The Mena weekly star., 1909-02-18


 dent Tuesday sent to congress mes sage transmitting the report or the Country Life commission. After the document had been read in the sen ate, Mr Hepburn moved that u De printed and lie on the table, and thls order was accordingly made,
 The report of the commission de scribes with some fitness the exist ing conditions of farm life and points out the causes that may have led to its present lack of organization. IL suggests methods for the redirection of rural society, for arresting the driit to the city, for maintaining the na- tural rights of the farmer and Tor the development of ap organized rural Ire that will promote the prosperity of the whole nation.
 Broadly speaking, agriculture in the United States is prosperous and the conditions in many of the great farm Ing regions are improving. Country homes generally are improving in com fort, attractiveness and healthfulness. Many institutions, organizations and movements are actively contributing to the increasing welfare of the open country.
 There has never been time when the American farmer was as well off as he is today, when not only ms earning power but the comforts and advantages he may secure are consid' cred. There has been a complete and fundamental change in our whole eco homie system within the past century
 Yet it is true, notwithstanding all this progress as measured by his torical standards, that agriculture IS not commercially as profitable as It IS entitled to be for the labor and energy that the farmer expends and the risks that he assumes, and that the social conditions in the open country are far short of their possibilities.
 Rural society is lacking chiefly in knowledge on the part of the farm CTS of the exact agricultural condi' tions and possibilities of their regions, resulting in the widespread depletion of soils with the injurious effect on rural life; in proper training for coun' try life in the schools; in good high way facilities, and in organization for buying and selling.
 There is an absence of any adequate system of agricultural credit, short age of labor, often complicated by in temperance among workmen; lack | of institutions and incentives that tic | the laboring man to the soil; the life ] of the farm woman Is burdensome and marrow: there is need of adequate su pervision of public health.
 The farmer is handicapped by the speculative holding of lands, mono polistic control of streams and forests waste of our natural resources, and by restraint of trade.
 Some of the remedies for the con ditions set forth lie with the national | government, some of them with the states and communities in their cor porate capacities some with voluntary organizations, and some with indi viduals acting alone.
 There must be a vast enlargement of voluntary, organized effort among | farmers themselves. It Is indispens able that farmers shall work togethe for their common interests and for th' national welfare. If they do not dr this. no governmental activity, nc l legislation, not even better schools will greatly avail. The forces and in l stitutions that make for morality ant spiritual ideals among rural people must be energized.
 There must be not only fuller scheme of public education, but new I kind of education adapted to the req needs of the farming people. The country schools are to be so redirect ed that they shall educate their pupils in terms of the daily life Oppor tunities for training toward the agri cultural callings are 10 be multiplied and made broadly effective.
 The country people everywhere arr asking for good roads Everywher' too they want parcels post and th' | extension of the rural free delivery.
 The suggestions of the commission only outline a general plan Nhereb, the strong resident forces in the opei country may themselves build up new and better rural social structure
 To accomplish this. the entire peopl must be aroused The time for thi