The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-03-10

There have been huge quantities of
agricultural land abandoned in the
past few years in all parts of the
State, as in the country generally.
Great sections of certain townships
have practically been abandoned in en-
tirety.
From 1900 to 1880 the population of
the State as a whole has increased
52.8 percent. But during this same
3O-year period the population declined
in 20 of the Ct counties. The decline
in some of these counties was marked.
Thus in 1880 Bradford county had but
1926 percent of the population it had
in 1900; Tioga county but 64.9 per-
cent; Potter county ST. percent, and
Forest county but 1859 percent.
The population in the towns and
villages in some of these counties did
not decline as fast as did the rural
population. Thus in 1880 the popula-
ton in the farming areas of Potter
county was but Al percent of what it
was in 1900, and Tioga county but
56.6 percent of what it had been 80
years ago.
In certain townships the situation
is still more distressing. Thus in two
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and Wharton
in Potter county, there is now but one
person in five of 80 years ago. The
same is true of Ward township, in
Tioga county, while in Elk township
of Tioga county there remains but
one person in eight that had homes
there but three decades ago.
The counties showing increases in
population in the past 30 years are
those in industrial centers in the main.
Philadelphia county in this period fell
behind the increase in the State by 2
percent. Allegheny county increased
Is percent above the State average.
The counties showing greatest in
creases were those near metropolitan
areas with high tax rates, notably
those near Philadelphia-such as
Delaware and Montgomery. Home
owners moved out of high-tax areas.
RHR
In few instances in this State de-
forestation is the reason for this de-
cline in rural population, and hence in
rural values. But, taking the State
and the county as a whole, the reason
lies in the fact that the science of
agriculture has increased more rapid
ly than the population has increased.
Farms in this country for decade
have had rapidly declining values.
Since 1920 the farm dollar has pur-
chased less than has the dollar in
nearly all other industries.
People have been leaving the farms
of the country at a rate of about $780,
900 a year net. This exodus from the
country to the city has been tempo
rarily stopped during the present de-
preston. But the stoppage has not
meant any decrease in the trend Of
abandoned lands, because agricultural
lands become abandoned lands in fact
before the people move off them.
Farmers are now sticking around
awhile longer on such farms in the
hope that something better offers,
simply using their farm homes as
refugees would. The older children
have already gone from such farms,
and the old folk will go when their
children are able to provide for them
elsewhere. In this sense more farm
area is being abandoned this year
than in any other year in our history.
The mere fact that folk still con-
tinue, out of necessity, to live on such
farms does not mean for minute
that those farms pay or are regarded
now as homes in permanent sense
or will ever be so regarded again. Ma
chinery and science have increased
production more rapidly than popula-
ton has increased, not only in this
country but in other countries. Ability
to pay taxes has declined accordingly.
To be sure, this is not the first time
farm values have declined in Pennsyl-
vania. But the decline formerly was
regional, not general, and not world
wide.
The soft coal counties offer an illus
tration of capital migration from this