Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-16
NAMES TWOMEMBERS
President Adds to the Country
Life Commission.
ASKS FOR COOPERATION
Urges Farmers and Allied Interests
to Work in Harmony.
WRITES TO PROFESSOR BAILEY
Says Whole Success Of the Move
ment Depends on Attitude of
People Concerned.

Thorough cooperation of farmers and
professional interests connected with
them throughout the United States in the
work of the country life commission Is
urged and the appointment of two addi-
| tional members of the commission,
Charles S. Barrett of Union City. Ga,
and William 4. Beard of Sacramento,
Cal. is announced in letter of Presi-
dent Roosevelt to Chairman Bailey OF the
| commission The letter and the reply of
Mr.. Bailey welcoming the Presidents sug-
gestions were made public today. The
Presidents letter. dated November 9, fol-
| lows:
My Dear Prof. Bailey: l wish at the
| outset cordially to thank you for the way
| in which you have taken hold of the work
| you are doing. No more valuable work
| for the people of this country can be done,
because no more valuable work for the
farmers Of this country can be done.
Success Depends on People.
| Now, of course, the whole success OF
the work depends upon the attitude OF
| the people in the open country. of the
| farming people of the United States. II
jthey feel an awakening interest in what
you are doing, they should manifest 1t.
| Moreover 1t is essential that the farmers.
| the men who actually live on the SOIL.
should feel q sense of ownership In this
commission. should feel that you gentle
| men in very truth represent them ana are
| responsive to their desires and wishes, no
less than to their needs.
| 1T seems to me, therefore, that 1t would
| be wise to try to get into the closest pos
sible touch with the farmers OF the coun-
| try and to find out from them, so far as
you are able. just what they regard as
being the subjects with which 1t is most
important that you should deal. This You
| are already doing by sending out a cir
| cular of questions and by holding meet
| inss in different parts of the United
States. But perhaps something more can
be done.
Suggests That Farmers Meet.
! II accordingly suggest that you ask the
farmers to come together in the several
school districts of the country SO that
they may meet and consider these mat
ters. 1 suggest the school districts be-
cause the schoolhouse would be the natu-
raj and proper place for such meeting:
| or they could meet at other customary or
convenient places.
1T would be we'll if the meetings could
| be held within the next three or four
| weeks: that is. before Congress adjournS
prior to the Christmas holidays. so that
| at the time of the reaSsembling of Con-
gress early in January you will have the
| reports of the meetings and so Will be In
position to advise definitely what should
| be done. / suggest that you ask them
| to meet not later than Saturday, Decem-
| Der s. and you will, of course, use your
| own judgment whether to summon the
meeting by circular or otherwise.
Residents Of Open Country. %,
Throughout this letter where L use the
| word farmers l mean also to include
all those who live in the open country
and are intimately connected with those
who do the farm work-ministers, school
teachers. physicians, editors Of country
papers, in short, 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 I what topics
you will suggest. How would 1t do to
include such topics as:
THE Efficiency of the Rural Schools.
| Farmers Organizations The Question
Of Farm Labor The Need of Good
Roads Improved Postal Facilities, San
| itary Conditions on the Farm
Adds to Personnel.
"Your purpose is neither to investigate
the farmer nor to inquire into technical
methods of farming. You are simply try
| ing to ascertain what are the general
|
tary conditions of the open country, and
what, if anything. the farmers themselves
| can do to help themselves, and how the
government can help them. To this end
your especial desire is to get in touch
with and represent the farmers them
selves. The commission now consists of
| five members. 1 shall ask two more
| gentlemen to serve upon it. so that the
Iull membership will be follows:
| Prof L. H. Bailey, New York State Col
lege Of Agriculture. Ithaca. n. Y: chair
man; Henry Wallace, Wallaces Farmer,
Des Moines. Iowa; Kenyon l.. Butterfield,
president Massachusetts Agricultural Col
| lege, Amherst, Mass; Clifford Pinchot.
United States forest service Washing
ton, d. c.; Walter H. Page of North
Carolina, editor of the Worlds Work;
| Charles S. Barrett, Union City. Ga, and
William A. Beard, Sacramento, Cal
Again thanking you. and with all good
wishes for your success in this great and
| important work, believe me,
Very sincerely yours,