Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-11-08
AMONG THE FARMERS.
~applp rusPtov.'

on pracsieai agriculxurs ;cys
10 sohclssd. Addrsss al connunicasions In
tended for this dspextnsns % Hnnnr D. Han
eeosD' e' A.r'eanarsi Editor Oxford Democrat
THE FARM HELP PROBLEM STUDIED
FURTHER.
AGRICULTURAL ADVANCES DUE TO
FOREIGNERS. THE IDEAL POSITION
PRESENTED TO BOYS. EVENING
SCHOOLS WITH AGRICULTURAL.
Recently In discussing the fArm-Aelp
problem I quoted words Of Editor
Hoard In which he deeply regretted she
scarcity Of first-class farm managers
available for the owners Of large estates
and dairy herds. Ia his address st the
dedication Of the new dairy building at
Geneva, n. ", the ex-governor express-
ed himself In simil,r vein. 10 CON-
pairing the present with the past he said
that In New York state there had been 4
decline In farm values
daring the past 10 years, and With 1t Q
decline In the true fArmiag spirit. he
believed that the depreciation In farm
values In the last a5 years had exceeded
the wealth gained. He could 60 into
Madison coanty, his old home, and buy
for from go TO $50 farms that once sold
for 800 an acre. The same decline VAS
observable In the famous old farms Of
western New York, portions OF New
Jersey, and all the way westward
through Ohio and Indian. When he left
for the vest over 20 years ago ~ msgnin-
cent body Of farmers ~ the world ever
saw controlled the destinies Of New York
state. They gave tone and direction to
politics, they took pride in the ap-
pearance of their farms, they built fine
homes and spacious barns and gave
evidence everywhere Of thrift, energy,
ambition, taste and Intelligence.
The farmers sons In those days par
took OF their fathers spirit and ambi-
ton, and thus created q demand for
farms. They were not so completely
smitten with the idea Of being lawyers
or doctors, or Of living In the village or
city. To = certain extent there has been
the same exodus OF the American element
from the farm to the city In the West,
but fortunately, as the speaker believed,
as the sons abandoned the farm there
came 4 strong Influx Of the farm peas
antry Of Germany and northern Europe
whose sons did not wish to enter the
but who wanted new homes
near those Of their parents, and thus
created q constant and steady rise 10
farm values but, more than this, these
European peasants came TO Us filled with
European ideas Of good farming, thor
oush cultivation Of the soil, and deter
minstiop to maintain and even improve
the fertility OF their land. To this class
said Governor Hoard, we owe to-day the
splendid advance that has been made In
the agricultural wealth aud progress Of
the middle sest. An important Lesson
has been taught US BY the peasant farm-
ers Of those northern European nations
that IL, the advantage they derive In
their early education In the elements OF
agriculture 10 the primary schools OF
their native land. Those nations to-day
patrioticslly conserve the resources OF
the state by teaching the boys aad girls
the important elements OF agriculture Ia
their primary schools, the effect Of
which Is 10 establish at an early age an
intellectual understanding OF the mesn-
ing Of soil and soil culture I'VE ought"
he said, Ito be ashamed to-day that
these poor German farm peasants have
better agricultural education and judR-
ment than our oxn farmers sons"
I said last week that two words
higher wsges-would answer the ques-
tiou asked. But farmers cannot pay
higher wages With profit TO themselves
till they can learn how 10 make their
farms pay better returns than the aver
age fzrm has done 10 the past. III the
remedy for this low condition OF sgri-
culture in America Is better education
for the farmer and better primary
schools for the training OF his children
and those Of his neighbors, cannot zee
how first-clsss farm help 10 going 10 be
very abundant for some years TO come,
for u will take considerable time TO
bring about the radical changes re-
quired.
Changes 10 national life are naturally
SLOW 10 their operstion. Compared to
the eastern continent this country is yet
new. Farming lands can be bought for
prices that LANDS In Europe rent for, and
in large portions Of the country IL has
been believed better economy, when
lands are exhausted by cropping TO move
upon new, Wild land than 10 enrich the
old by higher culture American farm
ing, 10 too large an extent, has been =
sy stem Of soil ROBBERY or soil exhaustion.
We have paid national debts BY exports
of heat aud corn, beef and pork, but
we have left the land poor, and poor
land growing annually poorer must,
sooner or later, make the owners poor
too.
IL hss been ssid that the first step
towards gaining knowledge Is to realize
ones Ignorance. A continuous demand
for a better class Of farm help must, In
time, bring supply. The agricultural
colleges are doing something 10 tnst
direction, but these alone can never fully
meet the demand. The term "hrst-class
farm help" does not mean foremen Tor
ventlemen's estates exclusively, but II
means also young men and women aoie
and willing 10 work for hire on ordinary
farms upon such terms rs the present
generation Of farm owners can afford to
accept. The founder Of the Storrs school
in Connecticut had such class In mind,
but changing the school to college mas
hardly been in accord with the original
idea.
Governor Hoard Is not alone now In
advocating the introduction OF lessons
in the foundation principles OF sgricuit.
ure into the common public schools OF
the country. This proposition now
ever, will not make converts rapidly 90
long a. the schools are chiefly In tne
ha nds Of professional men Who believe
that farmers, because OF their occoPa-
ton, must forever hold q position, so
cially, below themselves.
The ideal held up to the boys OF our
schools to-day Is = position OF some soI,
requiring little toll bat bringing hoeial
psy. Here are two extrats from tns
New England Journal OF EducAtion
In q recent article on evening scnools
that will illustrate my point. IL says
..Thefe are thousands OF men 10 sue
AasEHEoE0