The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-16
WELFARE OF COUNTRY FOLK Roosevelt Would Help
 Conditions: LETTER TO CHAIRMAN BAILEY Appoints (. s. Barrett on Com
 mission. susgesss that sIestlnss of Farmer. se Held ana Helpful Topics Dis- :
 eussed with View


 interests connected with them through out the United States in the work of the Country Life Commission is urged, and the appointment of two additional members of the commission, Charles s. Barrett Of Union City. Ga, and Will liam A. Beard of Sacramento, Cal. is announced in a letter of President Roosevelt to Chairman Bailey of the Commission.
 The letter and the reply of Mir. Bai- ley. welcoming the Presidents sugges- tons. were made public today. The Presidents letter follows. dated Noz vember 9:
 My Dear Professor Baiiey-T 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.
 Now. of course. the whole success of the work depends upon the attitude of the people in the open country. of the farming people of the United States. If they feel an awakening in- terest in what you are doing they should manifest 1t Moreover it ts es- sentiaI that the farmers. the men who actually live on the soil. should feel a sense of ownership in this commits sion. should feel that you gentlemen in very truth represent them and are responsive to their desires and wishes. no less than Co their needs.
 Tt 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 ind out from them. so far as you are able. just what they regard ss being the subjects with which 1t Is most important that you should deal. This you are already do- ing by sending out,a circular of ques- tions and hy holding meetipgs in dit- farent parts cf the United HtateS Hsit perhapa aaH ethinG more can be done.
 Ask Enrmer8 te Meet.
 T accordingly suggest that you ask the farmers to come together in the several school districts Of the country sd that they may meet and consider these matters I suggest the school districts because the school house would be the natural and proper place for such a meeting. or they could meet at any other customary or convenient place.
 Tt would be we'll if the meetings could be held within the next three or four weeks, that isf before Congress ad- to,,rns ma prior to the Christmas hol- idays. so that at the time of the re- assembling of Congress early in Jan nary you will have the reports of the meetings and so will be in position to advise definitely what should be done.
 T suggest that you ask them to meet not later than Saturday. Decem- her s. and you will of course use your own judgment whether to summon the crsatinv bv circular or otherwise.
 "Throughout this letter where I use Cha word farmers mean also to iu- cI,,da All those who live in the open Country and are intimately connected wIth those who do the farm work ministers, school teachers, pnysfctans. editors of country papers, in snort aLl men and women Nwhose life work IS Snna eIther on the farm or in connec- ttns 1yith inc fife work of those who tSvo,, know better than I what topics ,,o,, USiv suggest. How would 1t do to inchide such topics as the e1ciency or inc rural schools farmers organiza- tiopef the question of farm labor 'tne' need of good roads improved postal facilities sanitary conditions on the farm ..,... ,-..4, cate tha farmer nor to inquire into technical methods of farming. You are sinnIv trying to ascertain what are inc general economic. social, educa- tIonaI and sanitary conditions or the o,Ser country and what, if anything, the Ssrmers themselves can do to help tbemselyes and how the government can help them. To this end your espe- ciaIlv desire Is to get In touch Wlth and renresent the farmers themselves. Ai,T Ss,.a con,uaission now consists of five ,,,ennbars. 1 shall ask two more gem tIar,en to serve upon 1t, so that the full n, ,,,aubership will be as follows; Prof' IT Bailey. of New York State Col ,..,a cS Aariculture. Ithaca, N. r., chair r,e,, Henry Wallace, Wallace Farm, I5es Moines. Iowa; Kennon L. Butter ffeld. president Massachusetts Agrleui- fuIal College. Amherst. Mass; Gihord Plnchot. United States Forest Service. Washington, D. C.: Walter Il. Page. or North Carolina, editor of The Worlds work. Charles S. Barrett, Union City. Ca, and William A. Beard. Saeramen-
 "Again thanking you and with all oood wishes for your success in this sreat and important work, believe me,
 Very sincerely yours,
 "Theodore Roosevelt"
 Reply of Mir. Bailey.
 MT. Bailey's reply to the President follows:
 nuch gratifed that its efforts have met with your approval. The public inter est in the subject seems to be wide snread and to be constantly growing as inc purpose of the work becomes known.
 "piscussion of the inquiry that the commission is making among the peo- nla themselves, is the best means of ar- Ewing at a clear understanding of what the country life problems really are.
 'aThe commission gladly welcomes your suggestions and hereby requests all associations who are especially in- terested in the welfare of the open country to meet in their usual gather ing places on or before December 9th to discuss the subject you suggest or any of the questions on which the com mission is making inquiries
 Copies of the questions may bS se- cured bSN writing to the Commission on Country Life, Washington. D. c.
 The commission desires that so far as possible general summary or esti- mate of the discussions in all the meeting places be promptly sent to it's office in Washington, so that 1t may A.