The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-02-10

be required to finish the task that
they have begun.
To improve our system of agricul-
ture seems TO me the most urgent of
tasks which lie before us. But il
can not. in my judgement. be effect
ed by measures which touch only the
material and technical side of the
subject; the whole business and life
of the farmer must also be taken
into account. Such considerations
led me to appoint the commission on
country life. Our object should be
to help develop in the country COM
munity the great ideals of community
life as well as of personal character
One of the most important adjunets
TO this end must be the country
church, and | invite your attention to
what the commission says of the
country church and of the need of an
extension of such work as that of
the Young Mems Christian associa-
ton in country communities. Let
me lay special emphasis upon what
the commission says at the very end
of its report on personal ideals and
local leadership. Everything resolves
itself in the end into the question of
personality. Neither society nor
government can do much for country
life unless there is voluntary re-
Spouse in the personal ideals of the
men and women who live in the
country. In the development of
character. the home should be more
important than the school, or than
society at large. When once the
basic material needs have been met.
high ideals may be quite indepen-
dent of income; but they can not be
realized without sufficient income 10
provide adequate foundation: and
where the community at large is not
financially prosperous it is i'm
possible TO develop the high aver
age personal and community ideal.
In short, the fundamental facts of
human nature apply TO men and
women who live in the country just
as they appl yto the men and women
who live in the towns. Given a
sufficient foundation of material we'll
being. the influence of the farmers
and farmers wives on their children
becomes the factor of first impor- +
lance in determining the attitude of
the next generation toward farm life. /
The farmer should realize that the F
person who most needs considera
ton on the farm is mis- wife. | do +
not in the least mean that she should T
purchase ease at the expense of duty.
Neither man nor woman is really
mi
lition of doing his or her duty. If
he woman shrinks her duty as
as home keeper. as the
mother whose prime function il is TO
)ear and rear sufficient number of
healthy children, then she is not en-
tiled to our regard. But If she does
her duty she Is more entitled TO our
regard even than the man who does
MS duty; and the man should show
special consideration for her needs.
| warn my countrymen that the i
great recent progress made in city
life is not a full measure of our
for our civilization rests
At bottom on the wholesomeness. the
and the completeness.
as well as the prosperity, of life In
he country. The men and women
On the farms stand for what is fun
best and most needed in
BUR American life. Upon the develop
nent of country life rests ultimately
our ability. by methods of farming
requiring the highest intelligence, to
to feed and clothe the
hungry nations; TO supply the city
with fresh blood, clean bodies. and
clean brains that can endure the
terrific strain of modern life: We T
need the development of men in the
open country, who will he in the
future, as in the past. the stay and !
strength of the nation in time of war
and its guiding and controlling spirit {
in time of peace.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, /.
THE WHITE HOUSE, Feb. .. 1909. +