The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1903-03-01
AuricuIfurESfS Should Demand Better
Educational Advantages.


fulness cannot be too highly commended.
Am I dreaming when say the most intelligent men
this aggregation of intelligence not willing to go
being of the opinion that what they knoao
their regular occupation would fill larger volume
than matters of which they ignorant concern
ing it?
Did you ever notice how many things you do, even
with fair degree of success, and if asked for reason,
intelligent answer could not be given? Da1rymen
all know that giving full flow of milk should
ration containing about two and onehalf pounds
of digestible protein. How many have learned the
"why?" All farmers know discharrow will produce
better results in most soils than Will spike
tooth implement and all have their theories about 1t,
but how many are absolutely certain they the
son? I might, if my only object were to show you my
Yankee ability in questioning go indefinitely with
this sort of catechism, at least long you
Trained from requiring answers; but my desire is to
cause you estimate after leaving this meeting about
how much defnite specific knowledge receive from
our present educational system I feel sure that If
YOU follow it up carefully and logically the conclusion
reached must be that yet have too much Chinese
religion in the head work of farming operations.
of ancestry worship the heather Chnee in the
Yangtse valley is using the methods of rcecul
ure did his ancestors before the Christian to
do otherwise would be sacriege Do not think from this
remark that am advocating less respect for parental
instruction for l ever say with all earnestness,
must give "the first commandment with promise, very
much greater prominence in national life; but the
religion of Christ, which of this nation claim, with
all too little right in ects not only teaches,
but demands progress Why, away back in the Genesis
of our race history the Creators first command is "Be
fruitful multiply and repensh the earth and sub
due it," But to look at the have robbed our
soil of untold millions of fertility; denuded hills
and valleys their valuable forests given water
rights franchises and put abundant supply
of fuel under the control of human selfshness to
make that which manifestly intended for wonder
full blessing of much suffering, and loss
life, right at the present time, makes it look as
though we all these years been reading into that
first command the destroy instead of the words
"repensh and subdue." And am more than ever con-
WINGED of the truth of my statement made before
at our last meeting "Our achievements have been
chanical rather than intellectual" else would have
long ago greater regard for future welfare and
by le0satiOn and edacdtion foresalled the
ity of individuals There have been distracng
features in this great country, it is almost mat
ter surprise that have not made grievous
mistakes; nevertheless having failed to inform
selves as fully should many matters pertain
ing to our wellbeing the farm, in the community,
and in nation, paying heavy tribute to
ignorance Our worthy president possibly remembers
a statement of Prof Spillmans made while
walking together WORKOUT farm, on which
was then raising my second crop. Seeing some wild
oats in fine piece of wheat, he said: "From
sentative estimate farmers of Whitman County
losing annually more 81 900 because of that
pest"
One million dollars is not very large in these
prosperous times but when reminded that 1t
was about oneourh the value of the wheat of what
then the heaviest producing county in the state we
wonder those big wheat growers did not "kck about
that twenty-five per cent tax which, unless more thor
ough and rational methods are used, will continue to
1a.11 t. ,1noo