Morris tribune., 1908-11-21


the decision of that question, and with that
question perhaps thesdecsion of the fate of the
empire as whole Even in it's badly organiz-
ed condition the empire is the greatest political
entity in the world; properly organized, it would
be the greatest power
No international question could more in
terest the United States, and this not so much
from the viewpoint of material selfishness as
from that wider, sentimental and yet
more important aspect of the place of the Brit
ish empire as worlds influence.
It is matter of comparatively small mo-
ment to this country if Canada becomes an in
dependent government or not. In a sense, that
it should be Independent appeals to the imag-
ination and to traditional sympathy.
But it is difficult to see any respect in
which the world would not be loser by the dis
memberment of the British empire. It has
quite uniformly had sane, conservative and
wholesome influence in all international rela-
tions. It is needed with unimpared power as
Austria, Germany, France and Russia extend
their boundaries of paramount influence.
This country needs it as a foil and as a
friend. Most of all, Canada needs it's tremen-
dous influence and it's breaking it's bounds
would merely take on others much or more
irksome and difficult. 1t is now as free as self
governing and as independent as to it's local in
terests it could be, while it has the enormous
a reliance.--Duuth News Tribune.
FIRsT-cLAss PAY FOR FRS T-cLA>s FARnERs
There are many indications that the last
bright and capable man-be he college grad
uate or other-upon agricultural pursuits is
crumbng before the light of science and rea-
That barrier is the low rate of wages
which custom and tradition have prescribed
for farm hands,
From sixteen to thirty dollars per month
and board has long been considered ample pay
for the most capable farmers; the higher figure
representing the maximum which most owners
of farms have been willing to concede to man
capable of taking charge of all the work
and of carrying it on in the owners absence.
Readers will recall the elation that the Vir-
ginian, in Wister's novel; experienced at get
ting $40 month Yet here was man type
OF hundreds of bright, energetic fellows-who,
as the event proved, was not only capable of
running vast estate, as foreman of a large
body of subordnates, but of carrying through
large business projects of his own. A job in
department store head of department, or in
a wholesale firm Or bank, demanding an equi-.
vaent amount of energy and ability to that of
Wisters ranch foreman, carries salary of say
5000 to $3.50 month. Why the supremely able
agriculturist rural manager should be rated
lower than these last has always been diff
cult matter to explain Also why the less bril-
liant man. worth $1,000 to $4,000 in city callings,
could command not half as much on the farm
Probably the main has been that,
under the methods prevailing before the advent
of "the agricultural withits scientific prac-
titoners, there lacked means and opportunity
for demonstrating to landowners that the men
were worth to them the larger pay. But to day
the demonstration is being made easy. The
graduate of one of our farm schools is showing
that he can take the farm whose owner with
year, and make it net from two to five times
much If he doubles or more than doubles
his employers income the latter has, or ought
to have, enough sense to see that this student
farmer is worth double or more than double the
wages he paid before. The young man who
small farm is going to inaugurate-s to-day
inaugurating-an era when brains will be as
fully recognized on the farm as in any city en-