The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-20
The Elevate the Farm Commission.

No wonder Professor Liberty HYDE
BAILEY Of the State Agricultural College
at Cornell is reluctant, In spite Of Mr..
RoosEvEIT's urgency, to take the post
OF head Of the Elevation Of the Farm
Commission. The commission Is to report
before the end Of December. In less
than four months it has to study and
reach a conclusion about:
/. The present condition OF country life.
2. What means are now available for
supplying the deficiencies which exist
in that condition?
3. What Is the best method OF organ
lied permanent effort in investigation
and actual work along the lines indicated
by Mr.. ROOSEVELT in his letter OF August
0, 1908, and the Lansing speech, part OF
which Is therein Incorporated. OF May
81, 1907?
4. What are the best "a for bring
ing about the redirection or better adap-
tation Of rural schools for the training OF
children for life on the farm?
True, the commission Is ordered to
summarize what is already known on
these subjects rather than investigate,
and It Ii asked to state the problem
and to recommend measures toward
it's solution. But viii Professor BAILEY
be content with second hand knowledge?
What Is known Of the condition OF farm
life In leosf How can the commission
make first hand recommendations with
out first hand knowledge?
With more time the commission might
consider the subject, touched by Mr..
ROOSEVELT at Lansing, Of light reading
for agriculturists:
You young men and women OF the agricultural
and industrial colleges and schools must have SOME
time for light reading; and there is come light read
Ing quite 90 useful a. heavy reading. provided, Of
course. that You do not read In . spirit OF inert
vaouisy. You will learn the root principles OF self
help and heipfulness toward others from Mrs
wigs Of the Cabbage Patch Jus, as much as from
any formal treatise ON charity: you viii learn ~
much sound social and industrial doctrine fronl
OCTAVE THAxIrs stories Of farmers and wss'
workers. a. from svowed sociological and economic
studies; and 1 cordially recommend the frst chapter
Of 'Aun, Jane Of Kentucky for use IS . tract In al
families where she men folks tend 70 sefnkh o.
,houshsless or overbssrns disregard Of the rights
OF their womenkind.-
The best crop 10 the crop Of children,
and they ought to have the best crop Of
reading, light, medium and heavy. More
over, Mr.. ROOSEVELT said at Lansing:
% "a Hitherto Agricultural research. instruction and
agitation hye been directed almost exclusively
toward the production Of wealth from the soil. j
Is time TO adopt IN addition q new point of view
Hereafter another great task before the nstiona
Department Of Agriculture and the similar seen'
cleo of the various stssea must Be 20 foster ssricui
,ufs for is social rcsuits, or, In other words. "
sssts. In bringing about the best kind Of life on the
farm for the sake OF producing the best kind Of
men. The Government must recognise the faI
resohinr Importance Of the study and treatment
OF the problems Of farm life alike from the social
and the economic standpoints; and the Federal and
state Departments Of A gricuiture should cooperate
Al every point
A very comprehensive Job Mr.. RoosE-
vR1r has laid out, and Professor BAILEY
may well be slow about taking II up.