The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-17

| VI AN0u ho'o peen causing IdTH
ers to sell off their hogs without wait
| ing for their full growth.
These facts are startling enough
They are in themselves the strongest
argument that can possibly be made
in behalf of food conservation. We
cannot go on wasting foOdstuffs as we
nave done in the past. We have
reached point long foreseen by all
'houghtful observers, of a gradually
decreasing supply of foodstuffs, which
could only be met by more conserva
uoh IN the use Of food in order to
prevent eXorbitant prices, and this en-
tlreIy without regard to the existence
OF the war This condition was in
evidence long before the war.
Ihere are many reasons for the
situation which we now face. One
and fundamental one. is the change
that has been going on for the last 80
years in the shifting of population
from the country to the cities; a
change so momentOus that it's i'm
portance should have been recogniz-
ed long ago by all students of food
supply and general economies.
In 1880 this country had a total
population in round figures of 10000
600. OF this number 14,7OO,OO liv-
ed in towns and cities, and $4,000, 900
n the country. In 1910 we had A.
100000 in the cities. and 49,30O, 900
in the country. In that time urban
population almost trebied, while coun-
try population gained only about 40
per cent
In 1880 29.5 per cent of our popula-
tion lived in cities and 7O.5 per cent.
IN the country. In 1910 urban popu-
lation was 463 per cent and rural
o3.7 per cent. Expressed in gross
lgures, we had in 1910 nearly 2S,-
100000 more people living in cities
han in 1880; while we had only IA
100000 more living in the country in
1910 than in 1880. The most strik
ing change took place between 1900
and 1910, and the amazing advance
in city population made at that time
still goes on. Between 1900 and 1910
city population increased nearly 12.-
100000, and country population only
$4,000
With this enormous relative de-
crease in country population. which
produces the foodstuffs, and the enor-
nous increase in city population.
which consumes the foodstuffs, we
can readily understand the gradual
decline in food production in proper
ton to population.
The nation must face the issue,
and we must learn food conservation
@ greater extent than we have ever
known 1t in the past, because war OF
no war, we cannot waste food as in
former years; and at this time with
The call Of the Allies for food, it is
supremely important that we should
conserve food to the utmost extent
OF our ability, and that at the same
time every effort which farmers
business men and national and State
Governments in combination can
make should be put forth to increase
good production of the coming year.
Industrial development, which has
brought about the great increase in
city population, has been due large
~ TO the marvellous results of power
machinery. In the factory and or
the street power machinery. with all
mat it means in better streets bet
ter homes, better facilities for getting
around, better facilities for doing
business has aided city growth. In
he country animal power and man
ual labor still predominate, and the
country has. to large extent, been
Witnout the great benefits which the
city has had in the utilization of
power machinery. Country life has
been hampered by intolerably bad
| roads, which have been a strong fac
tor in driving people from the coun-
| try to the cities. Farming operations
have been hampered, as compared
with industrial development, because
while the latter had power machinery
the former did not. We must look to
the development of machine power on
ihe farm in the shape of tractors and
to good roads, which will lessen the
cost of farming operations, as vital
factors in bringing about a larger
production Of foodstuffs in proportion
| TO the number engaged in farming
| than at present. Otherwise we shall