Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-12
EASIER LOT FOR The FARMER
Better Economic, Sanitary and Social
Conditions Planned.
TASK BEFORE THE COMMISSION
President R~ooseveIts EnOrt 60 secure
Measure of Comfort, Re-
ward and Happiness for
TiIIcrs of the Soil.

Reserved for the closing days Of his sd-
ministration. President Roosevelt has pro-
mulgated a policy that perhaps will arouse
greater enthusiasm and meet with less op-
position than any measure that has marked
his eight years in office.
The plan 10 lend a helping hand to the
farmer, to give him a greater measure of
comfort. reward and happiness than he
now enjoys. is so thoroughly just that Il
is hard to see how any opposition could be
raised.
Something has been done for almost every
other class. Protective tariff laws have
given their help to the manufacturer; help
has been extended to laboring men in their
fights for justice, as in the case where
Mr.. Roosevelt espoused the cause Of the
striking coal miners; merchants have had
their interests advanced by a host Of new
laws against improper combinations and In
favor Of better facilities for t~ransporta-
ton. Alone of all the great classes that
make for the future of the nation, the
farmer has been ignored in the distribu-
ton of proper aid.
The farmer is naturally independent. Per-
haps in some degree this accounts for the
lack of statutes designed to assist him.
But as a liberal contributor TO the gov
eminent. and as a prime factor in the ma
tons very existence, the man with the
hoe has a fair claim to the backing of
Uncle Sam. lie is asking no more than is
justly coming TO him. Hence the whole
people welcome q movement which perhaps
will help to straighten a little that bent
back which Markham so wonderfully de-
scribed in his famous poem, The Man
With q Hoe"
The Roosevelt plan is directed to the
production of better economic, sanitary and
social conditions.
Work for the Commission
The commission which he had named to
investigate is empowered to go into the
matter most thoroughly and make recon-
mendations. When these have been pre-
scented legislation will be enacted that is
hoped to be the means Of making the farm
er's lot so much happier that there will be
more of an incentive to take up and stick
to this kind Of work.
The men picked to serve on the commits
sion represent exact knowledge of the sub.
ject, and should be able to give inspired
service. They include Prof. L. II. Bailey
OF the New York College Of Agriculture
Henry Wallace of Des Moines, Ia; Prcsi.
dent Kenyon L. Butterfield of the Massa'
chusetts Agricultural college. Clifford Pin.
chot Of the United States forest reserve
and Walter II. Page, editor, Of New York
Prof. Bailey is chairman, and his asso
ciates completes a well balanced body
whose findings ought to be respected ant
swiftly enacted into measures that Will af
ford relief.
The point that the members of the com
mittee have been asked by Mr.. Roosevelt
to keep strongly In mind is not that tn,
farmers are not comfortable, for a larg,
percentage of them, in fact, are better Of
than ever before. But the great thought i
that they are not progressing in proper
ton to the remainder of the country; the,
are not getting their full share. A wa.
must be found to bring them nearer to it
1t takes skill to be a farmer, and tn,
best farmer ought to be the son of
farmer. Knowing the land from boyhood
its capabilities, and the kind of care /
needs, the boy raised on a farm ought t