Omaha daily bee., 1900-12-31

,,,,.,... or M, the danger Us so great
.n,aaaa ,e need not inquire; one thing
mL.,aln. that the welfare OF rurai 'on'
muniD is no mere affair oil those 'V'.
entire i,lonc. but Is important 10 .u
strength uic. For ITS continuance auu
the rural clsshols nation requires 'n''
classes are, SO should thrive. As 'nos'
A vigorous couus state.
sary in order to the population Is mes.
throughout the total best physical he"',"
is equally necessary TO tpt c'uEeus.
character and integrity OF thanost aNoras'
and also for the richest devS'o pcVp'
common sense, sincerity. largo vp'n'
patriotism. These qualities aprlng' ,,, a
Mother Earth" They are found In cit..
OF course, but usually because they ali,
brought there. The strongest instances o,
them are not indigenous In towns. II Is
generally recognized that town life would
soon grow pale and sickiy. as we'll In
moral as in physical regards. but for In.
eessant importation OF blood and character
from the country. 1t is a MATES OF com
mon knowledge that nearly all the men
and women in the most commanding po-
sitions in society, business. literature anu
life were born and reared in the countr,
over and above the preceding considcrs-
tions, which apply to other countries as
well as our own, there Is a special reason
for conserving and strengthening rural in
tercsts here In the United States. Europe
was settled mainly under military motiyes,
so that all over Europe tho great land
owner is even today more signincan,
person than the great townsman, Inanu-
facturer or banker. Socially, landownine
counts there more than wealth In other
form The blooded aristocracies of Euro
pean lands all stand In some sort OF cor
ncction with the proprietorship of land.
IL is easy TO see that in the countries
named there Is an immense influence other
than that of wealth operating against that
OF mere wealth. In the United States. un-
fortunately. we as yet possess no such coun-
terpoisc against the dead weight OF NAM
mon. We need to raise up such, aud the
only apparent way. at least the best way
apparently to accomplish that result is to
cultivate rural interests. Build UP ana
keep up country population both worthy
and able to determine our national char
acter.
How can such country population In the
United states be reared? How can the
landed interest be put In a condition to be
felt as a solid factor in American civiliza-
tion, always to be reckoned with. opposing
in every appropriate way the rule Of brute
mammon and the sway Of those decadent
and effete elements always so active In
great municipalities? How can we cstab-
lish country life and character so that 1t
shall be beneficent safety valve, ny-wheel
or governor TO our vast social machine?
First-Good legislation is called for-di
rected not to the financial profit OF the
farming class, which would be class legis-
lation and therefore wrong, but caluc ulated
in large and enlightened manner to rem
der stronger, happier and more cheerful
the people who live out upon tho land and
furnish the bone and sincw, also in great
part the brain and character OF the Amer
lean people. Laws In this spirit would not
deserve condemnation as class legislation.
Their fundamental aim would not he the
welfare OF a class. They would not have In
view the good OF the country for its own
sake. but country prosperity for the sake
OF the entire nation. the idea being that
the character. morality. ability and con-
sequently safety of the nation would I'M
mensely sink should the country .popula-
tior fall 10 the level OF serfs or peasants,
Second-Perfect roads. The advantages to
rural districts from this source would be
incalculable. The time is coming when in
all well-populated sections travel will be SO
swift and comfortable and the entire pop
ulation cf n country can, daytime or even
ing. gather at the center as easily as such
crowd can now form In any city, when
county ccnters will have churches. music
halls, opera houses. schools and all SINH
lar agencies OF culture as good as there
are in the world.
Third-Free rural delivery OF mails will
ccme Immediately after roads are made
good. so that newspapers and other intelli-
hu mi ~ NnI,,
the country at the most rapid rate so far as
railways extend. but reach destination from
postofices with equal expedition.
Fourth-Country high schools. Efforts
for the establishment OF these have been
making for number OF years in this state.
The need Is a pressing one Those inter-
ested in the cause are in earnest and may
be counted upon to continue agitation until
every boy and girl In the country parts
Of the state can obtain hrst-rate school
preparation for the university or for life
without tuition cost and without being
obliged to leave home.
Fifth-Vastly improved primary and
grammar as well as high schools. When
rapid and easy travel over country roads
Is the rule schools will be concentrated
at county and township centers SO that
grading can be made much more complete
tnan now. n nlgner 0rder OF teaching tai
ent will also be employed. Far beyond
this in importance-grading and admins
tration being equally good-country schools
can be made immensely more instructive
and inspiring than city schools. Nature,
the central object Of attention I'm modern
schooling. city pupils can approach only
with travel and expense. but Il lies In all
its departments open and ready for In
spection under the eyes OF country pupils
without money and without price.
Sixth-The encouragement OF all who can
to build and live in the country, even II a
part OF their life must be In the city The
above improvements will go far TO produce
this encouragement A refux OF popula-
tion from city to country will certainly oc-
cur whop country roads are perfect. mail
facilities greatly bettered schools, con-
certs. churches and other means Of culture
as good In the country as In tho city and
so on. But aside from these consldera-
tions there ought to be a richer, deeper
and more general appreciation Of the coun-
try than now exists. The country Is beau
tiful, healthful and everywise desirable on
its own account. IL people think otherwise
or do not think on the subject at all II
Is due to their lack of culture. They ig-
more the works OF God. as stupid peopls
might walk through the Louvre and not
think OF the matchless art creations upon
the right hand and the left. The subject
the glory OF the country, ought to be taught
srtt