Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-10-09
ROOSEVELT WANTS TO
HELP FARMERS

People who have had best opportun.
tiles to know and understand Theodore
Roc sevelt have said that his great
distinguishing, dominating in.ellec-
tual characteristic is his highly de-
velopsd social sense. Ii is this that
makes him resolve all problems of
government and administration into
terms of ethics, that II axes him preach
sermons in state papers and from the
stump. that inspires his marvellous
resourcefuluess of ideas for bettering
the condition of his fellow man. that
leads him instinctively TO gather
around him men who understand
what he is trying to do, and sympa-
thize with the ambition. Ii is this
dominating social sense that moves
him enc day to order prosecution of
some aggregation of selfish interests
which he has become CON, inced is
unsocial. on the next, to press for
passage legislation to prevent dis
orimination by public service oorpor.
ations the next, to call congress of
governors TO consider the immense
problem Of conserving natural re-
sources and that. finally, has re.
Gently moved him to appoint com.
mission of experts for the study of
means to improve country life, to
make it better, fuller, broader and
more attactive.
The project thus stated may seem
bit vague and academic but re.
solved into its elements, it is a great
enterprise which in its development
will be found to involve the most
practical handling Of number of
spec fic problems. It is in one way a
corollary to the proposal for effective
conservation of natural wealth but il
IS more complex and difficult prob
lem because it involves dealing with
people, rather than with things with
souls, rather than with acres and
corporations. This problem OF the
farm and its economics and its life
has for long time been interesting
the president. He laid the founda-
tion Of the present movement In the
speech at Lansing over year ago,
when he told his hearers that, beyond
the very important business Of pro-
ducing good crops, the farm must be
made to produce the vastly more i'm.
portant output of good manhood and
good womanhood. all of which sounds
well, but still exceedingly vague.
10 be specific, the movement for up
lift Of the rural population involve
such problems as these:
Improvement of country schools so
that II shall not be necessary for
farmers to "move to town" in order
to "give the children some school
ing" process which generally takes
both parents and children away from
the farm to the ultimate misfortune
of parents. children and farm.
Improvement Of country roads.
Establishment of social ceDters IN
rural communities, and development
OF a social life which shall be at
tractive enough to countersct the
gregarious instinct always tending
to draw people together into towns.
Improvement and broadening OF
the practical usefulness of the church
in the country.
Establishment of Libraries, lectures,
farmers institutes, etc, and general
Iromotions Of intellectual,--. Interests.
Promotion of co. operative buy ing and
marketing among. farmers, which shall
free them from the impositions Of the
middlemen and transportation In
I terests.
Propagation Of intelligent interest In,
understanding Of and demand for th,
parcels post, so that it may be brought
about.
announcement OF such forms oi
co operation as the mutual insuranc,
company, the community creamery
etc.
Improvement OF farm life from
both the sanitary and the esthetiC
sides. by inducing interest in better
arrsngemeutIof the farm home. plat,
construction.of more attractive resi-
dences and more economical farm
buildings with more general diffusion
on the "modern convenience" than
the farm has thus.fsr known.
Helping the woman Of the farm to
improve the conditions Of her life,
which by all the students Of the prob
lem is conceded TO constitute the most
difficult problem Of all.
These are only Ia Flew Of the cues
tions which the presidents country
life commission must consider. They