The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-16
up TO THE TANNERS.
The President Says Success of Bailey
Commission Depends on Them.

Washington, Nov. 16.-Thorough
lco-operation of farmers sand pro-
fessional interests connected with
! them. throughout the United States in
| the work of the country life commits
sion IS urged and the appointment of
two additional members of the COM
! mission, Charles S. Barrett of Union
CITY, Ca. and William A. Beard of
letter of President Roosevelt to
Chairman Bailey of the commission.
| MY Dear Prof Bailey: 1 wish at
the outset cordially to thank you for
hoId OF the work you are doing. No
more valuable work for the people of
ms country can be done, because no
more valuable work for the farmers
i OF this country can be done.
Now, of course, the whole success
| or the work depends upon the attitude
| Of the people in the open country, of
the Farming people of the United
| interest in what you are doing, they
| should manifest it. Moreover, it is
essential that the farmers, the men
who actually live on the soil. should
| commission, should feel that you
| gentlemen in very truth represent
them and are responsible to their
desires and wishes. no less than to
fore. that it would be wise to try and
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 important that you should deal.
This you are already doing by sending
out circular of questions and by
| the United States. But perhaps
| something more can be done.
accordingly suggest that you
ask the farmers to come together in
n icf-f ak1 0f 10
country SO that they may meet and
consider these matters. suggest
the school districts because the
school house would be the natural
and proper place for such a meeting;
or they could meet at other Gus
tornary or convenient places. 1t
would be well if the meetings could
be held within the next three or
adjourns prior to the Christmas holi-
days, so that at the time of the
reassembling 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. 1 suggest that you ask them to
meet not later than Saturday. De-
eember 5, and you will, of course
use your own judgment whether to
summon the meetings by circular or
otherwise.
Throughout this letter where I use
the word farmers l mean also to
open country and are intimately con-
nected with those who do the work on
the farm-ministers school teachers,
physicians, editors of country papers
in snort all men and women whose
life work is done either on the farm
or in connection with the life work of
those who are on the farm.
You know better than what topics
you will suggest. How would it do to
include such topics at: The Efficiency
of the Rural Schools Farmers Organ
izations,' The Question of Farm La
bor,' The Need of Good Roads I'm
proved Postal Facilities, Sanitary Con-
ditions 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, educational.
and sanitary conditions of the open
country and what, If anything, the
farmers themselves can do to help
can help them. To this end your espe
eial desire is to get in touch with and
represent the farmers themselves. The
commission now consists of five MEM
bers. I shall ask two more gentlemen
to serve upon it, so that the full MEM
bership will be as follows: Prof. L. Al.
Bailey, New York state college Of agri-
culture Ithaca, N. Y, chairman; Hen
ry Wallace, Wallace's Farmer, Des
Moines Ia; Kenyon L. Butterfield,
president Massachusetts agricultural
college, Amherst, Mass; Clifford
Pinchot, United States forest service.
Washington. D. c.; Walter H. Page, of
North Carolina, editor of the Worlds
Work; Charles S. Barrett, Union City,
Ga. and William A. Beard, Sacra- |
mento, 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"
Mr.. BaiIey's reply to the president |
follows:
1.-THE commission on country life is
much gratif1ed that Its efforts have
met with your approval. The public in |
terest in the subject seems to be wide |
spread and to be constantly growing, |
as the purpose of the work becomes
known. Discussion of the inquiry that |
the commission is making among the |
people themselves, is the best means of |
arriving at a clear understanding OF |
what the country life problems really |
are. The commission gladly welcomes
your suggestion that all country peo- |
pie come together to 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 5 to discuss the sub |
ject you suggest or any of the ques- |
lions on which the commission Is max |
ing inquiries.
cured by writing to the commission on
country life, Washington, D. G. The
commission desires that so far as pos
sfble. a general summary or estimate of |
the discussions in all the meeting
places be promptly sent to this office |
in washington, so that it may have the
benefit of all suggestions in preparing
its report
Digging Up Dead Chinese.
New York, Nov. 16-In accordance
with the wish which most Chinese in