Gilpin observer., 1906-12-06

cation and the facts of life. In all
education we should widen our aims. 1t
Der of trained scholars and students:
but the education superintended by the
state must seek rather to produce hun
dred good citizens than merely one
scholar. and it must be turned now and
then from the class book to the study
Of the great book of nature itself. This
is especially true of the farmer. has
been pointed out again and again by all
observers most competent to pass prac-
teal judgment on the problems of our
country life. All students now realize
that education must seek to train the
executive powers of young people and to
confer more real significance upon the
phrase dignity of labor" and to pre-
pare the pupils so that in addition to
each developing in the highest degree
may together help create a right public
opinion. and show in many ways social
become necessary in the business world:
and it has accomplished much for good
in the world of labor. 1t is no less neces-
sary for farmers. Such movement as
the grange movement is good in itself
and is capable of well-ngh infinite fur
ther extension for good so long as II is
kept to it's own legitimate business. The
benefits to be derived by the association
of farmers for mutual advantage are
partly economic and partly sociological.
Moreover. while in the long volun-
tary effort will prove more efiicacious
than government assistance, while the
farmers must primarily do most for
themselves. yet the government can also
do much Tho department of agriculture
has broken new ground in many direc-
tons. and year by year it finds how ii
can improve its methods and develop
fresh usefulness. Its constant effort is
to give the governmental assistance in
the most effective way; that is. thru
socations of farmers rather than to or
thru individual farmers. 1t is also slriv-
ing to coordinate its work with the agri-
cultural departments of the several
states. and so far as its own work is
educational. to coordinate it with the
r.1rLr pf nth thar ed nal rtfI .rFs s9...
Agricultural education is necessarily
based upon general education. but OUR
agricultural educational Institutions are
wisely specializing themselves. making
their course relate to the actual teaching
of the agricultural aud kindred sciences
to young country people or young city
people who wish to live in the country
Great progress has already been made
among farmers by the creation of
tions. of breeders associations. horti-
cultural associations, and the like. a
ment and the farmers can cooperate is
shown in connection with the menace
offered to the cotton growers of the
southern states by the advance of the
boil weevil. The department is doing
all it can to organize the farmers in
the threatened districts. just it has
in aid of its work to eradicate the cat
tie fever tick in the south. The depart
ment can and will cooperate with all
their help if its own work is to be
done in the most efficient style"
He urges the extension of the irriga--
tion and forest preservation system. and
asks for an appropriation for building a
memorial theater at Arlington.
Marriage and Divorce.
AS means of bringing about national
regulation of marriage and divorce he
suggests a constitutional amendment, and
says it is not safe to leave these ques-
tions to be dealt with by the various
states. Continuing on this subject he
says:
When home ties are loosened: when
men and women cease to regard a
worthy family life. with all its duties
fully performed. and all its response
worth living: then evil days for the
commonwealth are at hand. There are
population. where the birth rate has
sunk below the death rate. Surely it
should need no demonstration to show
that wilful sterility is. from the
standpoint of the nation. from me
standpoint of the human race. the one
sin for which the penalty is national
there is no atonement: a sin which is
the more dreadful exactly in proper
thereof are in other respects in CHAR
acter. and bodily and mental powers,
those whom for the sake of the state
1t would be well to see the fathers
and mothers of many healthy children.
well brought up in homes made happy
by their presence. No man. no woman.
whether for love of ease and pleasure.
or for any other cause, and retain his
or her self-respect.
The president asks for the enactment
into law of a shipping bill that will place
American interests on the seas on a par
with those of other countries. and urges
especially that something be done that
will establish direct steamship commu-
nication with South American ports.
Currency Reform.
Amendments to the present currency
laws are asked for. and after showing
that present laws are inadequate because
of the wide fuctuation of interest
charges, he says:
THE mere statement of these facts
shows that our present system is seri-
ously defective. There is need of a
change. Unfortunately. however, many
OF the proposed changes must be ruled
from consideration because they are
complicated are not easy of compre-
hension. and tend to disturb existing
rights and interests. We must also
terially impair the value of the United
states two per cent bonds now pledged
which was made under conditions pc
culiarly creditable to the treasury
do not press any special plan. Various
plans have recently been proposed by
expert committees of bankers. Among
the plans which are possibly feasible
and which certainly should receive
your consideration is that repeatedly
brought to your attention by the pres
cnt secretary of the treasury. the es-
sential features OF which have been
approved by many prominent bankers
and business men. According to this
plan national banks should be per
mitted to issue n specified proportion
OF their capital in notes of n given
kind. the issue to be taxed nt so high
n rate as to drive the notes back when
not wanted in legitimate trade This
plan would not permit the issue oi
currency TO give banks additional
profits. but to meet the emergency pre-
sented by times Of stringency.
Need Of Automatic System.
"T do not say that this Is the right
system. 1 only advance IL to empha-
size my belief that there is need FOR
the adoption of some system which
shall be automatic and open to ali
sound banks. so as to avoid all pos
sibility OF discrimination and favorIt-
ism. Such n plan would tend to pre-
vent the spusms of high money and
speculation which now obtain in the
New York market: for at present
Ihnrn Is inn much currnncX at cnrt L.,