The Columbus journal., 1909-02-10

W2SnAngto:..-Wlth the report O.
the country iifo commission President
Roosevelt sent the following mes
sage to both houses of congress:
To the Senate and House of Represent
atives: 1 transmit herewith the report
or 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 condition
of farming life in the open country, and
points out its larger problems: it indi-
Gates ways in which the government, ma
tiOnal and state, may show the people
how to solve some of these problems and
IL suggests a continuance of the work
which the commission began.
Judging by 30 public hearings. to which
farmers and farmers wives from 10
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 9TH
er land. II il has In recent years slipped
down in some places. ii has risen in more
places. Its progress has been general, il
not uniform.
Yet farming does not yield either the
to yield, and may be made to yield. There
is discomfort in the country, and in places
encouragement. Farmers as q class do
not magnify their calling, and the move
ment to the towns. though. l am happy
to say. less than formerly. is still strong.
Under our system. il is helpful to pro-
mote discussion Of ways in which the
people can help themselves. There are
three main directions in which the farm
hn1v. boz x,lx- I,afHn
farming. better business and better living
on the farm. The national department OF
agriculture. which has rendered service
eQualed by no other similar department
in any other time or place: the state
departments of agriculture: the state col
leges of agriculture and the mechanical
arts. especially through their extension
work: the state agricultural experiment
stations: the Farmers union; the Grange;
the agricultural press: and other similar
agencies; have all combined to place with
in the reach Of the American farmer an
amount and quality OF agricultural infOr-
nation. which. If applied. would enable
him. over large areas, to double the
production Of the farm.
For Better Business and Living.
The object Of the commission on coun-
try 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.
II country life is to become what it
should be- and what 1 believe it ultimate
ly will be-one of the most dignified. de-
sirable. and sOught-after ways of earn
living-the farmer must take advan-
tage 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 living and in
telligence in other callings.
Those engaged in all other industrial
and commercial call;ngs have found 1t
necessary. under modern economic con-
ditions. to organize themselves for mu-
tual advantage and for the protection of
their own particular interests in rela-
ton to other interests. The farmers of
every progressive European country have
realized this essential fact and have
found in the cooperative system exactly
the form of business combination they
need.
Now, whatever the state may do to-
ward improving the practice of agri-
culture, it is not within the sphere OF
any government to reorganiZe the farm
erS' business or reconstruct the social
life of farming communities. 1t is. how
ever. quite within its power to use its
influence and the machinery Of publicity
which IL can control for calling public at
tention to the needs of the facts. For eN-
ample. il is the obvious duty Of the gov
eminent to call the attention Of farmers
to the growing mOnopolization of water
power The farmers. above all. should
have that power. on reasonable terms. for
cheap transportation. for lighting their
homes. and for innumerable uses in the
daily tasks Of the farm.
Necessity for Cooperation.
1t Is true that country life has improved
greatly in attractiveness, health and COM
fort. and that the farmers earnings are
higher than they We're. But city life is
advancing even more rapidly. because OF
the greater attention which is being given
by the citizens of the towns to their own
betterment. For just this reason the in
PRODUCTION of effective agricultural CO.
operation throughout the United States is
of the first Importance. Where farmers
are organized comparatively they not
only avail themselves much more read
lily of business opportunities and i'm
proved methods. but it 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 II out. Under this
plan any business undertaking is man.
aged by n committee. every man has
one vote. and only one vote: and every
one gets profits according to what he
sells or buys or supplies. 1t develops in
dividual responsibility and has a moral
as well as a financial value over any
other plan.
I desire only to take counsel with the
farmers as fellow-citizens. 1t is not the
problem Of the farmers alone that 1 am
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 it 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 solution it is
not only our duty but our interest to do |
so.
Work to Help the Farmers.
The commission has tried to help the
farmers to see clearly their own prob
lem and to see il as a whole: to distin-
guish clearly between what the govern
ment can do and what the farmers must |
do for themselves: and it wishes to bring
not only the farmers. but the nation as
a whole. to realize that the growing Of |