Bisbee daily review., 1908-11-27
(Tucson Star.)

r.; Henry Wallace, or DeS Molnes, la; K. L. Butterneld of Amherst, Mass, and c. J. Blanchard, c. w. Stiles. E. Wallace and J. A Rice of Washington, b. C., representing Pres ident Roosevelt's Commission oa Country Life" were in the city yes terday and held two sessions at the university which were well attended bv prominent agriculturists of the ter ritory.
 The commission, whose object is to arrive at an understanding of condi- tons and of public opinion, with re. gard to American country life, as a basis for report and recommenda- ton to the president. spent most of the time asking questions.
 The morning session was opened at 10 o'clock by Chairman Bailey and Governor Joseph H. Kibbey was the first speaker, and answered many questions touching principally on the cultivation of the soil by irrigation, especially in the Salt river valley.
 When questioned by MT. Bailey ID regard to rural life iu Arizona, he referred to others present, gho, gs believed, were better qualified to speak on this subject. Governor Kip bey said that there were 100000 acl,,s of land in Arizona under cultivation, 200, 900 of them being in the Salt riYea' valley, more that the whole of South .ern California, with the exception of the Imperial valley.
 Charles M. Layton of Thatcher, h state president of the Mormon church at Thatcher, for the district of sou theastern Arizona spoke on the mat ter of transportation facilities and call ed attention to the high, rates enforc- ed by the raUroads, making the state ment that the farmers cleared from $2 to 8 a ton on alfalfa, while the railroads netted from $5 to $6. and be
 ieved that the railroads were doing much to cripple agricultural life, and was of the opinion that a railroad commission should be established in the territory to investigate railroad rates now in force.
 In regard to community life, ne said that in his district each fam fly had about ten acres, which was ,uficient to raise enough products to support the family and admit of the keeping of a horse and COW.
 Prof. Forbes, when called upon to explain in regard to the work that was being done toward irrigation, said that considerable success had been cx- perienced in the Salt river valley and also at Yuma, where he had conduct ed experiments. He also called at tention to the proh bitivc rates entorc- ed by the railroads, particularly On cantaloupes, which excluded the frmt from the eastern market, and believ- ed tb!s should be reuedied.
 When called upon to state his cX: geripnce in regard to education In the territory, he referred to former Governor L. C. Hughes. who respond ed saying that the law establish 'ng public schools in Arizona was Dasseu by the legislature in 1870, and tho flrst public school opened in Tucson In 1871, under the administration of Governor A. r. K Stafford. a New termed after the schools of that sec. tiOn of the country and the Pennsy!Yl- ria law school.
 The salaries Uf teachers were fixed at not less than SlOO, and there was no discrimination made between mel and women where the same work as performed. When asked about the home life of the techers. especially in the early times, Mir Hughes said that 1t was difficult to say, as the teach CTS married so soon after arriving here that it was necessary to make q cO!i- tract with the women before they came to Arizona to the effect that they should give three months notice be lore marrying or leaving the service fer any other cause.
 Professor Babcock was the last speaker of the morning and he made q brief address on educational fea- lures. both among the Americans and the government Indian school. and said that the latter was maintain government.
 The session then adjourned until 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
 The first speaker of the after noon session was John $. Merrill. former bishop of the Mormon church from St. Dav.d, who said that all the people of his district required was water. and he thought that the gov "rnment ought to look to the introduc- tion of machinery for the drilling of wells in that section. He said that the water was plentiful, but it was necessary to have large pumps to get at il, as there was believed to be second strata which could bc reached by proper drilling.
 He said that the Mormons were naturally tilIers of the soil and his father had come to that section In 1874 with the Mormon battery in the Mexican war. He himself has lived for thirty years in the section know as the San Pedro valley, and they have had considerable success, but re- Iuire more water.
 Dr. C. W Stiles, Of the marine hospital corps. was particularly de- sirCus of learning what effect irriga- tiCr had on typhoid fever. and 1t WAS reported to him that while there had been one or two eases of typhoid fever it was not general. and with the com
 ng of irrigation. chills and fever