The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-07-15

THE FIRST CONGRESS FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF OUR
RESOURCES
WAS A GREAT SUCCESS
Papers Read and Suggestions Offered
Will Be Of Lasting Benefit
TO Sunshine State

ucNciopntht congress ever held In
South Dakota has closed Its session,
n the results cannot but be bene-
ncial In many ways.
foremost Ii stands out as a gather
ing OF the most representative citizen
ship OF the state. Men of prominence
In practically every walk Of life made
1t thei duty to attend the meeting,
and while many of them took no active
part they are non the less interest
ed In what the different speakers had
to say In regard to the many and
varied subjects ass signed TO them.
While many different subjects were
considered, through all the wor'E ran
the idea of agricultural conser atom
In some OF It's forms, Whether the
subject was that of the home, the
school, the mines or the factory. each
was placed In the light where II in
directly IL not directly benefited the
large class OF people who make their
living In the Sunshine state through
agricultural pursuits.
The delegates who came from every
part OF the state showed their interest
In the work OF the speakers, ma Nv
times by asking questions to hri &
out some point OF special interest Il
a manner more clear to the audience.
Principal OF all the propositions pre-
scented was that of conservation OF
soil and moisture. For while II Ia n
fact that a large territory along the
eastern border OF South Dakota Is al
present engaged In immense drain
Ing plans TO get rid OF the surplus
waters. which for a number OF years
have made a part OF the state unfit
for cultivation. 1t Is true also that a
large part OF the state lies In territory
where conservation OF moisture be
a necessity at some time In
practically every crop season. however
much rainfall the whole season may
show.
While South Dakotans will work I'M
der the banner OF Conservation" this
will mean not only that alone. but
development and state building In all
its phases. 1t will be broad enough
In its work to cover every phase OF
industrial life In the state. and will
build by conserving TO the people Of
the state what Is their own. To build
up the farm TO a higher state Of pro-
d~uctiveness through more intelligent
application OF well-known scientific
principles to soil and cultivation: TO
aid In the development of fruit cul-
ture, which work has been 80 well
started by Professod Hansen Of the
State School OF Agriculture: to make
the schools more efficient; to bring
to the state better highways-these
are some OF the Intentions.
The endorsement by the delegates OF
tn doctrine OF good roads. and the
creation of an immigration bureau for
the state. will have a strong bearing
upon legislative action at the coming
session along both OF these lines.
Among the delegates were manv legis-
lative candidates. and with their In
dorsement before the opening of the
session, the movement both re cived
a great momentum.
The good roads problem is another
In which the legislatures have also
lutely refused any forward movement.
They have retained the a~ntiquated
method Of working out road taxes. to
the detriment OF the roads. The prop
osition OF the resolution committee Ii
for joint national, state and county
expense of maintenance, but to begin
with securing legislation which will
place the roads under county. instead
OF district control. From this II Is
hoped to work to the point OF state,
then national aid, along that line, the
position being that the national gov
eminent is interested In the country
load as a post road: the state Is In
terested on the grounds OF general
travel upon the roads by the people
OF the state from all sections. and the
county is interested In the local traf.
nc OF It's people. With such a com
bined interest. each Is asked to do its
share toward bringing the time when
the public roads will be a benefit in
stead OF a disgrace for a large part
OF the year.
The educational men who were on
the program. however. foreign their
subject might be. each and all took
occasion to slam" the present COM
mon school system, which IL getting
to be pretty well scored all over the
country at the present time. What Is
demanded by all who touched the suit
ject was a complete reorganization ol
the system to bring into the cnrri-
culum the teaching OF something
which will be of material bene1t TO the
boys and girls OF the state after they
have left the school room-not to teach
under a system which requires the
pupil TO go outside OF nat IL tdught
him In the school room as soon as
he begins to meet the real problems
Of life.
Elementary agriculture. manual
training and domestic science appeared
10 be the principal demands as to
what should be brought into s"hooi
life. Pnt the need Of a complet" re-
organization Of the common 8 0
system was declared by all to he the
CRYING need OF the educational de-
partment OF the public. and to prevent
the waste OF money which il a." a~enf
under the present system OF instrrc-
ton, which BY n OF the speasers
was declared to be chiefly an enort
to do enough to get the salary on the
part OF the teacher, on h one hand
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