Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-04-28

great cities there appeared from time to
time paragraphs, the points of which
were sharpened at the expense of the
country life commission appointed by
President Roosevelt. Few and insignifi- :
cant as these paragraphs were they ,
aroused something like resentment in the
heart OF the man who was doing what he
could to improve the conditions of life,
where they were susceptible OF improve
ment, In the small villages and In the
farming districts of the country. Iresi-
dent Roosevelt during the whole time of
his administration tried to make 1t plain
to people that he thought that in many
respects the country life was much the
better part
The president has gone out of Office.
but between the time that he sent the re-
port OF the country life commission to
congress. accompanied by his special
message. to the time that he said good
BY to the White House. he was in daily
receipt OF letters from people living In
farming communities all over the coun-
Try. and ninety-nine one-hundredths of
these letters were In tone commenda-
tory OF the object he had In view I'm an
pointing commission to consider the
conditions OF farming life in the omen
country
The president was not alone in the re-
ceipt or letters. They have been re
ceived In large numbers by individual
members Of the country life commission.
and by the commission as a body. The
number OF replies received to the cues.
tons sent out by the commission Is al.
most PAST the computing. These replies
ana the letters received since the com
missions report was turned in have
been
There Ia In them a world of human inter
est. The letters have come from all
kinds. classes. and conditions OF men
and women who live outside the great
congested centers OF population.
Some OF these communications. thoupb
very small number In comparison IN
the great number representing the to,aI
nave resented. in a way, the intimation
tnat everything might not be all right wi,
or two letters practically told the preside
or the commission to mind their own br.,,
the letters now In the possession OF the
the messages which came from "cranks ,
Is meant men and women whose mind.
perhaps necessary to make a disfinctio,
people In the world whom others carele.
cranks Whole opinion has weight and orr
best OF humanity. President Roosevelt
many times because OF his desire to aprc
iooh INTO farm life conditions
The members OF the country life comm
outset that they would not make known
correspondents. II was thought that n
their names In any instance would be mar
not write freely from the heart. It IL fol
the extracts from some OF the correspond
OF the answers which were received, the
have been omitted, though he localities
and their calling in life have been giver
FSIo
the commission was the serious tone OF q
country press OF his plan for a commissio
dition to the letters which have been rece
there is a great bundle Of clippings from {
try bearing upon the commissions subject
the members. under Mr.. Taft's predecessc
II may be said that .ome OF the replies :
to the commission cane from men and We
were illiterate. II Is also true that one
came from a man in a southern state. a
able to write and almost wholly unable {
many sane suggestions for the improvem
ties as did any set Of replies which was
of them came from men who not only {
scholars in the highest sense of the word
Concerning the general nature Of the lei
which had been received up to a time :
to the sending OF the commissions repor
care from the Office OF the commission
ing the general tenor Of the epistles T
married. it's opinion Of the letters which ha
time as follows:
"The general tenor Of the farmers LET
only are Trey deeply concerned in the '
sion but that they have clear-headed idei
purpose in stating the inquiry and Of VIII
be. The writer's get down to business
ideas with hard-headed logic and ciearnt
makes IL seem little doubtful II the be
that rural schools ought TO be improved
THE farmers themselves. however. agre
al facilities IA the country districts ought
as to at country conditions and needs M
Der Of writer's urge the need of Introduce
mentary agriculture into the schools.
opinion, however. Some maintain that
trying 10 make agricultural instruction Il
Tho one point in which all the farmer
a9fce with the president il that the Z