Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-04-21

wv the drift Of the young peo-
pie from the country to
the cities, in the steady rise in the
cost of living, and in the decline OF
our food exports. 1t Is true, for us,
this is q new situation, but for the
world It is as old as civilization.
Plutarch thundered against the de-
population of the rural districts. JUS
tinian, the great lawmaker, was in
favor of legislation designed to keep
people on the farm. The great Ro-
man emperor, Augustus, before the
Christian era, saw that his empire
was being undermined and called to
him the poets of the nation and COM
manded them to sing Of the, beauties
and profits Of country life.
The young people Of this country
have been taught in their homes, in
the schools, and through the literature
placed in their hands, largely to over
estimate the advantages of city
life and they have not been taught
correctly to comprehend its disadvan-
tages. Likewise, the people OF both
city and country exaggerate the diff
culties and drudgery Of country life
and fail to appreciate fully its great
and peculiar advantages.
Low City Wages.
One middle-aged man in New York
city, in answering the question, why
young men leave the farm, says: Il
wish to say that I speak from expe-
rience, for I am one of the army Of
deserters, and like thousands of 9TH
ers, am now too poor financially to
70 back to the farm, and too proud
to 20 back broke. I know a great
number here in New York city who
are in the same position as I am.
While 1 know many country boys.
know but very few who do not wish
they had stayed on the old farm, and
everyone tries to make his friends up
the state think he is happy and very
prosperous on Q salary of twenty-five
dollars per week, when, at the same
time, he is trying to make both ends
meet and still live respectfully"
Probably the best way to convince
boys that it is best to remain on the
farm is by such methods Of farming
a. will yield the necessary profits to
provide the necessities, comforts, and
some of the luxuries of life. There
are thousands of small farmers cult
vating farms with labor-saving tools
and keeping plenty of good live stock
who are making the work of theiI
own hands bring them in more thar
fifteen hundred dollars annually. Com
paratively few men in towns and
cities get as large salary. The farm
er grows his living on his farm and
pays no house rent. The larger par
of his fifteen hundred dollars is me-
profit. The fifteen hundred dollar
town man can hardly make both endi
meet.
Demonstrations, lectures, bulletins
books and contact with men trained
and paid to advise and help him ART
now his privileges. He has a chanc'
with tremendous odds in his favor Il
be q man-and q successful farmer.
Permanent Prosperity Sure.
It is unquestioned that we are nov
entering q permanent era Of higl
priced farm products and high price,
land. This being true, it is advisable
for farmers boys to buy land ant
grow high priced foodstuffs.
The country schools and churche
are rapidly being consolidated, ant
made the equal of the best in tn
towns. Our industrial and CONNER
cial affairs will soon be adjusted 81
that farmers will receive their full
share of what the consumer pays.
Farmers will soon have an equa
chance with other men in securing
capital to supply their farms AM
homes with labor-saving and wealth
producing equipment. The busines
world expects food of the right kind
and at prices commensurate with pre-
gressive living and is Joining tn
farmers in advocating the establish
ment of financial institutions tina
will afford capital to meet the legit
mate needs of farmers.
The farmer and his family man
now have all city conveniences. Ws
ter, electric lights, telephone, fireles
cookers, gasoline engines, automs
biles, and SO on, can be obtained 70
comparatively small outlay @
money.
The time has come when count
agents, agricultural specialists, prir
cipals Of agricultural high school!
and, in fact, agriculturists for a
kinds Of agricultural work will b
selected from among the successfr
farmers and dragged from the farm
More farmers will be elected govern
ors and sent to congress. There is
bright future for the educated, su,
cessful farmer.