The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-21
George W. Conn.

Exclusive Service The Survey Press | Bureau.)
 (Mr. Conn is one of the pioneers in
 the "get together movement that has
 recently been instituted among farm
 ers- Years before the Presidents Country Life Commission was thought
 of he started a "Federation of Rural
 Forces" in McHenry County, Illinois.
 He writes from large personal experi-
 ence.)
 It occurs to the writer that of all
 the causes that prevent the farmer rom entering completely into the in
 herltance of the race and the joys of
 fundamental is the lack of a proper social consciousness. His regard for
 others, to a great degree, is limited to l those directly dependent upon him.
 entirely for his own family. The half
 mile from anyone has somewhat mar
 rowly inclined his social nature. He
 does not work in team fashion to good | effect. He is not entirely unprogres- | sive-> In truth this is too frequently
 ascribed to the farmer without prop
 CT qualification He may be justly de- scribed as unprogressive when it | comes to matters of cooperation or social activity. He often has his
 modern improvements on his farm, but they are solely for him and his | "son John.'' The same man when he moves to town to "retire' may quite possibly be found among the reaction aries or members of the "agin it" party when it comes to the questions of municipal improvements. He has not been ''broke'' to team work. He has always gone "sir gle"
 | The most vital problems of the farmer of today involve the economic elemens in -heir solutions and the So- | lution in turn reacts upon the econo- mic situation. The reorganization of two of the most important institu- tions of the country, the school and church, demands a riper social con- sciousness. We must have more taxes for one and more generous subscrip- tions and en1o vmepts for the other. The consolid atsd country school on one hand and the revitalized and re- organized church on the other will be potent factors in the development of this much nee1ed social consciousness. To get it we must have them and to have them we must get 1t. All CO., operation for mutual protection and profit demands a lively social consci- ousness for its inception and for its successful and efficient prosecution This seems to be ne ultimate desi- deratum to insure progress in this day and age and this is just the point that seems to oe vulnerable in the character of the farmer.
 Growing out of this weakness are many secondary or resulting deficin- cies in character. First, his lack of respect for, or a better appreciation or, the nner cOnNent1Ondl1 or l1Ie. Those customs or practices that, con sidered separ ttely are somewhat un- important, but, in tfeir totality, con stitute fairly true measure of civil lization- Second. his lack of respect for "expert Knowledge or opinion" Third, his somewhat bind worship of customs and traditions that lead him to confuse slavish imitation with the genuinely practical. Fourth, his in- ability, to get a p,orer perspective because of his isolation, his so-called | Independence" and the exaltation of the commercial ideal.
 The farmers lack of respect for ex- pert opinion is one of the chief ob- stacles that muSt be overcome before he can take a forward step. He has been one of the last to recognize the principle of division of labor. This accounts somewhat for his slowness to place confidence in the specialist. Evi- dence of this is on every hand He does not value the special knowledge of the teacher as his city brother does. He is prone to, ignore the suggestions and even the orders of the boards of health. He has ignored if not actually defied the work of his local agricul- tural experiment station to the Hast ditch," and only in the last few yea1s has he begun somewhat grudgingly to give them his assistance and conf dence.
 He has generally been the last to avail himself of the mechanical con- veniences of the times. He has most frequently been the pioneer in sub scribing for marvellous "hair-grow- ers," Quack remedies, magnif1ed fruit embalmed in alcohol and many other "gold bricks" He has too often re- fused to assist and credit the hon. est expert in a worthy, constructive work, but has been easily hypnotized by the fake who always held out promises of immediate and magnifi- cent results. Not the least among these instances of his refusal to recog- Iii fria @ a ind displayed by many farmers toward the proposal to appoint Commission on Country Life. It was ridiculed pri-' vately and publicly and here and there are still to be found the dispensers of sarcasm among the farmers. It is the old story of disregard for the opinion of the one who ought to know more than the average person mission should be made up entirely of a number of so-called practical farm CTS is not to be thought of. The soon CT that farmers recognize the fact that suggestions and much help must come from people who are making a special study of the problem and who are not now milking cows twice day, the sooner we shall see a better day. The fact that a specialist is not now working on farm is not pri- ma facie evidence that all his sug- gestions are valueless and wholly the oretical. The best advice to many professions and occupations often comes from people who have obtained a good vantage point and proper per spective. The highest self-respect can only come to those who have a high respect for others and their knowledge in an age whose complexity is as evil dent as the present.
 The farmers lack of regard for the finer conventionalities of life weakens his attempts at cooperation. The men of the city appreciate these so- called minor traits. This very re- gard for the niceties in social rela- tions dignifies and strengthens their cooperative efforts.
 The writer recently attended meet ing of about six hundred farmers who were attempting to form an associa- tion for mutual protection The scene has at heart the welfare of country life. United and harmonious action was an impossibility. The chairman, a good man a farmer, could do nttle