Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-25
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.
Director of Experiment Stations True
Testifies Before the Industrial
CommissfOu.

WASHINGTON. June 2i.-A. C. True, di-
rector of the office of experiment stations
was before the industrial commission to-
uay. lie directed his remarks especially to
the subject of technical education for agri-
culturists, giving much information con-
cerning the experiment stations, the agri-
cultural colleges, the secondary agricultur-
al schools, farmers institutes, etc. Refer
ring to the last named institutions, he said
| there was an increasing demand for ex>
perts at these meetings, and he recon-
niehdeu that travelling professors be en-
ployed Tor their benefit. He said that in
tne united States at large there Were forty
SIN iand grant colleges with resources
amounting to $53 500, o00 which afford an
education along agricultural lines and
Whlch We're attended last year by more
than $1,000 students. 1900 of whom had
taken an agricultural course.
he did NOT consider II practical for the
present TO teach agriculture in the element
ary schools of the country, but advised in
stead that instruction be given on objects
IN nature, especially in the rural schools.
as the best preparation for subsequent in
structIon % no on AGRICULTURAL topics.
True said that $40, 600 had been expend-
ed upon them in the past ten years, but
as as fan inns amounted to only 81 to every 5000
sum excessive In this time 500 annual re-
ports and 5000 bulletins had been issued by
the stations. 100000 copies being distributed
the United States. and they are engaged in
investigating all the subjects pertaining to
ing.
Director True referred to the movement
Tor agricultural education in the United
states as only part of movement which
was practically worldwide. Not only had
tnlS movement found a footing in the
nlghiy civilized lands, but in others also
In Egypt there was at least one well reg
uta1ed agricultural college and the sultan
OF turkey had asked the secretary of ag-
Ilcullure 10 recommend suitable person
10 organize the movement in Turkey. Rus
sla, Australia and Japan were developing
con oO,nplele .L systems. Director True pointed
OUT tnat all this meant competition for the
trade OF the world, and urged the neces-
slty for adequate efforts in this direction
on the part of our people,
AT the afternoon session of the commits
sion, Mr.. George X. Holmes, also of the
agricultural department, was heard He
furnished statistics showing that the aver
Ise IN ,be per 1f Gapita earnings of farm laborers
a1num, ann without board, compared to
$22l paid to persons engaged in
domestic service; $40 paid to min
in the mechanical arts. He also submitted
ngures showing the per capita production
oi % IN tae a., asriculturists of the United States
II III the southern Central states; 1852 in the
North Central states; $3.50 in the North At
iantic states, and $519 in the Western states.
tiic "feLdSe production In manufactures
pellg Sso0 per capita per annum From
tlese hsures he deduced the conclusion
that the condition of the farm laborer was
Wretchedly poor, while that of the farm
owner was little better.
ne estlmated that after all expenses were
paiu the farmer receives an average of
ohly SzZbl per month, counting nothing for
interest For the past few years there has
Deen a constant decline in the price of farm
products, except in meat, dairy and poultry
products.
Referring to the probability of recommen,
dations by the commission bearing upon
agricultural trusts be remembered. Among
the farmers organizations which he consid-
cred in the nature of trusts were the nu-
merouS fruit associations of California and
other states and the Milk Producers As
sociation, of Boston.
There was also tendency toward organ
lzation among the cotton growers and If
II ever took definite shape 1t would be the
most gigantic trust in the country Any
law applying to trusts must bear upon the
organizations, and there was no doubt he
said, they had been beneficial He also
referred to the numerous farmers co-op-
erative associations of which he said there
were 1000 in the country. He thought
they should be subject to state supervision
FOR the protection of their members against
dishonesty and incompetency. Mr. Holmes
also suggested that the Southern states
should take means to limit the percenta ge
OF mems on growing cotton crops. He con-
sidered the credit system in the South re-
sponsible for the overproduction of this
staple W. '-
At the conclusion of Mr.. Holmes testi-
mony the commission adjourned until SEN
tember j.