The Washington times., 1909-02-09
President Sends a Special
Message With Report of
Farm Life Commission.
SAYS CIVILIZATION
RESTS ON COUNTRY
Declares That His Only Motive Is
to Induce Rural Folk to Live
More Proftably.

Warning his countrymen that our civ
Hzation rests at bottom "on the whole
s0meness the aUtractiveness, and the
completeness, as well as the prosperity
of life in the country" the President
JrsusmitJ5d 10 both houses OF Congress
today the report OF the Commission on
Country Life and accompanied the re-
port by a special message, in which he
laid strong emphasis on the commits
sion's findings ana recommendations.
The terrific strain of modern life,
the President asserts, calls upon the
country to supply the city with fresh
blood, clean bodies, and clear brains
THE nation needs the development
or men In the open country who viii be
In the 1uJuTes as IN the past the stay
and strength of the nation in time of
WAT, and its guiding and controlling
spirit IN time Of peace
as HOst Urgent Task.
To improve Americas system OF ag-
ricultures the President holds. is the
most urgent of the tasks that lie before
the country But he holds also that it
cannot be affected by measures which
touch only the material and technical
side OF the subject. The whole busi-
ness and life OF the farmer must be
taken into account, and, realizing this,
the Commission on Country Life.
Crop growing. the President says is
the essential foundation of country life
but IL is no less essential that the
farmer shall get an adequate return for
what ne grows, and II is literally vital
that he and his children shall lead the
right kind of a life
For this reason, the President advises
Congress that II is OF the first import
snce 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 iu fact a Depart
ment OF country Lie. ntted TO deal not
only with crops, bat also with all the
larger aspects Of country Hfe.
Three Great Needs.
Three great general and immediate
needs Of country life stand out as pre-
eminent according to the report OF the
commission as il is Interpreted by the
President. These needs are:
First Effective cooperation among
farmers TO put them on a level with the
organized interests with which they do
business.
-second-A new kind Of schools I'm the
country, which shall teach the children
as much outdoors as indoors and per
haps more, so that they VIII prepare
for country life. and not as at present
mainly for life in town
'ThtTd-Eetter means of commuuica-
JOn, including good roads and par
GELS post. which the country people are
everywhere. and rightly. unanimous in
demanding
TO these is added better sanitation.
For easily says the President. pre-
ventabIe diseases hold several million
country people in the slavery Of con
IInuOus ill health
Called Upon to Organize.
In some respects, the most remarkable
phase of the report of the commission
and OF the letter OF trausmittal OF the
President is the call sounded to the
farmers of the country To organize in a
cooperative way iu order that they
may by COuuteT-0rgauIz meet the
organization of the vast interests with
which they have 20 contend. The com
mission finds tHat the farmer l- Eaudl-
capped by the speculative holding Of
the lands, Iuouopoiistic control OF
streams and forests, waste Of natural
resources and by restraint of trade
This gives the President opportunity
70 take another rap at the water-p0wer
"It is The obvious duty Of the Gov
erumeut, he SAYS -tU call the dtJcu-
tiOn OF the farmers 30 the growing mon
ers above an should have that power
on reasonable terms, for cheap trans
roTtatign, for lighting their homes, and
Tor innumerable uses iu the daily tasks
aftA Lll- Lal Lil
Farmers Wife Needs Aid.
The President takes occasion 90 say
that the farmer should realize that the
person who most needs consideration
on the farm is the farmers wife. but
that she should not purchase ease at
the expense OF duty.
He observes that eff the woman
shiTks her duty as housewife, as home
keeper, as the mother whose prime
function it ls 20 bear and rear Il suE-
Gcient number OF healthy children, then
she is not entitled 10 our regard. "
Emphasis iE laid lu the President s.
message and iu the report Of The COM
mission Ou jhc country church and tine
need OF extension OF its WORK, OF that OF
the y. 81. O. - and of the various sO-
Cieties and organizations that tend 40
tine betfCruFut Of country Iifc-
The President recommends no IegiE-
latlou save an appropriation OF $4,000
10 enable the commission 10 digest the
material 80 has collected and 90 collect