Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-05-12
Foreign-Born Farmers

comparisons often are Odl-
Gus, useless and Intellectual be-
cause all of the elements that
should enter in are not taken in
to consideration.
The announcement made by
the Sears-Roebuck Foundation,
that its survey showed foreign
born farmers in this country to
be more successful than native
Americans in tilling the soil and
making it pay, is farming
comparison that will not set well
with American pride.
OF this survey, the Sioux City
Qowa) Journal says:
1t does not sound good to hear
that a much larger percentage of
foreign born farmers than ma
tlyes own the ground they cult
vate, that the size and the value
of their holdings surpass those of
the Americans, and that, on the
whole, they are more progressive
and enterprising. The truth,
however, is always a good thing
to know. Realization of the SUI
periority Of the foreign born
farmers might inspire the Ameri-
cans to greater effort.
AS said by we'll known ma
fl6nQI u1 -.
son for this indifference in the
condition of the American farm
er as compared with the alien.
Take, for example, the Germans
and the Danes who are shown to
be highly successful in agricul-
ture. Each race has been forced
for generations to meet the de-
mand for heavier production be-
cause of limited areas and con-
stantly increasing population.
Each was forced to apply meth
DDS of intensive cultivation. They
got the maximum results from
the SOIL No doubt they have
adopted the same plans largely
since corning to America.
The German and the Danish
farmers in the United States who
own the farms they cultivate may
be depended upon OF keep their
lands in the best condition pos
sible for heavy production. The
American farmer, frequently
land poor and nearly always inn
pressed with the fatuous concep-
of gf /,
resource of area and soil, has
been unable properly to cult
vate the one, and he has wasted
the other.
Another reason may be found
for the difference in results OBJ
tanned by the two classes of farm
ers here. This is the standard
of living The American farmer
IS likely to consume more of his
profits in the enjoyment of life
than is the newcomer to this
country Saving little here and
little there year after year
counts in the long run. A good
deal of the farm work on lands
owned, or tenanted. by foreign
born farmers is done by women.
The foundation might have dis
covered much heavier percent
age of women. members of for
eign born families is at work on
farms than in the case of native
Americans. This, too, counts
heavily. The American farmer
is not so eXtravagant, but he has
not yet been willing to operate
as do his neighbors who have
come from other countries,
bringing different methods of
cultivation. The result is not a
surprise. Japanese farmers in
California, the most intensive ag-
riculturists in the country any
where, have a plan of life and
of work with which no American
can compete. Their women and
children go into the fields, the
families live in shacks, their food
costs little, being of the simplest,
and they spend nothing on hui
man pleasures. 1t is suspected
that this same thing, obtaining
among other foreign born farm
ers in varying degrees of inten-
siyeness, is accountable for the
comparison from which the
American agriculturist suffers.
We would not have our PEG
pie attempt to live on the sam,