The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-10-06

TESTED regions, and how much
better it would be if they were
located upon our broad acres, dig
cling from them our daily bread.
I'VE are inclined to criticise our boys
and girls because they have deve]-
oped a sentiment for removing to
the large cities. My farmer friends,
they are doing just what you have
taught them to do. Your system of
education has been teaching them
away from the farm instead of to it.
You have employed in your public
schools teachers who have no sym
patty with a farm. They hate
COW and dislike to meet a pig-in
fact, they feel thatit is hardship
needlessly imposed upon them that
they should be compelled to remain
long enough in an agricultural COM
munity to receive the fifty dollars a
month for their services as teachers.
IF these teachers are a success
they must necessarily implant in the
growing child their own opinions
and ideas. If they do not, then
they have been a failure and should
not have been employed at all. If
they do, they are Turing the min d
and energies of your children away
from the farms, so that I believe the
time has come-in fact I believe it
came years ago-when the subject
of agriculture should be, taught in
every schoolin our land; and when
that time comes we will find our
children with an insane desire to put
into practice what they have learned
in their school days, and farm labor
will then become a pleasure instead
of being considered drudgery as it is
so considered today.
1T has been demonstrated today
by Mr.. Hill in a most mastery way
that our public lands have been
largely taken up, and that in the
future our increased production
which must come to maintain the
millions of people who are destined
to inhabit our country, must be
supported by making the present
lands produce double the quantities
of farm products that they are doing
to-day. More of our people who are
now living in the contested cen tiers
of large cities must in the future
derive their living from the pro-
ducts of the soil. 1t is therefore
our duty as good citizens to find
places on which these people can
settle and work out their own des.
TIMES by tilling the land. We should
therefore consider where it Is best
and where the best opportunities
exist for these people and carry to
them message of the opportunities
offered by any section or state,if ir
our opinions it is just and right.
beg, therefore, with your permission
to call your attention in brief way
to the opportunities for these people
in the northern regions of the state
of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
I'm 1860 the entire farm pro
ducts in the State of Minnesota
amounted to less than 100000
The manufactured products at tina
time were less than 100000
while the population was 125,0O(
souls. Mark the development. II
1906 the products of our farm
amounted to upwards of $265,O00,
O0O., The products of our factories
$35O,OOO,OOO; and our population
had increased to upwards of 2,OOO
. 900 people. A splendid showin
indeed, but you will be surprised t
y learn that today not to excee
forty per cent of our tillable land
in the State of Minnesota ha
ever been ploughed.
i In the northern section of on
state are 20,O0O,OOO acres of gooe
fertile land, offering the best induce
ments in soil. climate, water an
markets to the man who is willin
to work and develop these resource
True, in large measure, thes
lands are covered with timber, b