The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1895-10-24
Agricultural lntel:igt nee.

schools, an extract from which was re-
printed in recent number of The Journal,
contains, among other false and illogical
statements, this assertion: "The fact that
country neutrality-suspicious. people-are
growing more ignorant, generation by
generation, is SO patent that instances OF
groups Of instances need not be recited to
prove it, While the whole article re-
ferred to it's illogical, untrue, and best de-
fined by calling it mess Of sensational
rubbish, it contains no single statement
that SO we'll shows the ignorance Of its
author as the sentence quoted above. 1t
is not my purpose to criticise, OF reply
to the article in detail, yet a reply to the
assertion noted must of necessity include
Speeds paper.
1t has always seemed to me as an in
suit to any class of people to ask them to
accept as final any statement affecting
them which is not supported by reason
able proofs. This holds true in all rela-
tons of life. Dogmatic assertions can
never be nade to take the place Of logic.
When the people of this State and coun-
try are told that they are surely growing
mere ignorant, generation by generation,
they have a right to demand that the
assertion be proven OF Withdrawn with an
apology. 1t has been, and is, the belief
of the world at large that the farmers of
the L nited States were the equals of amy
class of citizens in intelligence and brain
power. Year by year have the agricul-
tural people of this land been teaching
men truths in connection with their bust
ness; year by year have they been becom-
ing better fitted to discharge the great
duties OF American citizenship. As a
nation, we have seen many changes
and Improvements in life, but in moth
ing has there been greater improvement
than in our farm practices and our coun-
try life. The farmer of fifty year agos
had no knowledge of many things that
his son and grandson are compelled to
knew to make a success of their calling.
10 day, the common terms used by scien-
fists are familiar to the farmers, while
chemical Authorizations, as applied to
agricultural chemistry, are as easily read
by the younger portion of farmers as
though fully written-6ut.
AS a nation we are 2 reading people.
Good reading always has an elevating
effect upon the reader. The city man Of
business has his daily paper, which may
be a necessity to him, and from it he
CLEANS the news of the day and finds
material Tor gossip with those whom he
may come in contract with. But the city
dailies, while useful, are not apt to be
filled with good literary reading, nor is
there III them much to produce growing
thought. On the other hand, the farmer
has the weekly papers which are reposi-
tories Of much that is useful and worthy
OF thought. The agricultural press has
been, and is great factor in the pro
glessive lie OF the farmers OF this conn
Try. Containing the best agricultural
thought of tie day. expressed in clean
language, furnishinga medium where the
people can freely interchange opinions.
the weekly paper has an influence that
can not be overestimated.
thinking, not growth, makes man.
hood. Whatever tends to develop
thought among the farming people makes
them more intelligent. The work of the
many Experiment Stations in this coun-
try has helped to keep new ideas and
methods constantly before the people.
Their work may not always be accurate !;
1t is seldom decisively final, yet, it is a
great help in tile practical education Of
the people and as such has much value.
Immediately connected with the farm life
of the country is the work of the Boards
OF Agriculture and the different societies
for the promotion of agricultural and
horticultural life. These all have a bene-
fetal effect upon the agricultural people
OF the country and help to make them
the equals in intelligence and knowledge
of any other class of people, not except
ing the professional walks of life.
| come now to touch briefly upon the
social and educational advantages that
properly belong to the farming com
munities. Socially, the life Of the farm
er is what he makes it. With the facil-
tiles for travel, and the opportunities for
getting together for social intercourse,
the dweller in the country need not, nor
does he, envy his city brothers, who
may think they have better privileges but
who find those superior advantages Who'll
~ in their own imaginations.
The school privileges of the country
were never SO good as they are at
the present time Practically, there is no
illiteracy in the rural sections. What
there is in the country at large is nearly
all found in the cities. This statement
can be easily proved by an investigation
into the school attendance of our large
cities, which show woeful state of affairs
in this respect. The farmer who can
neither read nor write can hardly be found