The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-11-26
The Country Life Commission.
The Cooperation of Farmers Solicited. A
Letter From President Roosevelt

The Cooperation of Farmers Solicited. A
Letter From President Roosevelt.
WASHINGTON, D. c., November %. At
the suggestion of President Roosevelt the
Country Life Commission has asked the
farmers of the country to meet in their
respective communities some time before
Saturday, December 9Th, to discuss the
questions which the Commission is study
ing and to indicate their own ideas of
what are the most important subjects
for the Commission to consider.
In a letter to the members of the
Country Life Commission the President
says the farmers should feel ga sense of
ownership in the Commission" and that
he believes that the Commission should
get into the closest possible touch with
the farmers. He urges the Importance
Of holding the meeting before Congress
adjourns prior to the Christmas holidays,
so that at the time Congress reassembles
early in January, the Commission may
have reports of the meetings in hand
and may be Gin position to advise def
nitely what should be DONE"
At the same time President Roosevelt
adds two members to the Commission
one member from the South and one
member from the far West-Mr. Charles
S. Barrett of Union City, Ca, and Mr..
William A. Beard of Sacramento, Cal.
The letter of the President to Chairman
Bailey follows:
The WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, D. c.,
November 9, 1908
Ny Dear Professor Bailey:
| wish at the outset cordially to thank
you for the way in which you have taken
hold of the work you are doing. No more
valuable work for the people OF this
country can be done, because no more
valuable work for the farmers of this
country can be done.
work depends upon the attitude Of the
people in the open country, of the farm
ing people of the United States. ii they
feel an awakening interest in what you
are doing they should manifest it. More
over, it is essential that the farmers, the
men who actually live on the soil, should
feel sense of ownership in this Commls-
ion, should feel that you gentlemen IN
very truth represent them and are re-
sponsive to their desires and wishes, no
less than to their needs. 1t seems to me,
therefore, that it would be wise to try to
get into the closest possible touch with
the farmers Of the country and to ma
out from them, so far as you are able,
lust what they regard as being the sub
iects with which it is most important
that YOU should deal. This you are al.
ready doing by sending out circular OF
questions and by holding meetings IN dlf-
ferent parts of the United States. But
perhaps something more can be done.
accordingly suggest that you ask the
farmers to come together in the several
school districts of the country so that
they NAV meet and consider these mat
tiers. suggest the school districts, be-
cause the schoolhouse would be the nat
ural and proper place for such a meeting;
or they could meet at other customary or
convenient places. 1t would be well IT
the meetings could be held within the
next three or four weeks; that is, before
Congress adjourns prior to the Christ
mas holidays, so that at the time OF the
re-assembling Of Congress early IN ANU
ary YOU will have the reports of the
meetings and so will be in position to ad-
wise definitely what should be done. l
suggest that you ask them to meet not
later than Saturday, December 9Th; and
YOU will of course use your own Judg-
ment whether to summon the meeting by
circular or otherwise.
Throughout this letter where use the
word Farmers l mean also to include
all those who live in the open country
and are intimately connected with those
who do the farm work ministers, school
teachers, physicians, editors of country
papers, in short all men and women
whose life work is done either on the
farm or in connection with the life work
of those who are on the farm.
You know better than | what topics
YOU will suggest How would it do to in
clude such topics as:
The efficiency of the rural schools;
Farmers organizations;
The question of farm labor;
The need of good roads;
Improved postal facilities;
Sanitary conditions on the farm.
Your purpose is neither to investigate
the farmer, nor to inquire into technical
Al