The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-02-09
sEles

account. Such considerations 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
as OF personal character. One Of the
most Important adjuncts to this end
must be the country church, and in
Vite your attention to what the COM
mission says of the country church
and OF the need Of an extension Of
such work as that Of the Young Mems
Christian association in country COM
munities. Let me lay special emphasis
upon what the commission says at the
very end Of it's report on personal
ideals and local leadership. Every
thing resolves itself in the end into
the question Of personality. Neither
society nor government can do much
for country life unless there is volun-
tary response in the personal ideals Of
the men and women who live in the
country.
Plea For Farmers Wives.
In the development Of character the
home should be more important than
the school or than society at large.
When once the basic material needs
have been met, high ideals may be
quite independent of income, but they
cannot be realized without sufficient
income to provide adequate founda-
ton, and where the community at
large is not financially prosperous it
is impossible to develop high aver
age personal and community ideal. In
short, the fundamental facts Of hu-
man nature apply to men and women
who live in the country just <as
they apply to men and women
who live In the towns. Given suff-
Gent foundation Of material we'll be-
ing, the influence Of the farmers and
farmers wives on their children be-
comes the factor Of first Importance
In determining the attitude Of the next
generation toward farm life. The
farmer should realize that the person
who most needs consideration on the
farm is his wife. do not in the least
mean that she should purchase ease at
the expense Of duty. Neither man nor
woman Is really happy or really useful
save on condition Of doing his or her
duty. If the woman shirks her duty
as housewife, as home keeper, as the
mother whose prime function it is to
bear and rear sufficient number of
healthy children, then she is not en-
titled to our regard. But if she does
her duty she is more entitled to our
regard even than the man who does
his duty, and the man should show
special consideration for her needs.
warn my countrymen that the
great recent progress made in city life
Is not full measure of our civiliza-
ton, for our civilization rests at bot
tom on the wholesomeness, the attrac-
tiveness and the completeness as we'll
as the prosperity of life in the country.
The men and women on the farms
stand for what is fundamentally best
and most needed in our American life.
Upon the development Of country life
rests ultimately our ability by meth
DDS Of farming requiring the highest
intelligence to continue to feed and
clothe the: hungry nations, to supply
the city with fresh blood, clean bodies
and clear brains that can endure the
terrific strain Of modern life. We need
the Development Of men in the open
country, who will be in the future, as
in the past, tbs stay and strength of
the nation in time Of war and it's guild
ing and controlling spirit in time Of
peace. ...
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, Feb. 8, 1909.