The Washington herald., 1909-02-10
URGES COUNTRY LIFE
President Insists Nation De-
pendS on Farmer.
SENDS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Declares Improvement of System Of
Agriculture Is Most Urgent Task of
the Americans-says Clean Blood
aad Clear Brains Is the Crying
Need OF the Country.

Declaring the future welfare Of the
nation depends. TO a great extent. upon
life IN the country. the President yester-
day sent a special message 10 Congress-,
transmitting the report Of the country
life commission.
The President gave the report and rec
concentrations Of the commission the
stamp Of his approval and urged upon
members OF Congress the necessity for
advancing prosperity and the general vel
fare OF the agTiculturist-
Fresh blood. clear brains. and clean
bodies, the President insists. is the cry
ing need Of the nation in these modern
times. and he asserts that the civiliza-
ton rests at the bottom On the whole
someness. the attractiveness and the
completeness, az well IS the prosperity OF
the life IN the country.
Improvement of Agriculture.
The improvement Of the country sys-
TEN Of agriculture is held as the most
urgent task OF Americans. but he insists
that the whole life and business OF the
farmer must be taken into account TO OBJ
tain the best result. He declares it can
not be obtained by measures which touch
only the theoretical and technical sides
The President says crop raising is the
essential foundation OF country life. II
Is no less essential, the President says,
that the farmer get an adequate return
for his Iabors, and IL is equally as i'm
portant that ne and his children lead the
right kind OF life.
Three great general and immediate needs
Of country life stand out pre-eminent.
according TO the report OF TIE commits
sion as II Is interpreted p the Presi-
dent. These needs are:
First-EneetIve cooperation among
farmers. to put them on 8 level with the
organized interests with which they DO
business.
Second-A new kind OF school IN the
country. which shall teach the children
as much outdoors as indoors. and per-
hsps more. so that they win prepare for
country life. and not. ss az present.
mainly for life IL town.
Third-Better means Of communication,
including good roads and a parcels post.
which the country people are everywhere,
and rightly. unanimous in demanding.
To these IS added better sanitation.
For easily" says the President. pre-
ventahle diseases hold several million
country people in the slavery OF continu-
Gus Hl-health-'
Cooperation Urged.
In some respects. the most remarkable
phase OF the report OF the commission
and OF the letter Of transmittal Of the
President Is the call sounded 10 the
farmers OF the country 70 organize In a
cooperative way. n order that they
nay. By counter-organization, meet the
organization Of the vast interests with
which they have 10 contend The COM
mission finds that the farmer is handi-
capped by the speculative holding OF the
lands, monopolistic control Of streams
and forests, waste OF natural resources
and by restraint Of trade This gives
the President opportunity to take anoth-
CT rap at the water-pOwer monopoly
1T is the obvious duty Of the govern
ment." he SAYS, ito call the attention OF
the farmers 10 the growing monopoliza-
ton OF wafer power The farmers above
all should have that power. on reason
able terms, for cheap transportation. for
lighting their homes and for innuner-
able uses in the daily tasks on tie farm"
Depletion of Soils.
It is found by the commission that
through lack OF knowledge OF agricu!-
tursl conditions on the part Of farmers
there IS widespread depletion Of soils.
with the injurious effect on rural life,
lack Of proper training for country life
IN the schools, lack OF good highway
facilities, and lack OF organization IN
buying and selling. The commission
also finds there Is an absence Of any
adequate system OF agricultural credit,
BY intemperance among workmen;
lack OF institutions and incentives that
tie the laboTing man 70 the soil; the life
OF farm women Is burdensome and mar
row; there is need Of adequate SUPER
vision Of public health"
The President takes occasion to say
that the farmer should realize that the
person who most needs consideration on
the farm is the farmers wife. but that
she should rot purchase ease at the ex-
pense Of duty. He observes that IF the
woman shirks her duty as housewife, as
homekeeper, as the mother whose prime
function it is 10 bear and rear a sufIi-
cient number OF healthy children. then
she is not entitled TO our regard
Emphasis on Country Church.
Emphasis is laid in the Presidents
message and IN the report Of the COM
mission on the country church and the
need Of extension Of its work, Of that of
the 7. II. c. A., and OF the various So
c3eties and organizations that tend 20
the betterment Of country life.
The President recommends 40 legisla-
ton save an appropriation OF $4,000 to
enable the commission 10 digest the ma
terial It has collected and to collect, and
digest much more that Is within rs reach.
The collection and spread OF information
that the farmers and the people gen
orally may appreciate the true situation.
the President considers, is OF the utmost
importance. This Is the chief help the
government can give.