The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-02-10

| farm upon It's SOclal as wen ds upoi
its productive side.
II is true that country life has inn
proved greatly in attractiveness
health. and comfort, and that the
farmers earnings are higher than
they we're. But city life is advanc-
ing even more rapidly, because of the
greater attention which IS being
given by the citizens of the towns to
their own betterment For just this
reason the introduction of effective
agricultural cooperation throughout
the United States is of the first Inn
portance. Where farmers are organ
lied comparatively they not only avail
themselves much more readily of
business opportunities and improved
methods. but 1t is found that the or
carnations which bring them together
in work of their lives are used also
for social and intellectual advance
ment.
The cooperative plan is the best
plan of organization wherever men
have the right spirit to carry 1t out.
Under this plan any business under
taking is managed by committee.
one man has one vote and and only
one vote; and everyone gets profits
according TO what he sells or buys
or supplies. II develops individual
responsibility and has a moral as
well as a financial value over any
other plan.
| desire only to take counsel with
the farmers as fellow citizens. 1t is
not the problem of the farmers alone
that | am discussing with them, but
a problem which affects every city
as we'll as every farm in the country.
1t is a problem which the working
farmers will have to solve for them
selves; but 1t is a problem which also
affects in only less degree all the
rest of us. and therefore if we can
render any help toward its solution,
it is not only our duty but our in
terest TO do so.
The foregoing will, | hope, make
ii clear why | appointed a commits
sion to consider problems of farm
life which have hitherto had far too
little attention, and the neglect of
which has not only held back the
life in the country, but also lowered
the efficiency of the whole nation.
The welfare of the farmer is of
vital consequence to the welfare of
the whole community, The
strengthening of country life, there
fore, is the strengthing of the whole
nation.
The commission has tried to help
the farmers to see clearly their own
problem and to see it as a whole; to
distinguish clearly beween what the
government can do and what the
farmers must do for themselves; and
il wishes TO bring not only the farm |
ers but the nation as a whole TO
realize that the growing of crops, |
though an essential part, is only a
part of country life. Crop growing |
Is an essential foundation; but it is |
no less essential that the farmer shall
get an adequate return for what he
grows; and it is no less essential
indeed it is literally vital-that
he and his wife and his children shall
lead the right kind of life.
For this reason, ii is of the first
importance that the United States
department of agriculture, through
which as prime agent the ideas the
commission stands for must reach
the people, should become without
delay in fact a department of
country life, fitted to deal not only
with crops, but also with all the
larger aspects of life in the open
country.
From all that has been done and
learned three great general and i'm
mediate needs of the country life
stand out:
First, effective cooperation among
farmers. to put them on level with
the organized interests with which
they do business.
Second, new kind of school in
the country, which shall teach the
children as much outdoors as in
doors and perhaps more. so that they
will prepare for country life, and
not as at present, mainly for life in
town.
Third. better means of commune
cation, including good roads and
parcels post, which the country peo-
pie are everywhere, and rightly, UNI
animous in demanding.
To these may well he added
better sanitation; for easily prevent
able diseases hold several million
country people in the slavery of con-
tinuous i'll health.
The commission points out, and
| concur in the conclusion, that the
most important help that the gov
eminent, whether national or state,
can give is to show the people how
to go about these tasks of organiza-
ton, education, and communication
with the best and quickest results.
This can be done by the collection
and spread of information. One
community can thus be informed
of what other communities have done
and one country Of other countries.
Such help by the peoples government
would lead to a comprehensive plan
- aduaatfnn and anf11-