Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-10

peieS ~ serve as a commission on cOun-
try life and conduct an investigation
aimed at bringing about substantial bet
terment of the social, sanitary and eco
nomic conditions on American farms
He has asked that this commission seek
a solution of the problem as to how farm
life can be made less solitary, more
replete with opportunity, freer from
drudgery. more comfortable and more
attractive
The report of the commission, with
any additional recommendations the
President himself may desire to make,
Will form the basis of a message which
Mr. Roosevelt will send to Congress,
probably next year.
The men invited to serve as members
OF the Investigating commission are
Prof. L. II. Bailey of the New York
State College of Agriculture of Cornell
University. Henry Wallace of Wallace's
Farm, Des Moines, Iowa; Kenyon L.
Butterfield. president Of the Massachu-
sets Agricultural College; Clifford Pin
chot Of the United States forestry serv-
ice and Walter H. Page, editor of The
Worlds Work.
In letter to Prof. Bailey, asking that
he accept the Craftsmanship of the COM
mission, the President has thus out
lined the scope Of his desire:
The Presidents Letter.
MY Dear Prof Bailey:
No nation has ever achieved perma-
nent greatness unless this greatness was
based on the well being Of the great
farmer class. the men who live on the
soil; for it is upon their welfare, ma
terial and moral. that the welfare Of the
rest Of the nation ultimately rests In
the United States. disregarding certain
sections and taking the nation as q
whole. believe it to be true that the
farmers in general are better off today
than they ever were before We Ameri-
cans are making great progress in the
development of our agricultural re-
sources. But it is equally true that the
social and economic institutions of the
open country are not keeping pace with
the development of the nation as a
whole. :"
The farmer is. as a rule, better off
than his forbears, but his increase in
we'll being has not kept pace with that
Of the south. for example, where the
Department Of Agriculture. through the
farmers cooperative demonstration
work Of DIR. Knapp, is directly instruct
methods of farming, there is, neverthe-
less. much unnecessary suffering and
needless loss of efficiency on the farm.
physician. who is also a careful stu
dent of farm life in the south writing
to me recently about the enormous per-
centage of preventable deaths of chill
dren, due to the insanitary conditions
Of certain southern farms, said:
Personally, from the health point of
view, 1 would prefer to see my own
daughter, nine years old. at work in a
cotton mill than have her live a ten
ant on the average southern tenant one
horse farm. This apparently extreme
statement is based upon actual life
hot n1o Of
Better Living on Farms.
II doubt If any other nation can bear
comparis with our own In the amount
Of attention given by the government,
both federal and state, to agricultural
matters. But practically the whole Of this
effort has hitherto been directed toward
increasing the production of crops. Our
attention has been concentrated almost
exclusively on getting better farming. In
the beginning this was unquestionably the
right thing to do. The farmer must first
of all grow good crops in order to support
himself and family. But when this has
been secured the effort for better farming
should cease to stand alone. and should
be accompanied by the effort for better
business and better living on the farm
1t is at least as important that the farmer
should get the largest possible return In
| money. comfort and social advantages
from the crops he grows as that he should
get the largest possible return in crops
from the land he farms. Agriculture is
not the whole of country life The great
rural interests are human interests, anC
good crops are of little value to the
| farmer unless they open the door to g
good kind of life on the farm.
1T is especially important that what
| ever will serve to prepare country chill
| dren for life on the farm and whatever
will brighten home life in the country
and make 1t richer and more attractive
| for the mothers. wives and daughters Of
| farmers should be done promptly, thor
oughly and gladly There is no more i'm
| portant person. measured in influence
| upon the life of the nation. than the farm.
| er's wife, no more important home thar
| the country home, and it is of nationa
Importance to do the best we can fol-
BOTH
Country Life Commission.
1.-THE farmers have hitherto had less
than their full share of public attention
along the lines of business and social life
There is too much belief among all oul
people that the prizes of life lie away
| from the farm. l am, therefore, anxious
| to bring before the people of the United
States the question of securing better
business and better living on the farm
whether by cooperation between farmer:
| for buying. selling and borrowing; by pro.
|
| ties in the country. or by any other legit.
| innate means that will help to make
country life more gainful. more attrac.
| tive and fuller Of opportunities, pleasures
and rewards for the men, women and chill.
| dren Of the farms.
| i shall be very glad. indeed, If you will
consent to serve upon commission or
| country life. upon which 1 am asking the
| following gentlemen to act:
Prof. L. H. Bailey. New York State
| College of Agriculture. Ithaca, N Y.
chairman.
Mr.. Henry Wallace, Wallace's Farm.
| er. Des Moines, Iowa.
President Kenyon l.. Butterfeld Mas.
| sachusetts Agricultural College. Amherst
Mas.
Mr.. Clifford Pinchot. United States For
| est Service.
Mr.. Walter H. Page. editor Of The
Worlds Work, New York.
The Presidents Purpose.
| my immediate purpose in appointing
| this commission Is to secure from 1t such