Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-06-16
COUNTRY LIFE.
.ots for which EXPIRES. Roosevelt
o''N Appointed Commission.



-. AZ the most important actions OF
s,asnt Roosevelt or Of any President in
mt times we're non partisan in charae-
and in any sense OF strict construction
ontside the prescribed duties OF his
One was the calling OF the eonven-
on ~ Governors to consider the con-
''o .,ion of our natural resources, and the
.,her was the appointment of the commits
~, RI investigate the condition OF our
..,mars and report mstnods for their
improvement.
y ,,ould be difficult to find two more
..;seworthy objects. Into both OF them
n patriots and lovers Of their race can en-
=. with the utmost hesrtiness. The two
',h;acfs are kindred in character and to-
-.,sor with the identifying OF our cities
20 villages constitute field OF effort in
.-h;eb the "harvest is ripe, bat the labor
ers are few.
II il difficult to measure the relative
..rortanee of contemporary movements,
mi If is this opinion OF the writer that the
t,ture will find none more commendable
,hsn the broad and general crusade in
oluded under these three heads. 1t is
nhilanthropic in the highest degree. That
!, ia necessary the destruction OF our
,orests and the abandonment OF our farms
demonstrate. Its aims are for betterment,
,hs ereatio OF more beautiful surround
mos and the increase OF happiness. 1t not
onlv goes with nature, but brings men
hock To nature. 1t is both practical and
;dealistic. 1t means the improvement of
ths outer and inner man. 1t makes for
hammer homes. 1t tends to an increased
love of nature and hence an increased love
Of country. 1t helps those now living.
hat still more it helps the generation un-
horn. 1t benefits the farmer, on whose
we'll being the prosperity OF all nations
rests.
MAY il not well be chat in years to come
this crusade to improve the life on the
farm. bsautify landscapes, cities and
villages, conserve and replant our forests,
make better roads and better streets, will
srow to be a fountain OF blessing to the
race ana VIII TeceiNc INC Pi"uotS u 'h"s
e,ester. wiser aud better humanity that
the future is to bring forth?
I know OF no humanitarian effort OF
modern timss that appeals to my soul
more powerfully than does this. With
the Improvement OF transportation facili-
ties through the automobile, the electric
road, the steam road, and, latest and
greatest, the ships OF the air, men will live
more and more distant from their places
of ba,ines. Tai, will eni tn, frightsu
congestion of our cities and will improve
the appearance Of the country and thel
convelleaces OF rural life.
Then the lesseniny Of the.drudgery OF
the farm and the increasing OF the social
and Intellectual life OF the farmer and his
family will tend to stop the fiocking Of
young men and women. to the city and
will increase the prosperity, the intel
igence and happiness OF our most numer-
Gus class. In many European nations the
farms are so cut up that those who till
them can group their homes into little
hamlets. This removes the lonesomeness
Of country life and adds to social pleasure.
In this country the introduction OF the
telephone and rural free. delivery has
brought the farmsr somewhat nearer to
his kind, WHAT'S now required are good
roads, the Identifying of the landscape
and the advancema ant OF social and intel
lectual life in rural communities. In a
business way the farmers; need more CO.
operation among themselves both in buy
ing and selling. Now they are at the
mercy Of market manipulators and mid
dlemen. II they would band together,
had warehouses in which.to store their
products until the market was most favor
able and would buy in large quantities
they would save at both.ends.
These objects can frequently be brought
about by organizations such as the grange,
the alliance, the farmers union and kin
dred bodies. Such movements serve an
Mother desirable object in. lthat they in
Increase the social life. of ,the farmer and
neighten his intellectual life, the lodge
room often serving as a debating club,
literary society and school.
Inc selection OF Clifford .Pinchot, the
emcient head Of the forestry bureau, as a
member of the commission.lgiyes assur-
ahce that tree planting will .also enter into
consideration. As for landscape garden
ing and the Observation-Disclosures,
these must come both in city and in
country. The President specifically mem
lions the school feature, andhthe work of
.ne commission has already developed the
need oflfgood roads. Good
roads not only assist the farmer in getting
70 market, but facilitate travel and add
70 the amiability OF all concerned. 1t
would be frightful to contemplate how
many men have gone. wrong through
swearing at bad roads.
:. Inc hve gentlemen asked by the Presi-
ueht TO serve on the commission are Pro-
lessor l.. ii. Bailey, director of the New
iorK state agricultural college; Clifford
rinehot, head of the forestry department;
hehry Wallace, editor. of an agricultural
paper at Des Moines, la. ;iWalter H. Page,
1uitor OF Worlds Work, and Professor