to know where the nam
trouble lies and useless to try to tell her. because Se
is the principal cause Some time she will get wise to TINS
and assist in correcting the evil for is nothing less than
that 4
AS the Capital Journal stated sometime ago the great
est trouble is that the state has too much paunch Tor It's
legs to carry and Portland is It,