New-York tribune., 1907-06-01

Ohio and the Potomac there has been on the
whole an actual shTinkage in the number of the
farming population since the Civil War. In the
states of this section there has been a growth
of populatfon-in some an enormous growth
but the growth has taken place in the cities, and
especially in the larger cities This has been due
TO certain economic factors, such the eXten-
sion Of railroads, the development of machinery
and the openings for industrial success afforded
by the unprecedented growth Of cities. The in
creased facility OF communication has resulted
in the withdrawal from rural communities OF
most of the small. widely distributed manufact-
uring and commercial operations of former times
and the substitution therefor of the centralized
commercial and manufacturing industries OF the
cities.
SOCIAL LIFE ON THE FARM.
The chief offset TO the various tendencies
which have told against the farm has hitherto
come in the rise of the physical sciences ana
their application to agricultural practices or 10
the rendering of country conditions more easy
and pleasant. But these countervailing forces
are as yet in their infancy. AS compared WITH
a few decades ago. the social or community he
of country people in the East compares less WEI
than it formerly did with that of the dweAers III
cities Many country communities nave 1GsC
their social conference, their sense OF community
interest. In such communities the country
church, for instance. has gone backward both
a social and a religious factor. Now, we
cannot too strongly insist upon the fact that 1t
is quite a. unfortunate to have any social as
any economic falling off. 1t would be calahl-
ity TO have our farms occupied by lower type
of people than the hard working, Selt-reSpect-
ing, independent and essentially manly ana
wOmanV and women VINO nave nltHSI ~
constituted the most typically American ana, on
the whole the most valuable element in our en-
tire nation. Ambitious native born young men
and women who now tend away from the IdIlh
must be brought back to il, and therefore they
must have social well as economic opPol-
tunities. -,
growth in the open farming country of such m
stitutional and social movements as VIII meeI
the demand Of the best type OF farmers e, Im1n
should be libraries, assembly halls, sociai organ
izations of all kinds. The school nuhdHg anu
the teacher in the school building sioulN,
throughout the country districts, he or tlt Ntl!
highest tvpe-able TO fit the boys and girls not
merely to live in but thoroughly 10 ENJOY t anu
to make the most of the country. Inc ci couilitly
church must be revived. All kinds OF agencies;
from the rural free delivery TO the blcycle ana
the telephone, should be utilized TO the utmost
should be done to make il easier for the farmer
10 lead the most active and effective INTEL /
lectual political and economic lie >,
There are regions of large extent Where an /
this or most Of this, has already been realized,
and while this is perhaps especially true or |
great tracts Of farming country west OF uie
mississippi of some of which have fairly |
intimate personal knowledge, 1t Is no less true
Of other great tracts Of country east OF the
Mississippi In these regions the church and |
the school flourish as never before; there is a |
more successful and more varied FARMING IN |
dustry; the social advantages and opportunities
are greater than ever before; lie Is 1u4leT, nap
pier more useful; and though the work Is more /
effective than ever, and in way quite as nara;
II ,s carried on so as to give more scope for we'll
10 make more nearly universal the conditions |
that now obtain in the most favored localities
FARMER AS BUSINESS MAN.
Nothing in the way of scientific work ever
take the place of business management on |
farm. We ought all of US to teach ourselves as
much as possible; but can also all of US
learn from others; and the farmer can best learn
how to manage his farm even better than he
now does by practice under intelligent super
vision on his own soil in such way as 10 in
crease his income This is the kind Of teaching /
which has been carried on In Texas Louisiana !
and Arkansas by Dr. Knapp, of the national
Department of Agriculture But much has been /
accomplished by the growth of what Is broadly /
designated agricultural science This has /
been developed with remarkable rapidity during /
the last quarter of a century and the penent
TO agriculture has been great As was inevi- /
table. there was much error and much repeti- /
ton of work in the early Application OF money
TO the needs of agricultural colleges and expert
nent stations alike by the nation and the sew |
eral states.
Much has been accomplished but much more
can be accomplished in the future. The prime
need must always be for real research. result
ing in scientific conclusions of proved soundness.
Both the farmer and the legislature must beware
of invariably demanding immediate returns from
investments in research efforts. 1t Is probably
one of faults a nation that we are too
impatient to wait a sufficient length Of time to
accomplish the best results: and in agriculture
effective research often, although not always.
involves slow and long continued effort If the
results are to be trustworthy. While applied
science in agriculture, elsewhere, must be
return in dollars yet the farmers no more IMAM
any one else afford to ignore the large re-
suits that can be enjoyed because Of broader
knowledge. The farmer must prepare for using
the knowledge that can be obtained through
agricultural colleges by insisting upon con-
stantly more practical curriculum in the schools
in which his children are taught He must not
lose his independence, his initiative his rugged
self suf1ciency; and yet he must learn TO work
in the heartiest cooperation with his fellows.
COMMISSIONERS OF PROSPERITY.
The cornerstones Of our unexampled pros
perity are, the one hand, the production of
raw material, and its manufacture and distribu-
ton on the other. These two great groups of
subjects are represented in the national gov
ernment principally by the departments of
Agriculture and Of Commerce and Labor. The
production of material from the surface of
the earth is the sphere IN Wmcn the Jeparuhen
Of Agriculture has hitherto achieved such not
able results. OF all the executive departments
there is no other-not even the Postoff1ce-
which comes into direct and benefcent
contact with the daily life of the people than
the Department Of Agriculture, and none whose
yield of practical benefits is greater in propoT-
ton to the public money expended.
But great as its services have been in the
past the Department Of Agriculture has a still
larger field Of usefulness ahead. 1t has been
dealing with growing crops. 1t must hereafter
deal also with living men. Hitherto agricultural
research, instruction and agitation have been
directed almost exclusively toward the produc-
ton of wealth from the soil. 1t is time to adopt
In addition new point Of view. Hereafter an
other great task before the national Department
OF anu lile SIlillldA dBcHCIeS Oh the
various states must be to foster agriculture for
its social results; or, in other words, to assist
in bringing about the best kind of life on the
farm for the sake Of producing the best kind of
men. The government must recognize the far
reaching Importance Of the study and treatment
of the problems Of farm life alike from the So
cial and the economic standpoints; and the fed
eral and state departments of agriculture should
cooperate at every point.
ELEVATING LIFE ON THE FARM.
The farm grows the raw material for the food