The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-04-23
Idaho Country Life =

>>>>>>>~>>>>~<~><<%>>~~~<>
In this department we pub =
= lish matter on Farming that is =
. adapted to local conditions. .
Farmers are especially invited .
to contribute articles or send in .
. questions for 1t. .
AA>>><~A>~<~~>~~~~~~>>>>>H
REPORT OF FARM LIFE COMMITS
SION.
Reports That Business OF Agricul-
tural is Profitable Today But Could
be Made More so-S0ciaI and Edu-
cationaI Improving.
The country life commission ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt to in
vestigate the conditions under which
the agriculturist lives has In q way
been productive of good results not
withstanding the fact that much fun
was made OF the commission and in
many instances the questions asked
being resented. 1t was quite like the
questions put by the census enumera-
tor.
Some two hundred thousand form
letters Of inquiry were sent to diff
ferent sections of the country ask
ing questions which In q number OF
instances we're thought to border too
close to the personal and In many
instances replies OF an indignant ma
ture were sent Ia, on the whole It is
to be hoped that the good expected
will be accomplished.
An article on the subject says:
The country life commission has
made Its report, summarizing the
results Of Its thirty different meet
ings and the more than 100000
letters which have come to 1t from
farmers all over the land. 1t is
unfortunate, OF course, that the COM
mission was under the necessity Of
doing Its work 80 hurriedly. All that
It has accomplish is to blaze trail
through this unexplOred country
which other investigators with more
time and money at their disposal may
follow up and widen. Considered In
this light, as bit of pioneer work,
the report is remarkably good; ii
puts its finger on the main facts in
the case.
The commission reports that the
business Of agricultural is profitable
today when compared with the
standards which have prevailed in
former years, but that it is not near
ly 80 profitable for the farmer in con-
Sideration Of the labor he expends
and the risks involved. Considered
In its social aspect, rural life falls far
short of the ideal. The conditions
present three particular needs. There
must be better schools, which will
train the children outdoors as we'll
as indoors and fit them for life in
the country instead of shaping them
to fit city conditions, as is now the
case. There must be a closer or
ganization among the farmers so that
they may compete on more equal
terms with the organizations which
handle their products, and finally
there ought to be better means OF
communication, including good roads
and parcels post.
In the effort for the realization
Of better rural conditions, the com
mission concludes rightly that there
must be the closest cooperation be-
tween the national government, the
states and the individual. Congress
can do something In the wider dis
semination of literature and the es-
Enlistment of a parcels post; the
agricultural department can extend
the scope of it's activities to an even
wider extent in distributing good
seed and furnishing expert informa-
ton. The problem of the schools
must be solved by the states. but the
Improvement Of the social life of the
community must take place very
largely through the awakening of the
community itself In this there is a
need and an opportunity for wise
leadership on the part of the teach
ers and clergymen who make the
deliberate choice of the country as
their field of work and educate them
selves in the conditions of its life
and the needs of the people.
Every farm home should have
copy of the report. The greatest SER
vice which the commission has rem
dered Is in turning the thought Of
the country to the consideration of
rural needs. We may confidently
expect that farmers and farm life re-
ceive more intelligent consideration
in future at the hands Of the press,
and that the farmers wishes will be.
raised more nearly to their just place
Of Importance in shaping the nations
laws.-Farm Press.