The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-05

other American citizens have McreoNtLf it is exactly as true of the farmer, IS it is of the business man and the wage worker that the ultimate success of the nation of which he forms part must be founded not alone on material pros perty but upon high moral. mental and physical development. This education or the farmer-self- education by preference, but also ed1eation from the outside, as with all other men-is peculiarly nee essary here in the United States, where the frontier conditions even in the new est states have now nearly vanished, where there must be a substitution of more intensive system of cultivation for the old wasteful farm management, and where there must be a better business organization among the farmers them | selves
 Several factors must cooperate In the improvement of the farmers condition. He must have the chance to be educated in the widest possible sense-ln the sense which keeps ever in view the intimate relationship between the theory of educa- ton and the facts of life. In all educa- ton We should widen our aims. It is good thing to produce a certain number of trained scholars and students; but tho education superintended by the state must seek rather to produce a hundred good citizens than merely one scholar, and It must be turned now and then from the l 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 Jude- ment 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 prepare the pupils so that in addition to each developing in | the highest degree his individual ca- pacty for work, they may together help create right public opinion, and show in many ways social and cooperative spirit. Organization has become necessary in the business world; and it has pccom- plished much for good in the world of labor. It is no less necessary for farm CTS Such a movement as the grange movement is good in itself and Is cap able of a well-nigh infinite further ex- tension for good so long as 1t IS keps to its own legitimate business. The bene- fits to be derived by the association of farmers for mutual advantage are part ly economic and partly sociological.
 Moreover. while in the long run volun- tary effort will prove more efficacious than government assistance, while the farmers must primarily do most for them selves, yet the government can also do much The department Of agriculture has
 
 and year by year it finds how it can improve it's methods and develop fresh | usefulness. It's constant effort is to glVe the governmental assistance in the most effective way; that Is, through assoc.a- tons of farmers rather than to or through individual farmers. It is also striving to coordinate its work with the agricultural departments of the several states, and so far as it's own work Is educational, to coordinate 1t with the work of other educational authorities. Agricultural edu cation is necessarily based upon general education, but our agricultural educaLion- al institutions are wisely specializing themselves, making their courses relate | to the actual teaching of the agricul- tura and kindred sciences to young coun- try people or young city people who wish to live in the country.
 Great progress has already been made among farmers by the creation of farm CTS institutes, of dairy associations. of breeders associations, horticultural asso- ciations, and the like A striking example of how the government and the farm CTS can cooperate Is shown in connec- ton with the menace offered to the cot ton growers of the southern states by the advance of the boil weevil. The de- partment Is doing all 1t can to organize the farmers in the threatened districts, | just as 1t has been doing all 1t can to organize them in aid of it's work 10 eraGf- cate the cattle fever tick in the south. The department can and will cooperate with all such associations, and it must have their help if its own work is to be done in the most efficient style
 Irrigation and Forest Preservation.
 Much is now being done for the states of the Roekey Mountains and great plains through the development of the national policy of irrigation and forest preserva- ton; no government policy for the better ment of our internal conditions has been more fruitful of good than this. The forests of the White mountains and south ern Appalachian regions should also be preserved; and they cannot be unless the people of the states in which they lie, through their representatives in the Con- gress, secure vigorous action by the na- tional government
 Memorial Amphitheatre at Arlington.
 invite the attention of the Congress to the estimate of the secretary of war for an appropriation to enable him to be- gin the preliminary work for the con structon of a memorial amphitheater at Arlington. The Grand Army of the Re public in it's national encampment has urged the erection of such an amphithea- ter as necessary for the proper observ- ance of Memorial Day and as a fitting monument to the soldier and sailor dead and buried there. In this 1 heartily con- cur and commend the matter to the favor able consideration of the Congress.
 Marriage and Divorce.
 I am we'll aware of how difficult 1t is to pass constitutional amendment. New ertheless in my judgment the whole ques- ton of marriage and divorce should be reegated to the authority of the national Congress-. At present the wide differences in the laws of the different states on this subject result in scandals and abuses; and surely there is nothing so vitally essential to the welfare of the nation. nothing around which the nation should so bend itself to throw every safeguard, as the home life of the average citizen. The change would be good from every standpoint In particular it would be good because it would confer on the Con- gress the power at once to deal radically and efficiently with polygamy; and this should be done whether or not marriage and divorce are dealt with. It is neither safe nor proper to leave the question of polygamy to be dealt with by the several states Power to deal with it should be conferred on the national government.
 When home ties are loosened; when men and women cease to regard worthy fam fly life, with all it's duties fully per- formed, and all its responsibilities lived up to. as the life best worth living; then evil days for the commonwealth are at hand. There are regions in our land, and classes of our population, where the birth rate has sunk below the death rate.