Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-11
Some People Are
Returning to Farms

| Although the statistics show that
cur farm population Is decreasing,
| thousands oil people are now return
ing to rural life according to G. J.
Galpin, economist i'll charge of the
| Division of Farm Population and Rur-
al Life, IN the u. S. Department Of
| Agriculture, who writes interestingly
OF the change III farm conditions in
the April issue of the National Re-
public under the title Returning to
| the Farm" In commenting on the
reasons for the drift back to the
farm in certain sections Mr. Galpin
says.
Il recently asked 10000 men why
they left city life and went out to
the farm to work and live. You will
be interested in their replies, especial
" on account Of two things: the first
is that 7,700 Of these 10000 men had
been farmers before, and 1000 more
Ct them had been born and brought
up on farms; the second thing is that
these 10000 men with their families
have been changing from city tol
farms during the last eight years,
the exact period of tho greet zen
eral movement of 100000 of farm
people year from farms To cities. |
aWell, this is what they tnla me-
by letter YOU understand, written BY +
the gentlemen who preferred farms
l,Ga1 Of them said, I'VE can make
more money and saye more Oil tha1
farm than IN the city on account II
family livings being 50 hqh III the \
city," 100 Of them SAID City work +
~, s-84f4 h
said, Eve like the farm because VIZ
me independent there 2,0Ru sad I
Eve are tired Of city work and eite
life. In fact WE have come to dislike +
the city and long for the FARM ZOO /
said, eve have found thu the city
no place to bring up children III and 3
we have gone back to the farm for
the health Of the family and letter
sIl-r0End living conditions"
"These are the answers Of the I
$500 person who had had farm en-
pariance az some kind before they +
went to cities.
tYou see plainly enough that these
mon had gone to cities seeking Gu
raise their standard III living They
had tried and they had failed and
after 4 period Of considerable disillu
sionment. had made UP their minds T
that they would improve their stan
dard Of life by d return to farming
| believe the experience Of these
$500 farmers and their families,
numbering ell told some $4,000 per-
sons, young and old, from every state
in the Union, moreover, is SO typical
Of the experience Of a!l farmers who
have tried the two models of life and
labor that | desire to point out some
farmers standard Of living Nhieh are
too valuable to 30 unrec0mnizad.
Instead Of using my own words On Il
this matter | am going to take the
liberty to use words | have gathered
hy reading the latfoTs Of 7,fttf IN
thusiastic farm wonlen--letters which
have come under my eye during the
last ten years These women renrc-
sent very state, North, South, East
and West.
Listen to this West Virginia wom-
an who puts into her standard Of
hfe tha landscape of her farm
".It is almost sinful, how | love
these Old acres here, how ! lay store
hv each inch Of tha land ho~ ! cher
ish and enjoy each tree. each blade
9f rrass or grain It grows
zone western woman said she felt
about the farm a good deal like John
Burroughs. the naturalist, who, while
examiner for the federal government,
spent every free moment in the open
country on little place he owned,
end in a letter To friend said, AWAY
from the farm | am like fowl with
no gravel in his r2zard | am hun
cry for the earth.