The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-02-11

more that IA within its reach. and thus
complete its work. This would en-
able the commission to gather In the
harvest OF suggestion which Is result
ing from the discussion 1t has stirred
up. The commissioners have served
without compensation, and do not
recommend any appropriation Tor
their services, but only for the ex-
,penses that will, be required to finish
E9the task they have begun.
Il To Develop Country Community
To improve our system of agricul7
ture seems to me. the most urgent Of
the. tasks which lie before US, But
II cannot, in my Judgment, be effected
by measures which touch only the ma
terial and technical side OF the sub
ject. the whole business and life Of the
farmer must also be taken into ac-
count, Such considerations led me to
appoint the commission. on country
life. Our object should be to help de-
velop in the country community the
great ideals of the community life as
well as of personal character. One of
the most important adjuncts to this
end must be the country church, and
/ invite your attention to what the
commission says of the country church
! and of the need of an extension OF
such work as that Of the Young Mems
Christian association In, country COM
| munities. Let me lay, special empha-
sis upon what the commission says
at the very end of its report on per-
sonal ideals. and local leadership.
Everything resolves Itself in the end
into the questioned .pspsouality. Meth
much for country life unless there IS
voluntary response in the persopRl
ideals OF the men and women who
live in the country. In the develop
ment of character. the home should
be more important than the school; or
than society at large. When once
the basic material needs have been
met, high Ideals may be quite india
pendent of income; but they cannot
be realized without sufficient income
to provide adequate foundation; and
| where the community at large is not
| financially prosperous it is impossible
to develop high average personal and
| fundamental facts of human nature
apply to men and women who live in
| the country just as they apply to men
| and women who live in the towns.
Given a sufficient foundation of ma
terial we'll being, the influence of the
farmers and farmers wives on their
children becomes 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 considera.
ton on the farm is his wife. do
not in the Feast mean that she should
purchase ease at the expense of duty.
Neither man nor woman is really
happy or really useful save on condi-
ton of doing his or her duty If
the woman shirks her duty as house
wife, as home keeper, as the mother
! whose prime function Is to bear and
| rear, a sufficient number of healthy
children, taen. she is not ieptitled to
our regard But IL 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 con.
sideration for her needs. . ....js.,,..
Welfare Of Nation at Stake.
warn. my countrymen that the
great recent progress made in city life
| is not q full measure of our ciYiliza-
ton; for our civilization rests on the
wholesomeness, the attractiveness, and
| the completeness, as we'll as the pros
perity, 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 life
rests ultimately our ability, by meth
o6s of farming requiring the highest
intelligence, to continue to feed and
clothe the hungry nations; to supply
the city with fresh blood, clean bod
les, and clear brains that can endure
the terrific strain OF modern life; we
need the development OF men in the
open country, who will be in the fu-
ture, as in the past, the stay and
strength of the nation in time of war;
| and its guiding and controlling spirit
ia time of peace. 'ss $50
| THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
| The White House, February 9, 1903
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