The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-17

- 4 ~ - - Es,si
beautiful and famous villages and the ra. ~
lapse to wilderness conditions Of what $
was once we'll titled country are indeed M
pathe ae. onlya hundred yearl, ago tlieto IA
lost In mile after mile Of tangled young u;
forests. This decline Is not compensated s
Tor by neighborng manufacturing tt,yt1saS 81
made up! OF o. new and strange populatiof&S
OF polyglot origin. The dull, dead. rIistid SR
hamlet, where nobody cares for any thing
or believes In anything beyond 3the grati4 M
iication or few sorlid material wants. IN
level from the sl,,tns OF the great towns, N
When this condition Is supplemented by as
the growth OF q large ignorant foreigitS I'M
population, we may we'll see the demands NJ
OF the present time There arc two sAts stI
OF problems pressing Upon us. THE first IN
of these are very urgent, having n to do y
With the way In which we must order s
tho life Of cities and towns 50 that va 81
may minimize the evils OF populations,
centres. while ut the same time we de-
rive a maximum benefit from the oppor5
tunities for social welfare that arc afss IN
torded Where many people live and work s
in the same Immediate vicinity. On the RI
other hand, wethave the pressing problem
Of tho rehabilitation Of country lie, SO u;
and so that tho village community 11iny yss
be s%eeter and happier In itsdf and Il at Ss
less disadvantage In Its opportuniti ties IN
compared with the city. It Is moi, u EN- III
the question OF country life as against s
city life; but In both country and city
1t Is the question OF the larger uses or VA
modern opportunity and the determineds ~
effort to do away with bad conditions,
The legitimate opportunities for an I'm.
proved life In the towns are only begun
to be realized ( and every educated young s
man entering upon his life career at ttiisFsss
time is bound to ncqunint himself qalthsa
these matters. and to help bring about
the complete regeneration OF the condisS
tions OF American life In the centres offs
industry and trade Likewise we flnS Il ass
hopeful process OF urbanzntion going sons
In the rural districts. Perhaps the great
eat demand is for good modern central-fS
lied country schools, supplemented by an:
Increase In farm valuat ton, good roads, III
etc. The great. economic achievement sof 81
the past-gen GRAFTON has been the rslatiy eSgs
abolition OF poverty. The accumulate nss
of great fortunes in this country has not 5s
been simultaneous with the impoveris hss pm
ment OF the masses, While deploring the "a
evil Of modern Industrial organizat 81. ID
we must remember that 1t Is this indusss%
trial activity which Is lifting our people
as a whole from the degradntlonS of pow
jerty. We should strive with nigh Z and sss
main for the further production Of wealth.
In order by the same process to Sennanciss
pate such other communities as yet re-s%s
main in the hard clutches OF poverty.
I'VE are Just ut the beginning Of Sagri-Sss
cultural development in this 81 count ry. AZ
Having worked over and exhausted our III
soil, we are going back and learning StheAs
business OF farming all over q gain under 5ssss
permanent conditions. There must now as
come mature period Of positive rural s
prosperity. We shall be willing to- taka IA
lessons from the thrifty farmers Of IN
France from the rich tillers OF small
men who maintain high intelligence and
decent standards Of life In switzerland.ssS
The strong md virile stock OF people who
1.-Two In the Appalachian h iRhlands should N
become the great and dominant AmeTi-s@s
cans OF the future Following upon 4 haEss
economic development and the 4 mem tai III
training OF these people In the hill scoun Mi HI
new prosperity. For your own section ISs
firmly believe that the develop inent Of ~
wealth Is to be regarded as an urgent
condition for the meeting of
other matters OF Importance. 5sss,
We shall have to make over again,sEs 5
IN a new way, most OF our educa tional Sgs
methods, because we are 8educat ting chit
,dren for conditions Of life ESQ dlfIerent5ss
from those Of a half century ago. We &
must believe that culture and labor must S
go hand. In hand. We must not be afraid slI
that harm will come from the ting up s&
OF any man or woman or child 4, however aS
humble. The right kind Of educat ion iss
that which fits boys and girls to- Il ivessS
well the life which Is their appropria toSs
lot&under existing conditions. Edncat lon
to-day IS the greatest problem tina con.sNs
fronts our American craftsmanship, al
whether North or SoIth What he pior-asss
GERS learned \ In the school OF q life We n
must consciously nal 90 our school SYST
tenn minister to the solution OF our social ~
and Industrial problems. AS citizens we
must now more than ever face our pub loss
responsibilities. While trying to a solve 81
the problem how to secure more equal ss
Of private wealth among s
citizens wo must also learn better ways
to supply local and State and ational ssS
government with the revenues that they
need for tho carrying on 4 OF their
creasing functions. All these & are not
things for you to worry about, but they 81
are things for you to Ike an y Intense S
interest In. z You may live to see an iIi-ss9
tense process while the pioneer saw an
extensive one. and may feel that YOU Si
have helped in your day and generations
to re- esta blish on firm foundations those
things which have always belonged te #SSs
the best ideals OF American !!.--.. = sss93 S@