Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-09
BY BishODW. A.Candler

There must be an urban instinct in
human nature; for since the building
of Babel men have been making new
cities, or drifting to cities already in
existence.
In the early days of our Republic, Mr..
jefferson expressed his great gratifica-
tion that most of the people lived in ru-
raj districts and declared his hope that
such might be the case forever. But
Mr.. Jeffersons hope has not been real
lied. From the days of Washington's
administration to the present moment,
there has been steady and unceasing
drift of the people away from the coun-
try to the city.
Some days ago from the Census Bu-
reau at Washington, was issued a bulle-
tin which disclosed the fact that 400, or
approximately Al per cent of the people
of our country now live in cities, OF
5000 inhabitants and upwards. Putting
the entire population of the United
States at 100, 100000, it appears that the
urban population amounts to about A.
100000.
This fact is most significant and bears
directly upon all the industrial, econom-
ic, governmental and moral issues which
now demand the consideration of the
American people.
The present high cost of living may
be due in part to this drift of the people
from the country to the cities. The raw
materials from which are made both the
food and raiment of mankind are pro-
duced by rural hands in rural regions.
Cotton and hemp, corn and cattle, and
all else which is used for feeding and
clothing human beings, must be sought
in the country
Now, if 41,OOO,O 900 people live in cit
les and towns they must be dependent
upon the 100000 left in the country,
for what they eat and what they wear.
And it must be remembered that these
SO, 900, 600, who are left in the country,
must make much for the use of the peo-
pie of other lands as we'll as for the
needs of their 4I,OOO.OOO fellow citizens
living i'm our cities. The waste of war
torn Europe and the want of the Orient
al nations make heavy drafts upon the
h1 IVests and herds of our peaceful and
pI osperous country. Is it strange then
that cotton, and corn and wheat and
meat are bringing high ices? 1t must
De so.
1t is not improbable that there are
men who are taking advantage of these
conditions to exact even higher prices
than the situation naturally justifies;
make unjust profits out of the impera-
tive necessities of their neighbors, prices
would rule high as the case now stands.
Relief will not come from congressional
Investigations and congressional declam-
ations, spread on the pages of the Con-
gressonal Record; for all that sort of
stuff increases taxes and adds to the
cost of living.
More people must live in the country
and fewer people in the cities, or pres
ent conditions must continue Indefinite
~. And it must be said that country
life was never more inviting than now.
The thrifty farmer may have his tele-
phone, his daily paper by rural deliv-
ery, his automobile, and other COM
forts and conveniences at comparatively
small cost. Besides he can enjoy lux
uries from his farm which are utterly
beyond the reach of a man of equal
means in the city. Can not multitudcs
of struggling people in the towns and
cities be made to see these facts, and
thereby be induced to forsake the crowd
ed and sterile streets in which they are
now walking so YEARLY and working
so hopelessly for the happy haunts and
fruitful fields of the country? Per-
haps some may be led to do so; but
others will not, and not a few country
people will continue tc leave the coun-
try for the city. Hence it is probable
that the drift city-ward will continue,
and that in a very few years fully half
of the people of the United States will
be living in cities Of 5000 or more in
habitants.
If such shall be the case, and such
it will be most assuredly, the conges-
ton of people in cities will present a
most serious problem. Prices of the
Nd n -
able living will continue high, and per-