Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-12-04

over. it Is exactly as true OF the farm
er as 1t Is Of the business man and the
wageworker that the ultimate success
Of the nation of which he forms a part
must be founded not alone on material
prosperity, but upon high moral, men
tai and physical development. This
education of the farmer--self educa
ton by preference, but also education
from the outside, as with all other
men-is peculiarly necessary here in
the United States, where the frontier
conditions even in the newest states
have now nearly vanished, where
there must be substitution Of a more
intensive system Of cultivation for the
old wasteful farm management and
where there must be better business
organization among the farmers them
selves. ' -.,. ,E-fss5s$
Several factors must cooperate in
the Improvement of the farmers
condition. He must have the chance
to be educated in the widest possible
sense--in the sense which keeps ever
tween the theory of education and the
facts of life. In all education we
should widen our aims. It is a good
thing to produce a certain number of
trained scholars and students, but the
education superintendent by the state
must seek rather to produce hundred
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, as has
, been pointed out again and again by
all observers most competent to pass
practical 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 sig
nifcance upon the phrase dignity Of
labor" and to prepare the pupils SO
that. In addition to each developing In
the highest degree his individual ca
pacity for work, they may together
help create a right public opinion and
show in many ways social and CO.
operative spirit. Organization has be-
come necessary In the business world.
and ft5has accomplished much for good
in the world of labor 1t is no less nee
essary for farmers. Such a movement
as the grange movement is good in
itself and is capable Of well nigh
infinite further extension for good SO
long as it Is kept to Its own legitimate
business. The benefits to be derived
by the association Of farmers for mu-
tual advantage are partly economic
and partly sociological. - r
/ siE Agricultural Education.
Moreover. while in the long run vol
untary effort, will prove more efica-
cious than government assistance,
while the farmers must primarily dc
most for themselves, yet the govern.
u ground in many directions. End " q
) by year it finds how it can improve
! methods and develop fresh usefulne
Its constant effort is to give the 90
j ernmental assistance In the most effe
Il i've Way-that is, through association
i OF farmers rather than to or throu,
individual farmers. 1t is also stri
; Ing to coordinate it's work with fl
agricultural departments Of the Sc
eral states and, SO far as its own wo,
Is educational. to coordinate it wi,
the work Of other educational autho
tiles. Agricultural education is nece
safliy based upon general education
out our agricultural educational inst
!. ,tutions are wisely specializing then
selves. making their courses relate +
the actual teaching Of the agriculture
!, e ana kllndred sciences to young countr
y people or young city people who wis
to live in the country. ~. -.
Great progress has already been mad,
among farmers by the creation of farm
ers, institutes. of dairy associations O.
q breeders associations, horticultural as
y sociations and the like. A striking az
ample of how the government and tbt
farmers can cooperate is shown IL
connection with the menace offered te
ne cotton growers of the southern
states by the advance of the boil wee
VII The department is doing all If
can 70 organize the farmers in tha
threatened districts just as it has
been doing all it can to organize them
I IN aid of its work to eradicate the
. cattle fever tick in the south. The de-
g partment can and will cooperate with
9 all such associations, and it must have
their help If its own work is to he
done In the most efficient style.
irrigation and Forest Preservation.
Much is now being done for the
states Of the Rocky mountains and,
great plains through the development
OF the national policy Of irrigation and
forest preservation. No government
policy for the betterment of our inter.
nal conditions has been more fruitfnl
OF good than this The forests Of tba
White mountains and southern Anna.
iachian regions should also be presery.
ed, and they cannot be unless the peo-
PIE OF the states In which they lie.
through their representatives in the
con congress, secure vigorous action by the
national government a, .5I
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