Newark post., 1910-06-29
Gods World And How TO Live In It
Address By Joseph Wing Before The Students And Visitors lhe oraoy
A. nw,re Coese On Thursday OF Farmers Week. January 3d. 1910

Today farming is a money making III
stead OF a money losing game. 1heo-
dore Roosevelts commission was ap-
pointed thirty years too late. maybe
And yet there is much that can be done
for the farmer today. He hnds him-
self in the condition OF man long
held in slavery, suddenly made free
and asked to step out and take his
place in the world. The man who was
a slave will not at once be able to be
a man again, to measure up to his op-
portunities. Nor can the farmer sud
denly measure up to his opportunities,
now that they have come to him.
What has turned the tide? Has 1t
been the increase in gold discovery IN
the world? Doubtless that has he,ped
much. Has it been the increase OF
mouths to feed; the great growth IN
population, not only here but else
where in the world? Doubtless that
has been mighty factor. And there
are no new corn lands to be plowed,
we may almost thank God for that.
All the corn fields OF the world have
been plowed with the possible excep-
ton of some in Argentina. All the
wheat fields OF the United States have
been plowed, and, what is more to the
point, already the fields that were sup
posed to have inexhaustble fertility
are showing unmistakable signs OF soil
exhaustion. Apparently we shall never
again have such curious thing as an
over production OF food in the world
Certainly if our industrial workers are
kept busy so that thev NAV eat we
shall find demand for all that we can
produce, and more
There are, as | look at it today, sew.
eral very real perils before us, and
very different perls from any that we
have ever had to face before.
For there is the peril OF our natior
| being famished for bread. Already W,
have imported corn and mutton anc
wheat There is the peril of reckles:
! soil exploitation and soil exhaustion
| We are using up Our fertility taste
than it was ever done before in tn,
world We are, with little though o
care, mining out our fertility and send
ing it abroad or to the cities to b.
drained into the sea These are tn,
material periS that confront us today
The others concern our inner life an,
its outwrad manifestation. There ar
peris there in plenty. There is peri
in the farmer becoming suddenly we'll
todo. in his not knowing the best use
OF money. There is danger, and it i
real and imminent. OF decay in som
old, primal and very real virtues tina
pertain to country life.
| know men suddenly made rich b
increase in land values or by goo
farming who have left their farms
moved into towns, renting their Ian
to tenants brought in from some othe
section, where manners and mayb
morals were not rightly developed, tn
farmer i'll town becoming little NOR
than a loafer. his sons growing ii
around the pool tables and formn
habits OF idleness, arrogance, and Snol
bishness. That is a very real peril
some States OF the Union.
When the farmer leaves his farl
and moves to town" it is usual thu
the farm, left in the care of men VIII
have no other interest than a passin
{ one and whose only aim is, naturall
to see what they can get out of
quickly, rapidly runs down in fertilit
That is one OF the very real perls
the day and hour. What we need t
: teach the American farmer first OF a
is his duty towards his land, how /
! can best keep it. how he can best Ell
rich it and make it good, and ho
, then he can live on it worthily. as
, man ought to live in Gods world.
tt All this is merely introductory ,
+ what wish to say. Here follow thrt
t propositions.
, First, to better country life and mai
high ideals and civilization possible "
= must study our soils and make the
r fertile
e Second, we must teach our ciildrt
. to have a reverent attitude towar
! Gods world and all that it contain
d including plants. animals, chidre
h men and women. Teach, did | sa,
n Forgive me, the child has already tn
: reverence born within him. We mu
II teach ourselves to refrain from lea
0 ing the child away from that spirit v
e must cherish it and develop it in Il
e child and in Our own souls.
: Third, we must encourage and d