Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-09

guish clearly between what the gov |
eminent can do and what the farmers
must do fer themselves, and it wishes |
to bring not only the farmers, but the |
nation as a whole, to realize that the
growing Of crops, though an essential
part. Is only a part of country life.
crop growing is the essential founda-
ton. but 1t is no less essential that the
farmer shall get an adequate return
for what he grows, and it is no less
essential-indeed, it is literally vital
that he and his wife and his children
shall lead the right kind of life.
For this reason it is of the first i'm
portance that the United States depart
ment of agriculture. through which as
prime agent the ideas the commission
stands for must reach the people,
should become without delay in fact a
department of country life, fitted to
deal not only with crops, but also with
all the larger aspects Of life in the open
country.
Three Needs of Country Life.
From all that has been done and
learned three great general and imme-
date needs of country life stand out:
First.--Efective cooperation amongl
farmers to put them on a level with
the organized interests with which
they do business.
Second.-A new kind Of schools in
the country, which shall teach the
children as much outdoors as indoors,
and perhaps more, so that they will
prepare for country life and not. as at
present, mainly for life in town.
Third.-Better means of communica-
ton. including good roads and a par
cells post. which the country people
are everywhere. and rightly, unani-
nous In demanding.
! To these may well be added better
sanitation, for easily preventable dis
eases hold several million country peo-
pie in the slavery of continuous Ill
health.
Organization Is Necessary.
The commission points out-and
concur in the concluSion-that the
most important help that the govern
ment, whether national or state, can
give is to show the people how to go
about these tasks of organization. ed
ucation and communication with the
best and quickest results. This can
be done by the collection and spread
of information. One community can
thus be informed of what other com
munities have done and one country
of what other countries have done
Such help by the peoples govern.
ment would lead to Il comprehensive
plan of organization. education and
communication and make the farm
ing country better to live in, for in
tellectual and social reasons as wei
as for purely agricultural reasons.
The government through the de
partment CT agriculture does not cul
tivate any mans farm for him. but II
does put at his service useful knowi
edge that he would not otherwise get
In the same way the national and
state governments might put into the
peoples hands the new and right
knowledge OF school work. The task
of maintaining ard developing tho
schools would remain. as now, with
the people themselves.
Money For Expenses Asked.
The only recommendation / submit
is that an appropriation of $4,000 b,
provided to enable the commission t,
digest the material it has collecte,
and to collect and to digest mucl
more that is within its reach and thu:
complete its work. This would cnabl,
the commission to gather in the har
vest Of suggestion which is resultin:
! from the discussion 1t has stirred up
The commissioners have served with
! out compensation, and do not recon
mend any appropriation for their serv
ices. but only for the expenses tina
will be required to finish the task tina
they have begun.
t To improve our system of agricul
ture seems to me the most urgent o
the tasks which lie before us. But
, cannot, in my judgment, be effecte,
, by measures which touch only the ma
, terial and technical side of the sub
, ject. The whole business and life o
, the farmer must also be taken int
f account. Such considerations led N
to appoint the commission on countr
, life Our object should be to help dc
velop in the country community tn
, great ideals of community life as we
as of personal character. One Of til
most important adjuncts to this en-
must be the country church, and il
wife your attention to what the con
1 mission says of the country churc
l. and OF the need of an extension @
such work as that of the Young Men
4 Christian association in country CON
n munities. Let me lay special emphasi
upon what the commission says at til
s very end Of its report on person;
t ideals and local leadership. Ever.
+ thing resolves itself in the end int
II the question of personality. Neithe
= society nor government can do niue
Y for country life unless there is volul
e tary response in the personal ideals
r the men and women who live in til
V country.
II Plea For Farmers Wives.
IT In. the development Of character tn