Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-11


that government should understand.
The reasons for the lack of a highly
organized rural society are very many,
as the full report explains. The leading
specific causes are.
lack Of knowledge on the part Of
farmers OF the exact agricultural con-
ditions and possibilities Of their re-
gions;
Lack of good training for country
life in the schools;
The disadvantages or handicap of
the farmer as against the established
business systems and interests. pre-
venting him from securing adequate
returns for his products, depriving
him OF the benefits that would result
from unmonopolized rivers and the
conservation of forests and depriving
the community in many cases, of the
good that would come from the use Of
great tracts Of agricultural land that
that are now held for speculative pur-
poses:
Lack of good highway facilities;
The widespread continuing deple-
ton of soils, with the injurious effect
on rural life;
A general need of new and active
lea dership.
Other causes contributing to the
general result are: Lack Of adequate
system Of agricultural credit, whereby
the farmer may readily secure loans on
fair terms; the shortage OF labor, a
condition that is often complicated by
intemperance among workmen; lack
of institutions and incentives that tie
the laboring man to the soil; the bur-
dens and the narrow life Of farm wo-
men: lack Of adquate supervision of
public health.
The Nature of the Remedies.
Some of the remedies lie with the
National Government, some of them
with the states and communities in
their corporate capacities, some with
voluntary organizations, and some
with individuals acting alone. From
the great number of suggestions that
have been made. covering every phase
Of country life, the commission now
enumerates those that seem to be most
fundamental or most needed at the
present time.
Congress can remove some of the
handicaps Of the farmer, and it can
also set some kinds OF work in motion,
such as:
The announcement Of a system of
thorough going surveys Of all agricul-
tural regions in order to take stock
and to collect local fact. with the idea
of providing a basis on which to de-.
velop a scientifically and economically
sound country life;
The establishing of nationalized
communities through all the land
grant colleges with the people at their
homes and on farms:
A thorough going investigation by
experts of the middleman system Of
handling farm products, coupled with
general inquiry into the farmers
disadvantages in respect to taxation.
~, r,e-, rtpft 49,,
CARNATIONS and credit, and the gen
eral business system;
An inquiry into the control and use
Of the streams Of the United States
with the object Of protecting the peo-
pie in their ownership and Of saving
to agricultural uses such benefits as
should be reservd for these purposes;
The establishing Of q highway en-
cheering services or equivalent rogant-
cation. to be at the call Of the states
In working out effective and econ
omical highway systems;
The establishing of system Of par
GELS posts andspostal savings banks;
And providing some means or
| agency for the guidance Of public
| real rural society that shall rest d.
| rectly on the land.
Other remedies recommended for
consideration by Congress are:
| The enlargement Of the United
States Bureau Of Education, to enable
1t to stimulate and coordinate the ed
ucational work Of the nation;
| Careful attention to the farmers in
terests in legislation on the tariff, on
regulation Of railroads, controlgor reg
| ulation or CORPORATIONS and of specu-
lation. legislation in respect to rivers,
forests, and the utilization Of swamp
land;
Increasing the powers Of the FEEDER
al Government in respect to the super
vision and control Of the public health;
| Providing such regulations as will
enable the states that do not permit
the sale Of liquors to protect them
selves from traffic from adjoining
states.
In setting all these forces in motion,
the cooperation Of the states will be
necessary; and in many cases definite
state laws may greatly aid the work.
| Recommendation of tho Commission.
| The commission recommends all the
correctives that have been mentioned
under the head of THE nature of the
remedies" 1t does not wish to dis
criminate between important meas
ures of relief for existing conditions.
1t has purposely avoided indorsing any
particular bill now before Congress, no
matter what its value or object.
There are, however, In the opinion of
the commission, two or three great
movements of the utmost consequence
that should be set under way at the
earliest possible time, because they
are fundamental to the whole problem
Of ultimate permanent reconstruction
these call for special explanation.
l. Taking stock OF country life
There should be organized, as ex-
planned in the main report. under gov
eminent leadership, a comprehensive
plan for an exhaustive study or sur
vey of all the conditions that surround
the business Of farming and the peo-
pie who live in the country, in order
to take stock Of our resources and to
supply the farmer with local knowl-
edge. Federal and state governments
agricultural colleges, and other educa-
tional agencies. organizations of var
ious types, and individual students OF
the problem, should be brought into