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

open to question. But no one at all
familiar with farm life throughout the
United States can fail to recognize the
necessity for building up the life of
the farm upon its social as well az
upon its productive side.
Necessity for Cooperation.
II Is true that country life has i'm
proved greatly In attractiveness.
health aud comfort. and that the farm
er's earnings are higher than they
were. But city life is advancing even
attention which is being given by
the citizens OF the towns to their own
betterment For just this reason the
introduction of effective agricultural
cooperation throughout the United
States is OF the first Importance.
Where farmers are organized CO
operatively they not only avail them
selves much more readily OF business
opportunities and improved methods,
but IL is found that the organizations
which bring them together in the work
OF their lives are used also for social
and intellectual advancement.
The cooperative plan is the best
plan OF organization wherever men
have the right spirit to carry 1t out.
Under this plan any business under
taking is managed by a committees
every man has one vote, and only one
vote; and every one gets profits ac-
cording to what he sells or buys or
supplies. II develops individual re-
sponsibility and has a moral as we'll
as a financial value over any other
plan.
l desire only to take counsel with
the farmers as fellow-citizens 1t Is
not the problem of the farmers alone
that / am discussing with them, but a
problem which affects every city
as well as every farm in the
country. 1t is a problem which the
working farmers will have to solve
for themselves; but IL is a problem
which also affects In only less degree
all the rest of us, and therefore II
we can render any help toward its so
luton, 1t is not only our duty but our
interest to do so.
The foregoing will, / hope, make IL
clear why appointed a commission to
consider problems of farm life which
have hitherto had far too little at
tention, and the neglect OF which has
not only held back life in the coun-
try, but also lowered the efficiency of
the whole nation. The welfare of the
farmer is of vital consequence to the
welfare of the whole community. The
strengthening of country life, there
fore, is the strengthening of the whole
nation.
Work to Help the Farmers.
The commission has tried to help
the farmers to see clearly their own
problem and to see it as a whole; to
distinguish clearly between what the
government can do and what the farm
ers must do for themselves; and il
wishes TO bring not only the farmers,
but the nation as a whole, to realize
that the growing of crops, though
an essential part, is only a part OF
country life. Crop growing is the es-
sentfal foundation, but 1t is no less es-
sential that the farmer shall get an
adequate return for what he grows !,
and il is no less essential-indeed. ii is
literally vital-that he and his wife
and his children shall lead the right
kind of life.
For this reason, IL is OF the first i'm
portance that the United States de-
partment of agriculture, through
which as prime agent the ideas the
commission stands for must reach the
people, should become without delay
in fact a department OF country life,
fitted TO deal not only with crops,
but also with all the larger aspects OF
life in the open country.
From all that has been done and
learned three great general and imme-
date needs of country life stand out:
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 in the
country, which shall teach the chill.
dren as much outdoors as indoors and
perhaps more, so that they will pre-
pare for country life, and not as at
present, mainly for life In town.
Third, better means of communica.
ton, including good roads and par.
GELS post, which the country people are
everywhere, and rightly, unanimous IN
demanding
To these may we'll be added better
sanitation; for easily preventable dis
eases hold several million country peo-
pie in the slavery OF continuous III
health
Duty OF the Government.
The commission points out, and
concur in the conclusion, that the most
important help that the government
whether national or state, can give is
to show the people how to go about
these tasks Of organization, education
and communication with the best and
quickest results. This can be done
by the collection and spread of In
formation. One community can thus
be informed Of what other communi
ties have done, and one country OF
what other countries have done. Such
help by the peoples government would
lead to a comprehensive plan OF organ
ization, education and communication
and make the farming country better
to live in. for intellectual and social
reasons as well as for purely agricul
tural reasons.
The government through the depart
ment OF agriculture does not cultivate
any mans farm for him. But it does
put at his service useful knowledge
that he would not otherwise get. In
the same way the national and state