The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-02-11

vote. and every one gets luuits ac
cCoiiug % what he sells cr lnvs ~
supplies. u develops individual ~,
SNeuSihility and has moral us wei
rs financial value over any other
plan.
Farmers Problems the Wheis cnun,ry'sI
/ desire only To take counsel with
the farmers rs fellow citizens % isl
not the problem Of the farmers alone
that I am discussing with them. hut
4 problem which afrects every city as
well rs every farm IN the country liI
is problem which the working farm
crs will have To solve for themselves
but IL is a problem which also affects
IN only less degree ril the rest of US.
and therefore n we can rc.der any
help toward its solution IL IS rct only
our duty but our Interest o. d. So
The foregoing will. hone. make q
clear why appointed commission 10
consider problems Of farm lie which
have hitherto had far too little attcn-
tion and the neglect Of which has uo'
only held hack life I'm the country. but
also lowered the efficiency ~ the whole
nation. The welfare Of the farmer Is
Of vital consequence 10 the welfare OF
the whole community. The strength
euing OF country lie therefore. is the
Strengthening Of the whole nation.
The commission has tried T. help the
farmers to see clearly their own mob
lem ard to see IL rs n whole 70 distin-
cuiSh clearly between what the gov
eminent caa do and what the farmers
-. - Il
to bring not only the farmers. but the
nation rs a whole 10 realize that the
growing OF crops. though an essential
part. IS only a part 81 country life
Crop growing Is the essential founda-
ton. but &c is no less essential that the
farmer should get an adequate return
for what he grows. aud Il Is no Loss
essenti0l-iadeed. fl Is literally vital
that be ana his wife and his children
shall lead the right kind % life.
For this reason n Is u the FIRST in-
portance tat the United states depart.
ment OF agriculture. through which rs
prime agent the ideas the commission
stands Tor must reach the people.
should become without delay in fact
department Of country lie. fitted &c
deal not only with crops. but also with
all the larger aspects OF lie in the open
country.
Three Needs Of Country Life.
From an that has been done aud
learned three great general and imme-
date needs II country lie stand out.
First Effective cooperation amon-
farmers 20 put them on a level with
the organized interests with which
they do business.
Second-A new kind of schools IN
the country. which shall teach the
children as much outdoors as indoors
and perhaps more. 50 that they Will
prepare for country life and not. as q
present mainly for life In town
Third.-Bctter means Of communist
ton. including good roads and n pa
GELS post. which the country people
are everywhere. and rightly, unani-
nous In demanding
To these may well be added better
sanitation, for easily preventable dis
eases hold several million country peo-
pie in the slavery Of continuous IN
health.
OFSdnt<aNlOn Is necessary.
The commission points out-and I
concur In the conclusion-that the
most important help that the govern
nent. whether national or state. can
give Is 10 show the people how 10 20
about these tasks Of organization. ed
ucauon and communication with the
best and quickest results. This cap
be done by the collection and spread
OF Information. One community can
thus be Informed Of what other com
munities have done and one country
Of what other countries have done.
Such help by the peoples govern
ment would lead 10 comprehensive
plan of orga IMITATION. education and
communication and make the farm
ing country better TO live In. for in
tellectual and social reasons as well
as for purely agricultural reasons.
The government through the de
partment of agriculture does not cul-
tivate any mans farm for him. but #
does put at HIS service useful knowl-
edge that he would not otherwise get.
In the same way the national and
state governments might put into the
peoples hands the new and right
knowledge Of school work. The task
OF maintaining and developing the
schools would remain, as now. with
the people themselves.
Money For Expenses Asked
The only recommendation I submit
Is that an appropriation Of so. 600 be
provided to enable the commission 10
digest the material IT has collected
and to collect and to digest much
more that is within its reach and thus
complete its work. This would enable
the commission to gather in the har-
vest Of suggestion which is resulting
from the discussion it has stirred up
The commissioners have served with
out compensation. and do not recon-
mend any appropriation for their sery-
Ices. but only for the expenses that
VIII be required TO finish the task that
they have begun.
To improve our system OF agricul-
ture seems 10 me the most urgent of
the tasks which lie before us. But II
cannot. in my Judgment. be effected
by measures which touch only the ma
terial and technical side OF the sub
Ject. The whole business and life OF
the farmer must also be taken into
account Such considera tons led me
TO appoint the commission on country
life. Our object should be to help de
velop in the country community the
great Ideals Of community life as well
n .