The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-11-03
Agriculture.

"A Wei lAGSl CoIluSo ulSiSLO AhOAA lin
report of the Secretary of Agriculture
appeared last Sunday in the Memphis
Commercial Appeal AS a matter OF
general information it is illuminat-
ing At the same time it reflects a
condition in the industrial pursuits
of men and women that is not at all
encouraging.
That part of the article showing
where the national income goes is
the keynote to the situation to which
we refer. The percentage going to
commercial lines, banking, ETC., is
40. The percentage going to man
ufacturing is 80. The percentage 60
ing to agriculture is ia.
TWenty-eight per cent of the pop
ulation is engaged in agriculture.
Therein lies the story of American
livelihood.
We cannot quote from the census
reports, because they are not Access
sible at present, but, as the article in
The Commercial Appeal indicates,
city and urban population continues
to increase while rural population
gradually decreases. This does not
mean that the acreage in farming is
decreased, but it does mean that agri-
cultural pursuits are not keeping
pace with commerce and manufac-
ture, and that the same interest in
farming and the same pride in rural
community life do not continue to
exist.
There was a time, perhaps some
thirty or forty years ago, when the
citizens Of the city and the country
were as distinctly different in type
as the contrast between different ma
tiOnalities. The citizen of the city
was alert, quiCk-witted, keen, smooth
shaver, blcached skin, in derby hat
and patent-leather shoes. The citi-
zen of the country was rather slow
of speech, idionatic and inclined to
take his time. The landlord class
usually wore long coat and a broad
brimmed hat. The laboring or work
ing man was cheaply clad and
easily spotted when he came to town. |
Either one or the other was to the |
manor born and bred in his respec- |
tive sphere. Not so now. Generally |
speaking there are no rubes any |
more. On the other hand, the Ward !
McAlisters and the dudes are not con-
fined to the metropolis. They are
really not the same anywhere. You
can find all sorts of people when you
go to town-so also in the country
or the village.
This is because people are
either living or spending most of
their time in the city; because we
have the amalgamation resulting
from the exodus Of the farm into the
city, and the resultant CELEBRATION I
OF types; because living is speeded |
Up. But while the accclerator
has been applied to the mode of liv- {
ing what has been done to regulate !
the balance wheel of industry? {
The truth is that the city is filled
up with country people. d
Can the nation or the world goit
forward with a gradually disinte- h
grating farm life? The strength of I
any nation lies not largely in com
nercial, banking or manufacturing 0
These things have their c
proper places, but the basis of all 7
wealth and prosperity is in farming 5
Industries. The idea is how are we
o bring about a change in the pres f
mt conditions? a
Much as we dote on our depart a
nents of agriculture, State and ma f;
ional, our public agricultural insti-
utions, our public vocational pro- CT
actions, why are these agencies not C,
in stemming the tide tn
he city? Why have they not i'm g
roved and maintained the standards is
farming? What ails our system? t.
seems that with all the vast public D.
i'd and expense rural life and farm t;
ag is on the decline. Lin
Some men of thought and expert
nee have said that there never will h
c movement hack to the farm. d.
he farmer will have to come from ts
lture generations, and if farm con- a,
ltlons are not improved with future az
enerations there will be further re- d,
nctions in agriculture until the
Iuntry experiences the decline and in
VI as other nations have done. Va
The Commercial has made some W
W observations along this line, and er
ON these We have gathered the st
ca that in some measure we may si
store farming with good roads. so
his will not only aid farming. but
III help our schools and community in
terests. The trouble, however, in dl