The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-09
WHAT fT FOUND.
Summary of Report of Country Life
Commission.

| WHAT TT FOUND.
Summary of Report of Country Life
Commission.
| Washington Feb 9.-FoIloWing is
summary of the report of the com
mission on country life submitted to
congress by the president today:
The report of the commission de-
scribes with some fulness the exist
ing conditions of farm life and points
out the causes that may have led to
its present lack of organization. 1t
suggests methods for the redirection
of rural society, for arresting the drift
to the city, for maintaining the nat
ural rights of the farmer and for the
development of an organized rural
life that will promote the prosperity
of the whole nation. .tr
Broadly speaking, agriculture in the
United States is prosperous and the
conditions in many of the great farm
ing regions are improving. Country
homes generally are improving in
comfort, attractiveness, and healthful-
ness. Many institutions, organizations
and movements are actively contrib
uting to the increasing welfare of the
open country.
There has never been a time when
the American farmer was as we'll off
as he is today, when not only his
earning power but the comforts and
advantages he may secure are consid-
cred. There has been a complete and,
onomic system within the past CEN
fury.
Yet it is true, notwithstanding all
this progress as measured by historical
standards, that agriculture is not COM
merctally as profitable as it is entitled
to be for the labor and energy that the
farmer expends and the risks that he
assumes, and that the social conditions
in the open country are far short of
their possibilities
Rural society is lacking chiefly in
knowledge on the part of the farmers
of the exact agricultural conditions
and possibilities of their regions re-
SuIting in the widespread depletion of
life; in proper training for the country
life in the schools; in good highway
facilities and in organization for buy
ing and selling.
There is an absence of any adequate
system of agricultural credit, a short
age of labor, often complicated by in
temperance among workingmen; lack
of institutions and Incentives that tie
the laboring man to the soil; the life of
the farm woman is burdensome and
narrow; there is need of adequate SUI
pervision of public health.
Farmer Is Handicapped
The farmer is handicapped by the
speculative holding of lands, monopo-
nstic control of streams and forests,
waste of our natural resources, and by
restraint of trade.
Some of the remedies for the con-
ditions set forth lie with the national
government, some of them with the
states and communities in their cor
porate capacities, some with voluntary
organizations, and some with indi-
viduals acting alone.
All organized forces both in town
and country should understand that
there are country phases as Well as
city phases of our civilization, and that
one phase needs help as much as the
these l.
ize their responsibility to society.
Many existing organizations and insti-
tutionS might become practically CO.
operative or mutual in spirit, as for
example all agricultural societies, |
libraries, Young Mems Christian asso-
Citations and churches. All the or
CARNATIONS standing for rural progress
should be federated in states and ma
ton.
There are several great forces, or
principles, which must be utilized in
the endeavor to solve the country life
question.
There must be a vast enlargement of
voluntary. organized effort among
farmers themselves. 1t is indispensa-
bic that farmers shall work together
for their common interests and for the
national welfare. If they do not do
this, no governmental activity, no leg
islation, not even better schools, will
tons that make for morality and
spiritual ideals among rural people
must be energized.
There must be not only fuller
scheme of public education, but new
kind of education adapted to the real
needs of the farming people. The
country schools are to be so re-
directed that they shall educate their
pupils in terms of the daily life. |
Opportunities for training toward the
agricultural cal1ings are to be multi
piled and made broadly effective.
This means redoubled efforts for bet
ter country schools. and a vastly in
creased interest in the welfare of
country boys and girls on the part of
those who pay the school taxes
Education by means of agriculture is
TO be part of our regular public
school work. Special agricultural
schools are to be organized.
The country people everywhere are
asking for good roads Everywhere
too they want a parcels post and the
extension of the rural free delivery.
Strike Closes SmeIter.
Torreon, Mexico, Feb. 9.-The big
smelter OF Velardina. owned by the
American Sn1a1tirlc r of