Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-17
WHY THEY LEAVE.
Indiana Farm Hand Writes to Presi.
dent Roosevelt on Detection
From Farm.
LACK OF ORDER AND SYSTEM
Have No Time for Pleasure or Intel
IectuaI DeveIopment-Sanita
Conditions Lacking.

farm hand has written a letter to
President Roosevelt about the work
which the country life commission is
carrying on. The president has turned
the letter over to the country life COM
mission, and the commission has asked
the farm hand to write some more.
Il have been farm hand just long
enough says the presidents CORE
spondent, ito learn the cause of so
many sons and daughters and well
meaning, reliable farm hands leaving
the beautiful farm and country and
going to the city. A lack of order and
system on the farm and too long hours
for a day is what is driving the best
minds from the farm to the city and
shop. What can we expect of hand,
or the farmers wife and her posterity,
in the way of intellectual development
when they get out of their beds at
1880 in the morning and work from
that time until or 8 p. m? And no
attention paid to the sanitary condi-
tons of the home, and necessary con-
veniences on the farm for doing the
farm work with the least labor and
time"
This man has given the country life
commission some very interesting first
hand information about rural condi-
tons and recommendations based on
a long experience in farm work and
| farm life He has worked for all kinds
of farmers. good and bad, he says, and
| he has always had his eyes open to de-
| tect the causes of their success or
failure. He has drawn his own con-
illusions and sets them forth in down
fright, straightforward fashion. Educa-
ton pays in farming, he says. The
farmer who plans out his work and
carries it through in a systematic, bus
iinesS-like manner, just as the city man
does, will be able to shorten the hours
of labor $50 many farmers measure
Everything on the farm from the stand
point of muscle" he continues, "and
are extreme in some things and slack
in others. l decided several years ago
that life is too short to work for Peter
Tumbledown farmers"
| FOr what II ~ worm.
"Now, Mr. President" he writes
you can take this for what it is
worth. l have not given you half oi
Imy experience" The country life
commission has written him that hi:
suggestions are so useful that they
hope he will send more.
Compel the farmer to be bushes:
man. he says. eco into the homes o
some of the farmers and the so-callet
farmers, and ascertain how they live
and learn of their methods of doins
!; the business in which they are en-
gagged; and you will be surprised wha
a variety you will find. Ascertain
what they read, and what stress the.
lput on the literature that comes int
their homes Cf any comes), bearin:
on the business they are engaged in
See what per cent study their business
Give me the educated farmer as
. boss and the educated farm hand a
. hand. When l come in contact witt
J hand or farmer that studies his bus
r mess, 1 find him advancing, and it i
a pleasure to work for such men.
"The majority of the farmers ar
eight hour Iden, that is, eight hour
5 in the forenoon and eight in the after
: + DON. Eight or 10 hours on the farr
;, cannot we'll be adapted in all cases
Y but it need not be from IA to 16 hours
|. II the family arise every morning .
/ 5 o'clock anu the wife and daughter
I..ff IN 4IA drttf N
i the farmhanGs and sons attend to tn
chores and 60 to the field at o'cloc
and work until II or 1870 and go
S the field again at and keep at it Ill
J. til 6 O'Clock, and go to the house an
+ eat the supper and then do the eve
II ing chores, they have done a far
s. days work Regular hours for wor
o and regular hours for meals. and re
a. ulsr hours for sleep, and regular hou
n for rest and recreation, with plenty
v standard papers and books, includir
the best agricultural papers and book
and full faith in God, and good gri
h, is wanted.
n Arise at Every Morning.
ir ''The family. should rise at 5 o'clot
IN on Sunday morning as well as on Wet
s. days, and 10 the necessary Sund;
= morning chores, and then go to ehur,
and show the business man in the eli
10 that Sunday on the farm does not CO
" sist of changing the stock from Of
g, field to another, or sailing it, or u
loading a load of hay that was broug
IN on Saturday evening.
Coming to the meals at the me
hour makes il easy on the wife so S
can arrange her household duties
L. CIDER, as can also the husband
at farm work.
w Men of worth and standing in t
as Stop and city tell me that if order a
IT. system were used on the farm tn
he would go back to the farm. If t
ne farmer wants to keep his sons, a
daughters on the farm he must l
lengthen the hours for days VIC
at both ends. Limit the hours
III work on the farm to -. or IL with r
lie I1or overtime and freedom to the hin