The Glenwood post., 1909-02-13

"2shlnStcn.-Nlth the report OF
the country life commission President
Roosevelt sent the following mes
sage to both houses of congress:
To the Senate and House of Represent
atves: | transmit herewith the report
of the commission on country life. At
the outset | desire to point out that not
a dollar of the public money has been
paid TO any commissioner for his work
on the commission,
The report shows the general condition
of farming life in the open country and
points out its larger problems, it indi-
Gates ways in which the government, ma
tional and state. may show the people
how to solve some of these problems and
1t suggests "A continuance of the work
which the commission began.
Judging by 30 public hearings, to which
farmers and farmers wives from 20
states and territories came. and from
10000 answers to printed questions sent
out by the department of agriculture
the commission finds that the general
level of country life is high compared
with any preceding time or with any 9TH
er land If it has in recent years slipped
down in some places, 1t has risen in more
places Its progress has been general. IL
not uniform.
Yet farming docs not yield either the
profit or the satisfaction that it ought
to Weld. and may he made to yield. There
is discomfort in the country, and in places
discouragemcnt. Farmers as a class do
not magnify their calling, and the move
mcnt to the towns, though. | am happy
to say, less than formerly, is stil strong
Under our system, 1t is helpful to pro-
mote discussion of ways in which tine
people can help themselves. There are
three main directions in which the farm
crs can help themselves. namely, better
farming, better business anS better living
on the farm. The national department of
agriculture, which has rendered service
equaled by no other similar department
in any other time place; the state
departments of agriculture: the state col
leges of agriculture and the mechanical
arts, especially through their extension
work; the state agricultural experiment
stations: the Farmers union; the Grange:
the agricultural press: and other similar
agencies; have all combined to place with
in the reach of the American farmer an
amount and quality of agricultural infor-
nation. which. If applied. would enable
him, over large areas. to double the
production of the farm.
For Better Business and Living.
The object of the commission on coun-
try life therefore. is not to help the
farmer raise better crops. but to call his
attention to the opportunities for better
business and better living on the farm.
II country life is to become what 1t
should be. and what | believe il ultimate
" will be-one of the most dignifed. de-
sirable. and souEht-after ways of earn
a livng-the farmer must take advan-
tace not only of the agricultural knowl-
edge which is at his disposal. hut of the
methods which have raised and continue
to raise the standards of living and in
tNli@enCe in other callings.
Those engaged in all other industrial
and commercial Callngs have found ii
necessary, under modern economic con
ditinns to organize themselves for mu-
tual advantage and for the protection of
.~r NV" uarttou'ar interests in rela-
ton to other interests. The farmers of
every progressive European country have
realized this essential fact and have
found in the co-onerative system exactly
the form of business combination they
need.
Now. whatever the state may do to-
ward improving the practice of agri-
culture, it is not within the sphere of
any government to rcorGaniZe the farm
crs' business or reconstruct the social
life of farming communities 1t is, how
ever, quite within its power to use its
influence and the machinery of publicity
which 1t can control for calling public at
tention to the needs of the facts. For
ample. it is the obvious duty OF the gov
crnment to call the attention of farmers
to the growing monopolization of water
power. The farmers. above all, should
have that power, on reasonable terms. for
cheap transportation, for lighting their
homes. and for innumerable uses in the
daily tasks of the farm.
TNr ~