Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-09-29

army trucks 25 automobiles of varied vintageS
and makes, score or more of bungalow trailers,
men and women in khaki children of all ages,
family washing Tapping on lines, fires going, the
smell of bacon and Coffee family breakfast groups,
and a big sign that set forth that the Chicago
Motor club entertaining Gen" w. d. SCOTS
modern caravan, en- route from Brooklyn N. Y.
to Bull, Idaho.
"Times change and with Them sagely re-
marked an ancient philosopher. They do, indeed,
though probably we change less than do the times
For Chicago, young as it is--t was not incor-
porated city until 1S37-has seen many
caravan headed west in the old days. But they
were caravans of prairie schOoners," drawn by
oxen or mules. And the men and women were go
ing forth to face the unknown, fight Indians turn
up the prairie sod, contend with grasshoppers and
drought and put up a fifty-ffty battle with fate
for a home and living.
Not this caravan. It was travelling in COM
fort and at speed. 1t knew just where it go
ing. 1t was scheduled for kindly attentions along
the way and warm welcome. Its land was Sc
cured There was water for irrigation. Houses
and warehouses were ready. Everything down to
the last detail had been arranged. Failure
unthinkable. Success seemed assured
Shades of Kit Carson, Marcus Whitman and
Brigham Young What a contrast the Lincoln
highway of 1921 to the Santa Fe trail of the
Thrties, the Oregon trail of the Forties the Nor
trail Of the Fifties, the pixies Peak or Bust
Of the Sixties!
The figures of the census of 1920 show that the
trend of the population from the country to the
city has become greatly accentuated since 1910
Now, for the first time in the countrys history,
more than half the entire population is living in
urban territory" That is to say that of the popu-
lation of 105683, 10S persons 51.9 per cent lv
ing in cities and 481 per cent in rural communities.
In the census Of 1910 the corresponding percent
ages were 1853 and 53.7
This is a condition that Is regarded neither
desirable entirely safe. Therefore many are
the projects to get city jewellers back to the soil.
Back to the soil An American slogan for Amer
leans! Yet the country does not extend general
invitation to all corners. 1t is not ready to support
indefinite number Of miscellaneous applicants.
Mother Nature is very far from being the benevo-
lent old soul she Is pictured by the ictionsts who
write farm prospectuses. She does not give her
bounties for nothing. She demands full payment.
And she exacts full penalty for mistakes.
1t is the surest kind of sure thing that the
country home that pays its own way means hard
work for somebody. There will be blisters, back
aches and muscles that will have to be worked
from soreness into strength. Ere the bilowing
grain delights mis- eye, the city man will under
stand why providence or nature or evolution pro-
vded him with eyebrows
Moreover, there is slowness and elaboration
in natures ways and methods that to the city man.
used to doing things upon the instant, will be little
less than maddenng. 1t is useless to rage against
the ordered processes; they cannot be hurried
The city man must learn to wait for seed time
and harvest and to possess his soul in patience.
SO it is evident that there is a balance to be
struck. The city is one thing; the country is an
other The city cannot be transplanted In the
country. And no one can strike this balance for
the would-be k-to-the-lander; he must do 1t
for himself.
In striking this balance, however there Is more
to be taken into account than the dollars. There
are the beauties Of nature. There is pure air,
undefled by smoke and SCOT; place in the sun,
with no skyscrapers overhead to shut out the blue
sky and the stars and the moon; honest thirst
that makes nectar of the gods out Of water from
the we'll and buttermk from the spring house !;
an appetite that would put soul under the ribs
of Death sleep the like of which no city man ever
knows
From many viewpoints farming Is the highest
and best of callings. Farming is an honest busi-
ness The farmer is no useless consumer, no para
site He is a producer; he contributes directly
TO the wealth of the nation. He IS independent
and is behoden to man for place or favor He
does not climb up by dragging others down. Land
Is the fundamental natural resource from which
the nation draws its life And the farmer Is the
+ bulwark Of the country.
| Yes; back-to-the-and is the right thing for the
right man. lie will find independence-mental,