Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-02-11

dertaken by the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the re-
port of the commission on country
life the president sent to congress a
special message on the subject. The
document follows:
To the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatiyes: | transmit herewith the
report of the commission on country
life. At the outset | desire to point
out that not dollar of the public
money has been paid TO any commits
sioner for his work on the commits
sion
The report shows the general condi
ton OF farming life in the open coun-
try, and points out it's larger prob
lens; IL indicates ways in which the
government, national and state, may
OF these problems and it suggests a
continuance of the work which the
commission began.
Judging by 80 public hearings, to
which farmers and farmers wives
from 40 states and territories came,
and from 10000 answers to printed
questions sent out by the department
OF agriculture, the commission finds
that the general level OF country life
is high compared with any preceding
time or with any other land. If il has
in recent years slipped down in some
places, ii has risen in more places.
It's progress has been general If not
uniform.
Yet farming does not yield either
the profit or the satisfaction that it
ought to yield. and may be made to
yield. There is discomfort in the
country, and in places discourage
ment. Farmers as a class do not
magnify their calling, and the move
ment to the towns, though, l am happy
to say, less than formerly, is still
strong.
Under our system, 1t is helpful to
promote discussion of ways in which
the people can help themselves. There
are three main directions in which
the farmers can help themselves;
namely. better farming, better bust
ness, and better living on the farm
The national department of agricul-
ture. which has rendered service
equaled by no other similar depart
ment in any other time or place; the
state departments of agriculture; the
state colleges OF agriculture and the
mechanical arts, especially through
hot. la ii
cultural experiment stations; the
Farmers union; the Grange; the agri-
cultural press; and other similar
agencies; have all combined TO place
within the reach of the American
farmer an amount and quality of agri-
cultural information. which, If applied,
would enable him, over large areas, to
double the production of the farm.
For Better Business and Living.
The object of the commission on
country life, therefore, Is not TO help
the farmer raise better crops, but to
call his attention to the opportunities
for better business and better living
on the farm. If country life is to be-
come what IL should be, and what
believe II ultimately will be-one Of
the most dignified, desirable, and
sought-after ways of earning a living
the farmer must take advantage not
only of the agricultural knowledge
which Is at his disposal, but OF the
methods which have raised and con-
tinued to raise the standards Of liv-
ing and of intelligence in other call
ings.
Those engaged in all other indus
trial and commercial callings have
found it necessary, under modern eco
nomic conditions, TO organize them
selves for mutual advantage and for
the protection of their own particular
interests in relation TO other interests.
The farmers of every progressive Eu-
ropean country have realized this es-
sential fact and have found In the
cooperative system exactly the form
of business combination they need.
Now, whatever the state may do
toward improving the practice of az
riculture, it is not within the sphere Of
any government to reorganiZe the
farmers business or reconstruct the
social life of farming communities. IL
is, however, quite within its power
to use its influence and the machinery
of publicity which IL can control for
calling public attention to the needs
OF the facts. For example, IL is the
obvious duty Of the government to call
the attention of farmers to the grow
ing monopolization of water power.
The farmers, above all, should have
that power, on reasonable terms, for
cheap transportation, for lighting their
homes, and for innumerable uses in
the daily tasks of the farm.
II would be idle to assert that life on
the farm occupies as good position
in dignity, desirability, and business
results as the farmers might easily
give II II they chose. One OF the chief
difficulties Is the failure OF country
life, as II exists at present, TO satisfy
the higher social and intellectual as
pirations of country people. Whether
the constant draining away OF so much
of the best elements In the rural pop
a -