Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/838

 8l8 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

The cause of the farmers' discontent and migratory tendency is in the main economic. A general depression in agriculture in the past has compelled many of them to abandon their unprofitable pursuits and flee to the city. This depression is due in turn to far-reaching changes in the methods of production and distribution. The prolific development of farm machinery in late years has thrown the rural districts into a financial panic, depriving of labor a large part of every farming community. To add to the depression, a speedy development of transporta- tion on land and water opened great areas of fertile land in the West to the small farmers of the East ; and later returned its products to compete with those of the East and of Europe. This discontent was enhanced when the farmers found that the cost of transportation deprived them of their profit, and that it was cheaper to burn their corn than to sell it ; while this very facility of transportation, which for the time being wrought such havoc in the agricultural districts, enabled trade and manufac- tures to concentrate in towns, where life was more attractive through the conveniences of urban life and through its social and cultural opportunities.

But it is only fair to say that the economic factor does not enter so largely into the rural forces that today are driving the agricultural population into the cities. The farmers have read- justed themselves to the disturbing factors. They have turned them to their own profit. Transportation and invention are making the farmers of the day wealthy. Untilled western lands are being opened to the public so gradually that the equanimity of rural life has not been disturbed except in neighboring locali- ties. The great loss in rural and urban Nebraska has been due, doubtless, to the opening of adjacent rich farming lands. The old fear of bonanza farms has been exploded. Experience is proving that intensive farming is more profitable. The last cen- sus reports only 41,000 farms containing 1,000 acres and over. Statistics also show that, while the farms of the country are mortgaged for over two billions of dollars, it is not because the farmers are falling behind in their struggle, but because they are anxious to buy farms and to improve them.