Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-02-09
IMPROVEMENT IS
AN URGENT TASK
He Warns Nation That Foundd
tlon of Prosperity IS Agricul-
tuIdl Interests Which
CannOt be Neg
leCted


Roosevelt today sent to Congress the
report Of the farm commission ap-
pointed by him and which recently in
vestigated conditions on farms
throughout the country by personally
visiting different sections of the ma
tion and by sending out lists of ques-
tiJns to be answered by the farmers
themselves. The report was accompa-
MED by a special message in which
the president urged that the fullest
consideration be given the report and
tnat steps be taken to improve our
system of agriculture. In his message
he also took occasion to answer the
insinuatiOn recently made that the
commission made it's Investigations
with the aid of public money His
message and the report of the COM
mission follow:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives
L transmit herewith the report of
the commission on country life At
the outset l desire to point out that
not dollar of the public money has
been paid to any commissioner for his
work on the commission.
The report shows the general con-
country, and points out its larger
problems; it indicates ways in which
the government, national and state,
may show the people how to solve
some of these problems; and it sug-
gests a continuance of the work
which the commission began.
Judging by thirty public hearings,
to which farmers and farmers wives
from forty states and territories came,
and from 10000 answers to printed
questions sent out by the department
of agriculture, the commission finds
that the general level of country life
is high compared with any preceding
time or with any other land. If II
has in recent years slipped down in
some places, it has risen in more
places. It, progress has been general,
If not uniform.
Yet farming does not yield either
the profit or the satisfaction that it
ought to yield and may be made TO
yield. There is discomfort in the
country, and in places discourage
ment Farmers as a class do not
magnify their calling, and the move
ment to the towns. though, | am hap
py to say, less than formerly, is still
strong.
Under our system, it Is helpful to
promote discussion of ways in which
the people can help themselves.
There are three main directions IN
which the farmers can help them
selves; namely better farming, better
business, and better living on the
farm. The national department of ag-
riculture, which has rendered SER
vices equaled by no other similar de-
partment in any other time or place;
the state departments of agriculture;
the state colleges of agriculture and
the mechanic arts. especially through
their extension work; the state agri
cultural experiment stations; the far
mers' union. the Orange; the agricul-
tural press; and other similar
agencies; have all combined to place
within the reach of the American
farmer an amount and quality If ag-
ricultural information which If ap-
piled, would enable him, over large
areas to double the production of the
farm.
The object Of the commission on
country life therefore is not to help
the farmer raise better crops, but TO
call his attention to the opportunities
for better business and better living
on the farm. If country life is to be-
come what ii should be. and what /
believe it ultimately will be--one Of
the most diguifed, desirable, and
sought-after ways of earning a living
the farmer must take advantage
not only Of the agricultural knowl-
edge which is at his disposal, but of
the methods which have raised and
continue TO raise the standards OF liv-
ing and of intelligence in other call
ings.
Those engaged in all other indus
trial and commercial callings have
found IL necessary, under modern
economic conditions, to organize
themselves for mutual advantage and
for the protection of their own par
ticular interests in relation 10 other
interests. The farmers of every pro-
gressive European country nave real
lied this essential fact and have
found In the cooperative system ex-
actly the form of business combine
ton they need.
Now whatever the state may do 70.
ward improving the practice Of agri-
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III.