The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-10

which. if applied, would enable him. over
large areas, 10 double the production OF
the farm
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. IL country
life Is TO become what It should be- and
what I believe it ultimately will be-one
Of the most digniiied. desirable and sought
after ways OF earning a 1iv!ng-the farm
er 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 call
ings.
Cooperation Needed
Those engaged in ali other industrial
and commercial callings have found 1t
tons, to organize themselves for mutual
advantage and for the protection OF their
own particular interests in relation to
other interests. The farmers OF every
progressive European country have real
lied this essential 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 agriculture, It
is not within the sphere OF any govern
ment to reorganize the farmers business
OF reconstruct the social life OF farming
communities. It is. however. quite within
its power to use its influence and the ma
chineTy OF publicity which It can control
for calling public attention 70 the needs
and the facts. For example, II is the OBJ
vious duty Of the government to can the
attention Of farmers to the growing
monopOlizstion Of water power The farm
ers, above all should have that power, on
reasonable terms, for cheap trsnsporta-
ton. for lighting their homes, and for in
Vulnerable uses in the daily tasks on the
farm.
n would be idle to assert that life on
he farm ocrrufzz & pn0d a nOzitfOU
dignity desirability and business results
as the farmers might easily give II II
they chose. One of the chief difficulties
is The failure of country life, as IL exists
at present to satisfy the higher social and
intellectual aspirations Of country people
Whether the constant draining away of so
much Of the best elements IN the rural
population into the towns is due chiefly TO
this cause or to the superior business OPP
portunities Of city life may be open to
question. But no one at all familiar with
farm life throughout the United states
can fall to recognize The necessity or
building up the life OF the farm upon It's
social as wen as upon its productive side.
Recent Improvement.
IT is true that country life has improved
greatly in attractiveness. health and
and that the farmers earnings
are higher than they were. But city life
Is advancing even more rapidly, because
Of the greater attention which IS being
given BY the citizens Of the towns for
tn cir own betteTment. For just this rea-
son the introduction OF effective agricul-
turai cooperation throughout the United
States IS OF the first Importance. Where
farmers are organized comparatively they
not only avail themselves much more
readily Of business opportunities and inn
proved methods. but il Is found that the
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 il out Under this
plan any business undertaking is managed
ov a committee: every man has one vote
and only one vote. and every one gets
profits according to what he sells or buys
Dr. supplies. It develops individual re-
sponsibiiity and has a moral as well as a
financial value over any other plan.
desire only to take counsel with the
farmers as fellew-citizens. II is not the