Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03


are other kinds Of labor where. under
existing conditions very little demand tn
deed In made upon the mind. though am
glad to say that the proportion Of men
engaged in this kind Of work is diminish
ing: but in any community with the solid.
healthy qualities which make up really
great nation. the bulk of the people should
do work which ca Is for the exercise OF
both body and mind. Progress cannot
permanently exist In the abandonment OF
physical labor. but In the development OF
physical labor. so that 1t shall represent
more and more the work of the trained
mind In the trained body.
Our school system Is gravely defective
in so far as 1t puts a premium upon mere
literary training and tends therefore TO
train the boy away from the farm and the
workshop. Nothing Is more needed than
the best type of Industrial school the
school for mechanical industries in the
city. the school for practically teaching
agriculture in the country. The calling OF
the skilled tiller of the soil. the calling
OF the skilled mechanic. should alike be
icaly as the cailings Of lawyer. doctor.
merchant or clerk. The schools shou!d
recognize this fact. and It should equally
be recognized in popular opinion. The
young man who has the farsightedness
and courage to recognize It and to get
over the idea that 1t makes q difference
whether what ne earns IL called salary or
wages. and who refuses to enter the
crowded field Of the so-called professions
and takes to constructive industry instead.
Is reasonably sure Of an ample reward in
earnings. in health. in opportunity to
marry early and to establish q home with
q fair amount Of freedom from worry.
1t should be one Of our prime objects to
put both the farmer and the mechanic on
q higher plane of efficiency and reward SO
as to Increase their effectiveness In the
economic word. and therefore the dignity.
the remuneration and the power OF thetv
positions in the social world.
No growth of cities. no growth OF
wealth, can make up for any loss In either
the number or the character Of the farm
ing population. We Of the United States
should realize this above almost all other
peoples We began our existence az ma
tien Of farmers. and In every great crisis
Of the past q peculiar dependence has had
to be placed upon the farming popultion.
and this dependence has hitherto been
justified. But 1t cannot be justified In
the future II agriculture Is permitted to
sink in the scale as compared with other
employments.
The Typical Farmer.
We cannot AFFORD to lose that pre-
emiRently typical American. the farm
farm. To have his place taken by either
class of small peasant proprietors or by
a class of great landlords with tenant
lamity. The growth of our cities Is q good
thing, but only in SO far as II does not
mean a growth at the expense Of the
, country farmer. We must welcome the
rise of physical sciences in their appiica-
fion to agricultural practices. and we must
do all We can to render country conditions
more easy and peasant. There are forces
which now tend to bring about both these
results, but they are. as yet, in their in
fancy.
The national government through the
Department Of Agriculture should do
all 1t can by joining with the state gov
ernments and with Independent associa-
tons of farmers to encourage the growth
stitutonal and social movements as will
meet the demand OF the best type Of
farmers. both for the Improvement of
their farms and for the betterTnent Of
culture has In many places. perhaps
especially In certain districts Of the
south. accomplished an extraordinary
amount by cooperating with and teach
ing the farmers through their assecia-
tions. on their own soil. how to increase
their income by managing their farms
better than they were hitherto managed.
The farmer must not ose his fndepend-
ence, his initiative, his rugged Belf-re-
lance. yet he must learn to work in the
heartiest cooperation with his fellows.
exactly As the business man has learned
to work: and he must prepare to USE to
constantly better advantage lpe knewi-
edge that can be obtained from agri-
cultural colleges, while he must insist
upon a practical curriculum In the
schools IN which his children are Taught.
The Department OF Agriculture and
the Department OF Commerce and Labor
eur people In the production Of raw ma
teriAl and its manufacture and distrtbu-
ton, and, therefore, with the we fare Of
those who produce It In the raw state.
and OF those who manufacture and dis
tribute It. The Department Of Commerce
and Labor has but recently been founded,
but has already justified its existence:
while the Department OF Agriculture
yields to no other In the government In
the practical benefits which II produces In
proportion to the public money expended.
1t must continue In the future to dea!
with growing crops ~ II has dealt In the
past. but 1t must sttn further extend It's
field of usefulness hereafter by dealing
study and treatment OF the problems Of
farm life . Ike from the industrial and
economic and social standpoint.
Farmers must cooperate with one an
ether and with the government; and the
government can best give its aid through
associations of farmers, % as to deliver
to the farmer the large body Of agricuf-
tural knowledge which has been accumu-
lated by the national and state govern
ments and by the agricultural colleges
and schools
The grain-produc'ng industry of the
country, one of the most important in the
United States. deserves special considera-
. ton at the hands Of the Congress. Our
grain is sold almost exc usively by grades.
To secure satisfactory results in our
home markets and to facilitate our trade
abroad, these grades should approximate
the highest degree OF uniformity and GER
tainty. The present diverse methods of
inpsecton and grading throughout the
country under different laws and boards
result In confusion and lack Of Uniform
ity. destroying that contid, nee which is
necessary for healthful trade. Complaints
against the present methods have con-
tinued for years and tney are growing
In volume and intensity not only In this
country. but abroad. Ga rsfOre suggest
to the Congress the advisability OF q ma
tional system Of insi,e ton and grading
of grain entering tuio interstate and
foreign commerce as a remedy for the
present evils.
Preservation of Natural
Resources oil the Nation