Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-02-18
FARM NATIONS HOPE,
ASSERTS ROOSEVELT
In Special Message Sent to Con-
gress Needs of Rural Resi-
dents Are Urged.
COOPERATION is GREAT BOON.
Commission of Inquiry Reports
Results of Its Recent
Investigation.

The farmers opportunity for an
easier life is pointed out in the report
of the country life commission. submit
ted to Congress by the President Tues.
Gay.
The President points out that the
commissioners have served, and will
serve. without pay. but $4,000 is asked
to defray expenses of gathering and
compiling facts.
IF country life" said the President
in message accompanying the report
lis to become what it should be, ana
what l believe it ultimately will be-
one of the most dignified and desirable
ways Of earning 4 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 continue to raise the
standards of living and of intelligence
in other callings.
Growing Crops Only Foundation.
THE commission has tried to hell
the farmers to see clearly their own
problem and to see it as a whole; to
distinguish clearly between what the
government can do and what the farm
erS 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 crops, though an
essential part, is only a part of coun-
try life. Crop growing is the essen
tial foundation, but it is no less es-
sential that the farmer shall get an
adequate return for what he grows.
and it is no less essentia1-indeed. it
is literally vital-that he and his wife
and his children shall lead the right
kind of life
For this reason it is of the first i'm
portance that the United States De
partment of Agriculture, through which
as prime agent the ideas the commits
sion stands for must reach the people.
should become without delay in fact Il
department of country life, fitted to
deal not only with crops, but also with
all the larger aspects of life in the
open country.
Immediate Needs Pointed Out.
From all that has been done and
learned. three great general and imme,
date needs of country life stand out:
First effective cooperation among
farmers, put them on a level with the
mi int l.
business.
Second, a new kind of schools in the
country, which shall teach the children
as much outdoors as indoors and perhaps
more, so that they will prepare for coun-
try life. and not, as at present, mainly
for life in town.
Third, better means of communica ton,
including good roads and a parcels post,
which the country people are everywhere,
and rightly. unanimous in demanding.
ITO these may well be added better
sanitation, for easily preventable dis
eases hold several million country pe0-
pie in the slavery of continuous i'll
health"
Organization to secure for the coun-
try the things that are the countrys
is the central theme of the commits
sion's report.
Farmers Must Help Themselves.
There must be vast enlargement
of voluntary organized effort among
farmers themselves" say the commits
sioners. ut is Indispensable that farm
ers shall work together for their COM
mon interests and for the national wei
fare If they do not do this, no gov
ernmental activity, no legislation, not
even better schools, will greatly avail.
The forces and institutions that
make for morality and spiritual ideals
among rural people must be energized.
We miss the heart of the problem if we
neglect to foster personal character and
neighborhood Righteousness. The best
way to preserve ideals for private con-
duct and public life is to build up the
institutions of religion.
1.-THE church has great power of
leadership. The whole people should
understand that it is vitality important
to stand behind the rural church and
to help it become great power in de-
velOping concrete country life ideals.
1t is especially important that the
country church recognize that it has
a social responsibility to the entire COM
munity as well as religious RESPONSE
biIity to its own group of people"