The Mena weekly star., 1909-02-11

partment of Agriculture.
 Washington n-Accompanying the re- port of the commission on country life the president sent to congress a special message on the subject, The document follows:
 To the Senate and House of Hepre- sentatives: I 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 commis sioner for his work on the commis- sion
 The report shows the general condi- ton Of farming life in the open eoun- try and points out it's larger prob lens; 1t indicates ways in which the government, national and state, may show the people how to solve some of these problems: and it suggests continuance of the work which the commission began.
 Judging by 90 public hearings. to which farmers and farmers wives from 40 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 it has in recent years slipped down in some places. it has risen in more places It's progress has been general, if not uniform.
 Yet farming does not yield either the profit or the satisfaction that 1t ought to yield, and may be made to yield. There is discontent 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 happy to say, less than formerly. is still strong.
 Under our system, 1t 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 themselves; {; namely. better farming. better busi- ness, and better living on the farm. The national department of agricul- ture, which has rendered service equaled by no other similar depart ment in any other time or place; the state departments of agriculture; the state colleges of agriculture and the mechanical arts, especially through their extension work: the state agri- cultural experiment stations; the Farmers union; the Grange; the agri- cultural press: and other similar agencies; have all combined to place within the reach of the American farmer an amount and quality of agri- cultural information. 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 country life. therefore, is not 10 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 it should be. and what I believe 1t ultimately will be--one of the most dignified, desirable, and sought-after ways of earning living the farmer must take advantage not only of the agricultural knowledge which Is at his disposal but of the methods which have raised and con tinued to raise the standards of liv- ing and of intelligence in other call ipgs
 Those engaged In all other indus trial and commercial callings have found it necessary, under modern eco homie conditions. 10 organize them selves for mutual advantage and for the protection of their own particular intere sts in relation to other interests. The farmers of every progressive Flu. ropean country have realized this es- sential fact and have found in the cooperative system exactly the form Of business combination they need.
 Now, whatever the state may do toward improving the practice of az riculture, it is not within the sphere of any government to reorganize the farmers business or reconstruct the social life of farming communities It is, however, quite within It's power to use its influence and the machinery of publicity which it can control for calling public attention to the needs of the facts For example. it is the obYiou duty of the government to call the attention of farmers to the grow ing mcnopolization 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.
 It would be idle 10 assert that life on the farm occupies as good a position fin dignity. desirability. and business results as the farmers might easily give it if they chose One of the chief difficulties is the failure of country life, as it exists at present. to satisfy the higher social and intellectual as pirations of country people. Whether the constant draining away of so much of the best clements in the rural pop ulation into the towns is due chiefly 'o this cause or to the superior busi- ness opportunities of city life may be 'pen to question. But no one at all allliar wiih farm life throughout the nifed States can fail to recognize the 'ecessity for building up the life of he farm upon its social as well as i6on i's productive side
 Necessity for Co-operztlon.