Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-16
COOPERATION
OF Farmers and Profess
siona| Interests Is Urged
By President in the Work Of
The CouniyLite Commission.
Two Additional Members Of Com
mission Are Appointed.

rptraticn OF farluerS ana pfoIeSSloil'tl
interests connected with them through
put the United states in the work Of
he Country Life Commission IS urged
ma the appointment Of two additional
members of the commission Charles >.
Barrett. Of Union City, Ga. and WIN,
A. Beard of Sacramento, Cant, IS an
in Il letter Of President Roose-
welt to Chairman Bailey, Of the Com
mission.
The letter and the reply Of Mr.. Bal
lcy welcoming the Presidents suggeS-
lions were made public today. The
Presidents letter follows, dated No
tember s.
MY Dear Professor Bailey:
II wish at the outset cordially to
hank YOU FOR the way in which you
rave taken hold Of the work you are
Icing No more valuable work for the
people Of this country can be done, be
eause no more valuable work for the
farmers of this country can be done.
"Nogy Of course, the whole success Of
the work depends upon the attitude Of
he people in the open country, Of the
armng people Of the United States.
they feel ar awakening interest in
What you are doing, they should mani
fest it. Moreover, it is essential tnat
ne farmers, the men who actually live
n the soil should feel Il sense OF owner
nip in this commission, should feel
hat you gentlemen in very truth re-
PRESENT them and are responsive TO
heir desires and wishes. no less than
0 their needs 1t seems to me there
yy,l,1l Il n
get into the closest possible touch with
he farmers Of the country and to find
nut from Them 50 far as you are able,
ust what they regard as being tie
subjects with which it IS most ilnpor-
ant that YOU should deal. This you
ire already doing by sending out cir
'ular OF questions and by holding
meetings in different parts Of the
-nited States. But perhaps something
more can be done.
Il accordingly suggest that you ask
he farmers to come together in the
everal school districts Of the country
con that they may meet and con-
slider these matters. | suggest the
tchool district because the school
louse would be the natural and proper
place for such a meeting; or they coulo
Meet at other customary or convenient
,laces 1t would be Well if the meet
ngs could be held within the next
hree or four weeks; that is, before
Congress adiourns prior to the Christ
mas holidays SO that at the time Of the
'eassemblage of Congress early i'll Jan
uary YOU will have the reports of the
meetings and SO viii be in position t
idvise definitely what should be done.
[ suggest that YOU ask them to NEE
YOU not later than Saturday, Dec. 5th
and YOU will of course, use Your OWL
Judgement whether to summon tn,
Meeting by circular or otherwise.
"Throughout this letter where | use
he word farmers | mean also to in
Jude all those who live In the opel
.ountry and are intimately connected
with those who do the farm work
minister's, school teachers, physicians
oditors of country papers, in short, al
men and women whose life work is
lone either on the farm or In connec-
ion with the life work OF those Who arc
IN the farm.
You know better than l what top
lcS YOU will suggest How would it q,
TO include such topics ;s5 The Efficiency
If the Rural Schools Farmers Or
saniZationS;' The Question Of Farm
Labor The Need of Good Roads;
Improved Postal Facilities 'Sanitar!
on the Farm
Your purpose is neither to investi
gate the farmer. nor to Inquire into
technical methods of farming Yol
are simply trying to ascertain wha
a pn NO =
'ational, and sanitary conditions of the
,pen country, and what, if anything
The farmers themselves can do to hell
themselves, and how the Government
IAN help them. To this end your spe
clal desire is to get iiT touch with ant
represent the farmers themselves The
commission now consists Of five mem
oers. | shall ask two more gentlemen
@ serve upon it, 50 that the full mem
oershiD will be as follows:
Professor l.. III. Bailey, New Yorl
state College of Agriculture, Ithaca, n
T., Chairman; Henry Wallace, Wal
aces Farmer, Des Moines. Iowa; Ken
yon l.. Butterfield, President Massa.
,husetts Agricultural College, Amherst
Mass: Clifford Pinchot, U. S. Forest
Service, Washington. d. G.; Walter H
Page, Of North Carolina, Editor of the
Worlds Work; Charles s. Barrett. In
on City, Ga, and VIM. A. Beard, Sac
Calf.
Again thanking you. and with all
GOOD wishes for your success in this
sreat and important work. believe me, |
Every sincerely yours,
(signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Mr.. Bailey's reply to the President
olloWs:
",The Commission on Country Life is |
much gratified that it's efforts have met |
With your approval. The public inter
st in the subject seems to be wide /
pread and to be constantly growing, |
S the purpose of the work becomes
nown. Discussion of the inquiry that
he commission is making, among the
eople themselves, is the best means of
IRVING at clear understanding of
lhat the country life problems really
re. The commission gladly welcomes
our suggestion that all people come
Ogether to consider these great uues-