The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-08-27
THE PRESIDENT INTERESTED IN
AGRICULTURE.
Editorial Conmunicat;on.)

ceiving more consideration
from President Roosevelt than
the conservation of orr natural
resources and the elevation of
.he agricultural conditions.
lie has recently appointed
Commission Of five men emf
nently qualified for the work
in hand to make a report with
in a few months on the present
conditions of agricultural and
farm life. His purpose in the
appointment of this Commits
sion is to secure information
which will enable him to make
recommendations to Congress.
There are many who will eX-
pect nothing Of interest to the
farmer to result from this
movement and this may be
true in the main, but whether
there shall be resulting benefits
traceable directly to the work of
this Commission and the Presi-
dents recommendations to Con-
gress cannot yet be seen. How
ever this may be, it is certain
that this sort of investigation
instituted by the President of
the Nation will at least develop
a reflex interest on the part of
the farmers themselves and
their friends which shall ulti-
mately render agricultural life
more attractive.
The South is not represented
in this Commission but we have
no kick on that account. We
are essentially an agricultural
people and have already taken
the lead-the lead in the guam
tity Of products but not in the
methods of cultivation. The
Southern farmer has the soils
and the climate as invaluable
assets and during the past few
years he has made rapid prog
ress. He is improving his
methods, using better imple-
ments, and enjoying more re-
munerative yields, but the farm
still has needs and the greatest
of these is men. The manhood
of the farm has always been
strong and sturdy. The coun-
try homes have contributed to
the Nation very large major
ity of her most useful men,
leaders in state, commerce, and
industries, but the agricultural
conditions need to be so eleyat-
ed as to attract this manhood
to the country life. Under
present conditions the CONNER
cial communities seem to be
more attractive to the young
men than the farms and the
farmers children are lured
away from the fields. Much
of this is misconception of
the inducements offered by the
commercial communities. Sup
pose We inquire what these in
ducements are, what would the
answer be? Is the farm life
lonely to the youth? It is evi.
dent that the community life,
the social feature of the town
and city is attractive to him.
Is money-making on the farm
slow? It is sure, if slow. The
commercial communities hold
out inducements to get rich
quick-all delusive and false
The children must be taught
that the farm life can be AND
ought to be made the happiest
life on earth. The best interests
of the entire Nation demand
that this be done.
| Three reforms are necessary
to the accomplishment of this
end, namely: educational, eco
nomic and social. The educa
tional factors in North Carroll
ma have already set in motion
educational reforms in the con.
solidated rural schools and the
public High Schools which
shall supply the needed devel
opment along the line of educa
ton. The success of these will
be worked out by the State De
partment of Education. Thi.
in turn will enable the agricul
tural population to work GU
for themselves the economi,
and social reforms that are de