The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-11-27
MEETING ASKED FOR.
Country Life Commission Desire
Farmers Meet Before Dec. 5.

Washington, Nov. plat the sug
gestion 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 5
to discuss the questions which the
commission is studying and to indi-
cate their own ideas of what are the
most important subjects for the COM
mission TO consider.
In a letter to the members of the
Country Life Commission the presi-
dent says the farmers shout fee' -
sense of ownership in the commits
sion," and that he believes that the
commission should get into the clos
est possible touch with the farmers
He urges the Importance of holding
the meeting before congress adjourns
prior to the Christmas holiday, sa
that at the time congress reassembles
early in January, the commission may
have reports of the meetings in hand
and may be lin position to advise
definitely what should be DONE
At the same time President lRoose-
welt adds two members to the COM
misson-one member from the South
and one member from the far West
Mr.. Charles S. Barrett, of Union
City, Ga, and Mr.. William A. Baird,
of Sacramento, Cal.
The letter of the president to
Chairman Bailey follows:
The White House, Washington,
November 8, 1905
My Dear Professor Bailey:
| wish at the outset cordially to
thank you for the way in which you
have taken hold of the work and 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
Now of course the whole success
Of the work depends upon the atti-
tude Of the people in the open coun-
try, of the farming people of the I'm
tied States. If they feel an awaken
ing interest in what you are doing,
they should manifest 1t.
Moreover, 1t Is essential that the
farmers, the men who actually live
on the soil, should feel sense of
ownership in this commission, should
feel that you gentlemen in very
truth represent them and are respon-
sive 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 coun-
try and to find out from them, so far
as you are able, just what they re-
gard as being the subjects with which
it is most important that you should
deal. This you are already doing
by sending out a circular of ques-
tons and by holding meetings in def
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 cour-
try so that they may meet and consid-
school districts because the school
house would be the natural and prop
err place for such a meeting; or they
could meet at other customary or
convenient places. 1t would be we'll
if the meetings could be held within
the next three or four weeks; that s,
before congress adjourns prior to the
Christmas holidays, SO that at the
time Of the reassembling of congress
early in January you will have the
reports of the meetings and so will
be in position to advise definitely
what should be done. ! suggest that
you ask them to meet not later than
Saturday, December 5th, and you will
OF course use your own judgment
whether to summon the meeting by
circular or otherwise.
Throughout this letter where | use
the word farmers" | mean also to
include all those who live in the open
country and are intimately connected
with those who do the farm work
school teachers, physi-
clans, editors of country papers, in
short all men and women VIII ose 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 top
les you will suggest. How would it
do to include 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 investi-
gate the farmer, nor to inquire into
technical methods of farming. You
are simply trying to ascertain what
are the general economic, social, edu-
cational, and sanitary conditions Of
the open country, and what, if any
thing, the farming themselves can
do to help themselves, and haw the
government san help them. To this
end your especial desire is to get in
touch with and represent the farmers
themselves. The commission now
consists of five members. shall ask
two more gentlemen to serve upon
it, SO that the full membership will
be as follows:
Prof. l.. H. Bailey, New York State
College of Agriculture, Ithaca, N. Y,
Chairman
Mr. Henry Wallace, Wallace's Far
mer, Des Moines, Iowa.