The Arvada enterprise., 1921-02-10
NATION IN DANCER
Farm Abandonment Has Created
Most Serious Situation.
Food supply Threatened Through the
Drift Of the Population 70 the
citiss-Now 10 Great oppertv-
nifty to Take Up Land.

The question, "How Ia the country
to he fed II the population continues
to drift TO the clties7" Is one that
should create an agitation that will
bring about reply that will mean
solution. The census, recently CON-
pleted. reveals II situation truly alarm
ing. one that has never been known
In the United States before. The ur-
ban population IL now greater than
that OF the rural districts by about
4.MO.0OO. Cities and towns, each with
more than 2,5N inhabitants, contain
A.3lS.Os2 persons. or Ola per cent Of
the total population. while the farms
and smaller towns together claim only
81 .300. .730 persons, or 4S.0 per cent Of
the total.
As is pointed out by an influential
Chicago daily. "the drift to the cities
is thus proved and. reduced to figures,
showing n top-heavy condition Of the
industrial life"
Farming Ia and must remain the
basic industry Of the world. and GER
tainly should remain the basic indus
try Of a nation with a continental
area like ours, 1t Ia small profit to
gain the markets Of the world with
manufactured goods II agriculture has
decnyed 80 badly aE to furnish nh un-
certain subsistence for our people. and
nuctuating crops are reflected In price
changes that upset the economic life
! Of the country. Yet we are within
mea asurable distance of that condition,
II the present or recent drift toward
the cities continues.
Most writer's on this topic take II
for granted that young folks go from
farms to cities merely to make more
money. Doubtless that In something
Of n motive at all times and was n
very strong one In the period imme.
diately after the war. when city indus
tries paid wages totally Impossible for
farmers to rival.
1t Ia hoped that this drifting has
reached its apex. Unless II has. and
there stili remains possibility Of lts
continuance, the effect cannot M fore
told. The great wave of manufa ctureS
for war purposes has ceaseti. and with
II the number of those employed In
factories ls diminishing by thousands
daily. II In therefore hoped that there
will again he heard the slogan. For.
ward to the Land" n prices to which
farm land has reached are prices pro
hihItive to many. the opportunity II
still open elsewhere. There are stMte'
possessing large areas Of good land
TINT may still he had Nt prices within
the reach Of mnny. and II ix doubtless
true that In self-prcservatIon II vii
he necessary to bring these lands un
der cultivation. The prices are mi
high, considering their value. Then
too. there ARE thc lands "f Westcr,
Canndn. thn, hold out M inviting pros
pert. Rr,ANtx from there show thai
the prosyssetty of the farmers there Il
not mythical. Farming there Ia CON
Quoted on scientific principles. AMI
the climate Ia such M appeals. Th'
production amply repaya all the Fl
ps'nditure that msy bc made. Thu
s0clal cNnditiOns are n u chnrHct~
that make farm life n pleasure. AM
tends 4" keep the young man rn'
young woman from pinins for urbaI
life with M many drawbacks II con
dItions as above mentioned. showing
such a large percentage os population
In the cities md towns, continues. the.
will require fot,d. The opportunity 4
supply II is by the means suggested
Go forward 10 the farm. becOme In
dependent. md beco,ne . factor Il
supplying the worlds needs In cattle
sheep. grain and snrh other comma
dities nx IN" farm will produce an
the resident Of the city re0uires.-
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