The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-02-11

iffia' ara ieg hllthi slds q ibe sub
jet The whole business ard iifr "
ihs farmer must also he taken into
nrruani such considerations he'd me
10 RtasolB, ihc commission On country
ilfe. our obgrct should l,e 10 brlp De.
reiop IN the oeuntry community the
great ideals % communliy ilfe AZ well
a. ~ personal character one ~ the
most Important acjuntis 70 THIS end
must he the cuuntry church. and In
tiie yenr attention 10 what the com
mission rays ~ lhr country church
ard ~ the need 81 an extension VI
such work as that ~ the Young Mems
Christian association M country CON.
munities I.e, me lay special emphasis
upon what the commission says NJ the
very end 81 It's report on personal
ideals and local leadership. Every
thing resolves Itself IN the end Int
The question Of personality Neither
society nor government can do much
for country life unless there is voiun
tAry response In the personal ideals OF
the men and women who live IN The
country.
Plea Fer Farmers Wives
In the development Of character the
home should be more important than
the school or than society al large
When once the basic material needs
have been met, high ideals may be
quite independent OF income, but they
cannot be realized without sufficient
income to provide adequate founda'
ton. and where the community al
large Is not financially prosperous u
IL impossible 10 develop a high aver.
age personal and community ideal 10
short, the fundamental facts Of hu-
man nature apply 10 men and women
who live In the country Just as
they apply 10 men and women
who live IN the towns. Given a SUN.
cient foundation OF material well be
Ing, the influence OF the farmers and
farmers wives on their children be
comes the factor OF first Importance
In determining the attitude Of the next
generation toward farm life. The
farmer should realize that the person
who most needs consideration on the
farm Is his wife. do not I'm the least
mean that she should purchase ease at
the expense of duty. Neither man nor
woman is really happy or really useful
save on condition Of doing his or her
duty. II the woman shirks her duty
as housewife. as home keeper. as the
mother whose prime function II IL to
bear and rear a sufficient number Of
healthy children. then she is not en-
titled TO our regard. But II she does
her duty she Is more entitled to our
regard even than the man who does
his duty. and the man should show
special consideration for her needs.
. l warn my countrymen that the
great recent progress made In city life
Is not full measure Of our civiliza.
ton, for our civilization rests at bot.
tom on the wholesomeness, the attrae-
lif'htos anu thN tph1pitNthca, no wei
as the prosperity OF life In the country
The men and women ON the farms
stand for what Is fundamentally best
and most needed In our American life.
Upon the development Of country NE
rests ultimately our ability by meth.
DDS OF farming requiring the highes
to continue to feed and
,lothe the hungry nations, to supply
he city with fresh blood. clean bodies
ind clear brains that can endure the |
errific strain Of modern life. We need
he development OF men In the open
country. who will be In the future. as
n the past, the stay and strength Of |
he nation In time Of war and its guild |
ng and controlling spirit In time Of
)eace.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Tho White Housp Feb q 1909