The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-09-10


ment. He was obliged to practice grind
ing economy, and to live. as far as pos
sible. from his own acres. He did live
essentially within his own prpd9y or n.y.
agricultural home. Lend poor was
common expression in the farming coun1
try. Many, and especially the ambitious
themselves. to the growing population OF
the cities. driven by the hardships Of the
farm and attracted by the greater re-
wards offered by the cities.
BY 1905. it was becoming apparent that
the consuming power of the cities ana
industrial centers would soon be large
enough to equalize the producing power
OF the farms. Prices of farm products
began to advance, and with this advance
came an increase in the price of farm
land. Improved machinery increased the
number Of acres one man could farm,
thereby decreasing his cost OF produs.
no longer heard. Men who mad mot Sc
cured farms of their own began to seek
them, and the march to the west and
northwest was resumed. nrissuon pro
law made more liberal in order to make
the settlement Of the semi-arid country
more attractive. New areas OF govern
'i'eD' Demand 5 Increased Production.
In the meantime the consuming public
had become concerned over the pIospset
q paving higher prices ssrt tor Sod Ss.n
built up on ridiculoHsly cheap food. In
decd, their building was the nrst essen
tisl in developing farm values. linen
the increase in price called for rsad1ust-
CARNATIONS of city business men began
to take an interest In farm AFFAIRS and
preach the duty of increased production
The Back to the Land cry . Desa IN 70 Gov, DC
sress and by state legislatures were made
unuds OF farming
and thus increase production in the hope
p sePns SSwR f %Ss p ptsTssd TIN II.
thought that by making eondtdons on
the farm more attractive, the drift from
the farm to the city might be checked:
tire trenstSsnsd bv the addition Of extension
departments, the function OF which is to
take the teaching of better methods OF
farming and stock CROWNS mt, INTO .ns
especially 70 stimulate an interest IN
farming among the boys and girls; Al
sorts OF efforts were made to check tre
drift from the farm into the city, ana &c
maintain farm production.
In truth. here In America. farming
came 20 that stage where II ceased to De
mere struggle for sustenance, and u
achievement. n ss no longer the inner.
entity directed operation with the soil for
restricted i!ving. but became CONNER
cial. scientific operation with Mother ma q,
modern life. and know participation
Cry for Feod !ntenslNsd: ..,
.rst hsa SHs 9n the moSemont. which was
already under full Roadway. The cry
for food, which came from the nations
across the sea, caused further advanced
prie S'o Of farm land, and Both profits en-,
With viii this increased demand sor The pro
duct: Of the s os rau sls0 sr ous sss
tories and other Industrial. enterprises
resulting in high wages. and The City
continued to pun from the t.rrn large
farms Of their own and could see nc
prospect Of getting then snd VIC
thought they could see ir the city pettei
wages and greater opportunities tor az.
living conditions: the facts were ,
that during the period from 1905 70 1911
ne re s s o our sns sm . ,H e. a Rs
standing the more hopeful conditions on
the farm.
The s s5tsnSSi,ss part played 81 inc ter
s %sr' ., ene ~'fi e anssfssocd or fuiiy
appreciated b. or people, az Msrs s.s sans
n. &c, came me from sSe farms. and aSteI
sending their sons to the camps; t1a
others and sa2,tnsrs' +,srn s to and uro.
anced more food than was ever before
pSoduced II tie histqFy Of the world II
the same Ssse and Ssom the Same cree
Cd n So4 S = ws sIss s ssyi yea e.. ns
S Sse Of fo ssaSilrSt ' hours hours. They took e
themselves the responsibility Of feeding
not only our own people. but also our al
o,ss e Our farmers made the war ihsir war
ard counted no saprifce too Ersat 70
help fsht IL through 10 q sueassErl n.
ish. The story OF WHIT ICY &C. Tr Mt
f M one Of the noA slsrtnrs chsp,
tsrs In American fdstorr. Ons 'htpy
may say--ip every Aincriean connie.
The Syorid war for maintained rights, tht
american lIss ma and ready for every sacrihos
| Results Of condftlons.
nr w,,ss. s and br.s.: =; s
| is n sTs 70 deal With N:
ssca sS .n.s :tass ssx. = 's =: 'sTs
On grain growing at the expense Of live
stock As ana fssasrs as
oq,s losses' II tile condition should con.
f,nce we are IN danger. IN the near ia.
| tire Of having to pay very hish p''esA
For two outstandins reasons the main
tenance of q normal balance between NV
stook and grain production is = mater
nson s:cpe on ana Is should ssad have sr
price. Conditions which either greatly
st'r,ulsts or grestly, greatly. d y, nr,r.s .ito.
sether too high for the averass eensurl-
inS nubiio or aitosether too low for the
prodncer. The ether "a that the eyer.
tSa Sartiiitv Of our land. which IL OUT
greatest national asset. and results In
price profitable: Z. . c;o,:,;,,.S i' Al
- price profitable TO the prodycsr. and
.-,.rIrspread agricultural distress
fro-,, which all Of our people suner' Al
| a recon struction measure. therefore. or
government should DO everything In III
power 30 restore the normal balance pe'
tween live stock and grain produotion
and thus encourage the prompt return q
that systena of diversified forming y
which alone we con maintain our sot
fertility. This Ii q inatter OF isnmsoies'
importance TO all Of otr people.
Mo one car, forecast, with certainty
tina trend OF prices Of farm products dur
ins the next two or three years. Rscoy.
4,y from q world crisis suoh as we have
sxperienced is slow. inevitably. II is IKE
The human convaiescence from long anc
dangerous illness. Cur reetions with tht
-oria-at-laree are such that inportan,
happenings In other lands have o married
noon conditions here at home. Or