The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-11-20
COUNTRY LIFE COMMISSION
ASK FARMERS TO MEET

fore that it would be wise to try to
get into the closest possible touch
with the farmers of the country and to
find out from them, SO far as you are
able, just what they regard as being
the subjects with which it is most i'm
Iportant that you should deal. This
you are already doing by sending OUT
a circular of questions and by holding
meetings in different parts of the
United States. But perhaps some
thing more can be done.
l accordingly suggest that you ask
the farmers to come together in the
several school districts of the country
so that they may meet and consider
these matters. / suggest the Schooi
districts because the school house
would be the natural and proper place
for such a meeting; or they could
meet at other customary or conven-
lent places. 1t would be we'll if the
meetings could be held within the next
three or four weeks; that is, before
congress adjourns prior to the Christ
mas holidays, so that at the time o.
the reassenlbling 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, Deem
Der 5th, and you will of course use
your own judgment whether to sum-
mon the meeting by circular or other
wise.
Throughout this letter where l use
the word farmers" 1 mean also to in
clude all those who live in the open
country and are Intimately connected
with those who do the farm work
ministers, school teachers, physicians, |
editors of country papers, in short all
men and women whose life work IL
done either on the farm or in connec
tor with the life work of those who
are on the farm.
Some Topics.
You know better than / what topics
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 farmers themselves can do
to help themselves, and how the gov
eminent can help them. To this end
your especial desire is to get in toucn
with and represent the farmers them
selves. The commission now consists
.of five members. l 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, WaIlacc's Farm
er. Des Moines, Iowa.
Kenyon L. Butterffeld, president Mas
sacnusetts Agricultural College, Am
herst, Mass.
Clifford Pinchot, T. S. Forest Serv-
ice, Washington, D. c.
Walter H Page, of North Carolina,
editor of the Worlds Work.
Charles s. Barrett, Union City, Ga,
and William A. Beard, Sacramento,
Cal.
Again thanking you, and with all
good wishes for your success in this
great and important work, believe me,
Very sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Prof L. H Bailey. Chairman,
Commission on Country Life, New
York State College of Agriculture.
Ithaca. New York.
To which Chairman Bailey replied
as follows:
The chairnan's Reply.
Commission on Country Life, No
vember IL. 1908 -
Sir:
The Commission on Country Life is
much gratified that its efforts nave
met with your approval. The public
interest in the subject seems 90 be
widespread and 10 be constantly
growing, as the purpose of the work
becomes known Discussion OF the in
quiry that the commission is making,
among the people themselves, is the
best means of arriving at a clear I'M
derstanding OF what the Country Life
problems really are. The commission
gladly welcomes your suggestion that
all country people come together 10
CONSIDER these great questions, and
hereby requests all persons who are
specially interested in the welfare OF
the open country to meet in their
usual gathering places on or before
December 10 discuss the subjects
YOU suggest, or any of the questions
on which the commission is making
inquiries.
Copies OF the questions may be Sc
cured nv writing to the Commission