The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-03-19


island OF Rhode Island. This branch OF
our agriculture ranks second I'm the value
OF the product. (hay and forage ranking
first)
INCREASE OF FRUIT GROWING.
Fruit growing In attracting the at
tention OF many OF our farmers. and
should prove "A very profitable business.
The consumption OF frmt has increased
faster than any other article of food,
and will continue 10 increase. Good
fruit put upon the market In an attrac-
tive way always brings good prices.
THE greatest advancement along
agricultural lines is farming under glass
which includes the growing OF both
flowers and vegetables. In the census
or 1900. there were reported 1,397,100
square feet under glass In this state"
In conclusion. Mr.. Clarke said: Aside
from any financial consideration. this
educational and social advancement
which has been brought about. justines
all the temporary expression agriculture
has suffered. for under old methods these
changes would never have taken place
THE question. rs farming prosperous
In Rhode Island will depend somewhat
upon what our ideas OF prosperity are"
There followed "A period OF general dis
cussion on the papers and about 1880
there was an adjournment for dinner.
Many OF those present took advantage OF
the facilities afforded by the ladies OF
the Kingston Improvement association,
who served an excellent meal In Library
hail
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The session was resumed I'm the chapel
at the Agricultural college at 2 o'clock,
and Rev. II. Ia almadge Root. field sec
retary OF the state federation OF churches
spoke on Practical Steps for Bettering
Religious Conditions in Rural Rhode Isl
and" In part he said;
Conditions In our rural communities
need bettering because our full religious
liberty has resulted In producing many de-
nominations and churches, which In small
communities. I'm spite o: better inten-
tions inevitably compete with one anoth-
err The betterment can only come by CO.
operation instead OF competition.
I'VE all prize and would maintain at all
hazards the principle OF religious liberty.
Why? Because II has INDICATED itself by
producing the most intelligent Christian
character. IL must now face n new test.
The problem today is not with the individ-
ual but with society. VIII liberty also pro-
duce the highest and most efficient unity?
IL will not so long as IL results in compe-
tition
The spectacle OF rival churches Is one
10 make devils scoff and angels weep. No
denomnational principles are important
enough TO Justify IL: Jesus abandoned his
work In Judea the moment He found him
self appearing 70 compete with John: yet
what sect can claim superiority over
others. equal 10 His over His forerunner?
II He would not compete, what denomins-
tion can Justify itself under any circum-
stances In so doing? Competition, harm
full anywhere. Is fatal i'm the country. The
n 10
shows that wherever n country field is d.
vided. religious interests decline faster
than the declining population Whereas.
where there Ia but one church, I'm the face
OF all difficulties. II more than holds its
own.
Now II these facts are grasped. an In
telligent and Christian use OF liberty will
result In cooperation.
PEOPLE MUST DECIDE.
This is the betterment proposed by the
Federation. What actual steps shall be
taken toward cooperation. must be deter
mined by the people OF each community
for themselves. The Federation stands
ready to aid them by information or prac-
tical assistance. What can be done?
Churches may be united Where this is
possible. Il ought 10 he done II will be
done increasingly. Where union is impos-
sible, the cooperative parish system. or
house 10 house visitation OF a community
by the pastors going two by two. any
thing to show that the churches are part-
ners, not rivals. should be adopted"
There was more light shed on the school
situation I'm the country districts by
Charles r. Chaplin. principal Of the State
Normal school, whose address on ''yYbat
Are We Doing for the Pupils OF Rural
Rhode Island" was very well received.
Mr.. Chaplin said in part:
Education for the country boy should
be essentially the same as for the oity
boy. and should be the best obtainable
Many Of the country boys will be lead
by industrial and economic conditions
10 live in the cities. The trend of popu
lation toward the cities is nowhere more
marked than in Rhode Island The FIVE
cities and the three largest towns have
I6 per cent Of the entire population Of
the state Moreover the success of the
country boy I'm life's competitions rests
finally on his general keenness and brain
power He must have trained brain.
STATE is GENEROUS.
The state has right to demand as
high as tandard OF popular intelligence
and honesty in the country as I'm the city
for on these foundation the safety and
perpetuity OF our civil rights depends
Good citizenship knows no locality or
township lines. Every town and city Is
NA'hiiA NVAlttiHtu III the maintenance or
high standard OF civic and private vir-
ture In every other town and city OF the
state, and the state has a right to demand
the best common school In every town
and city.
Rhode Island Is very generous in her
treatment OF the schools OF the smaller
towns She dsburses annually for pub
lie schools $4,000, OF which the towns
get the lions share. These towns receive
from the state for schools more than
their entire tax TO the state, and seven
more towns draw from the state more
than one-haf of all their state tax. More
over, the state aids small higi. schools
by per capita payment. allows consoli-
dation OF small ungraded schools into
graded schools. has abolished district sys-
TEN and unified schools under town COM
mttees, encourages employment OF expert
superlntendents by paying one-half OF
their salaries under certain conditions,
maintains teachers institutes. enforces
n rigid system OF state certiication OF
teachers. which keeps out inoompetents.
gives free tuition In the State Normal
school To intending teachers, pays t4cco
II