Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-03
through the department of agriculture

through the department of agriculture |
should do all it can by joining with |
the state gceSc2ments and 9TH indie |
pendent associations of farn'e's to en- |
courage the growth in the o::,an farm |
ing country of such institut-trl and
social movements as will meet the de-
mand of the best type of farmers, both
for the Improvement of their farms
and for the betterment of the life it
self. The department of agriculture
has in many places, perhaps especially
in certain districts of the south, ac
complished an extraordinary amount
by cooperating with and teaching the
farmers through their associations on
their own soil how to increase their in
come by managing their farms better
than they were hitherto managed. The
farmer must not lose his independence,
his initiative, his rugged self reliance.
vet he must learn to work in the heart
lest cooperation with his fellows, ex-
actly as the business man has learned
to work, and he must prepare to use
to constantly better advantage the
knowledge that can be obtained from
agricultural colleges, while he must
insist upon practical curriculum in
the schools in which his children are
taught. The department of agriculture
and the department of commerce and
labor both deal with the fundamental
needs of our people in the production
| of raw material and its manufacture
and distribution and therefore with
| the welfare of those whc produce it in
! the raw state and of those who manu-
| facture and distribute it. The depart
ment of commerce and labor has but
recently been founded, but has already
| justified its existence, while the de-
partment of agriculture yields to no
other i'll the government in the prac-
| teal benefits which it products in pro-
portion to the public money expended.
1t must continue in the future to deal
with growing crops rs it has dealt in
] the past, but it must still further ex-
tend its field of usefulness hereafter
by dealing with live men through 4
far reaching study and treatment of
the problems of farm life alike from
the industrial and economic and So
cial standpoint. Farmers must coop
eratet with one another and with the
government, and the government can
best give its aid through associations
of farmers, SO as to deliver TO the
farmer the large body of agricultural
knowledge which has been accumulate
ed lay the national and state govern
ments and by the agricultural colleges
and schools.
The grain producing industry of the
: the United States,N deserves special
consideration at the hands of the con
gress. Our grain is sold almost eXclu-
: sively by grades. TO secure satisfac-
tory results in our home markets and
to facilitate our trade abroad these
: grades should approximate the highest
, degree of uniformity and certainty
The present diverse methods of inspec.
J ton and grading throughout the coun
| try under different laws and boards re-
suit in confusion and lack of uniform
! ity. destroying that confidence which
} is necessary for healthful trade. Com
plants against the present methods
t have continued for years. and they are
t growing in volume and intensity no
only in this country, but abroad.
therefore suggest to the congress tn,
ACCESSIBILITY of a national system of in
spection and grading of grain entering
into interstate and foreign commerce,
l as a remedy for the present evils.