The Delta independent., 1924-05-09
The Call of the Home
The First in America
BY Miles Cannon, Director of Farm
Economics, U. S. Bureau of
Reclamation


Economics, U. S. Bureau of
Reclamation
Some people of our day, probably on
account of the deflation problems fol
lowing the World War, are inclined TO
murmur and complain. AS matter
of comparison, therefore, it is here
designed to reproduce the experience
OF that company Of pioneers known to
history as the Pilgrim Fathers.
In the affairs OF the human race
the morning OF December Z, 1920,
brings into view an interesting
epoch. The early dawn revealed in
the offing a strange craft from the
deck Of which the Pilgrim Fathers for
the first time sighted the snow-cover-
hospitable coast at best but at this
particular time its desolate appear
ance was magnified by a strong win
ter's wind laden with mixture OF
sleet, snow and rain.
II was not until the 2lst of Decem-
Der that they found, by accident, lit.
tie harbor, created by a small depres-
sion traversed by a now icebound
stream between two hills Near the
entrance of this stream was a parti-
ally submerged rock over which the
| Pilgrims. drenched by the icy waves
OF the bay, ciambered to the shore and
at once set about to build homes in
the wilderness.
| Under such conditions was the first
attempt made TO establish permanent
4 homes in the western world. With
out wealth or patronage, hemmed In
/ by a trackless forest, with savage
perils about them at every turn. sep
arated from friends and relatives that
] they would see no more, but sustained
by faith unparalleled. this little band
Of farmers set out to lay the founda-
ton Of colony based entirely upon
! the two compelling features-home
and liberty.
! This was the inception of the
Great Republic which already has s7lr.
passed in power and wealth any po-
liical organiZati ion in the history nf
the world These farmers set to work
without delay building log houses. but
nearly all were i'll more or less and
before they felt the inviCoratiur
touch OF spring fully half OF their
number were buried in a new made
cemetery hard by
No pen has ever depicted their suE
fering but in the ANIMALS OF the world
their fame is securely fixed Those
OF us, however. who in this day are Inc
clined to complain, should remember
that these farmers were actuated by
the call OF the home. by an Unsuitable
thirst for liberty Of thought and ac-
tion and a settlement governed by
laws OF their making and administs--
ed by magistrates OF their own choos-
ing. As matter OF policy We may.
with mach profit. again turn back the
pages of time. The Plymouth settle
ment succeeded. when others failed.
for the reason that these Pilgrim
farmers reversed an old custom by
putting everything possible into their
farms, inclufiing the elements Of a
home instead OF getting everything
possible out OF them.
Actuated by any other purpose than
that of establishing homes wherein 10
dwell in perpetuity, the Plymouth
colony, handicapped by poverty and
by the severity OF a climate entirely
unlike that TO which they had been
accustomed, would have failed misar-
ably. II is in fact the love OF home
that made this republic possible,
1t was this principle which survived
the vicissitudes OF the intervening
years; principle which has not vet
been eNtinguished and one which a
greed for power cannot corrupt Il
was this love Of home and liberty that
prevailed ON the field OF Lexington:
that sustained the fathers on Bunk
ers Hin 1t was this principle which
| triumphed at Yorktown.
]