Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-02-25

themselves; but it is a problem which also
affects In only less degree all the rest or
US, and therefore If we can render any
help toward it's solution, II Is not only our
auty but our interest 20 DO So.
The foregoing will, l hope, make IT clear
why I appointed a commission to onstder
problems of farm life which have hitherto
had far too little attention, and the neg
lect of which has not only held back life
in the country, but also lowered the eff
cheney 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, therefore,, Is
the strengthening of the whole nation.
Where Aid Is Needed.
The commission has tried TO heip the
farmers to see clearly their own problem
and to see it as a whole; to distinguish
clearly between what the government can
do and what the farmers must do for
themselves; and 1t wishes to bring not only
the farmers 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 the essential founda-
ton; but It is no less essential that the
farmer shall get an adequate return Tor
what he grows; and IL is no less essen
~tial-indeed 1t is literally vital-that he
and his wife and his children shall lead the
right II of life.
For this reason, it is of the first Inn
p~ortance that the United States depart
ment of agriculture, through which as
pl lHlt agent me lucas Il6 COIntulSSlOn
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 the larger aspects Of
life in the open country.
From all that has been done and learn
ed three great general and immediate
needs of country life stand out:
First, effective cooperation among
farmers, to put them on a level with the
organized interests with which they do
business.
Second a new kind of schools in the
country, which shall teach the children
as much outdoors as indoors and perhaps
more, so that they will prepare for coun-
try life and not as at present, mainly for
life in town.
Third, better means of communication,
including good roads and a parcels post,
which the country people are everywhere,
and rightly, unanimous In demanding.
TO these may well be added better san
itation; for easily preyentable diseases
hold several million country people in the
slavery of continuous i'll health.
The commission points out, and / con-
cur In the conclusion. that the most i'm
portant help that the government, Wheth-
or national or state, can give is to show
the people how to go about these tasks
of organization, education and
cation with the best and quickest results.
This can be done by the collection and
spread of information. One community
can thus be informed of h other com
munities have done, and one country of
what other countries have done. Such
help by the peoples government would
lead to a comprehensive plan of ergani-
cation, education, and communication, and
make the farming country better to live
in, for intellectual and social reasons as
well as for purely agricultural reasons.
The government through the department
of agriculture does not cultivate any
mans farm for him.. But 1t does put at
his service useful knowledge that he
would not otherwise get. In the same
way the national and state government
might put into the peoples hands the new
and right knowledge of school work. The
task of maintaining and developing the
schools would remain, as now, with the
people themselves.
One Recommendation.
The only recommendation / submit is
that an appropriation of $25,O0 be pro-
yided. to enable the commission to di-
gest the material it has collected and &c
collect and to digest much more
that Is within its reGch, and thus
complete its work. This would en-
harvest of suggestion which Is resulting
from the discussion it has stirred UP. The
commissioners have served without COM
pensation. and | do not recommend any
appropriation for their services. put only
for the expenses that will be required
to finish the task that they have begun.
To improve our system OF agriculture
which lie before US. But 1t can not. In
my Judgment, be effected by measures
which touch only the material and tech
meal side of the subject: the whole bust
ness and life OF the farmer must also be
taken into account. Such considerations
led me to appoint the commission on
country life. Our object should be TO
help develop in the country the great
ideals of community life as we'll as OF
personal character. One OF the most inn
portant adjuncts to this end must be the
country church, and / invite your atten-
ton TO what the commission says of the
country church and OF the need OF an ex-
tension of such work as that Of the
Young Mems Christian association in
country communities. Let me lay special
emphasis Upon what the commission says
at the very end o. it's report on personal
ideals n local leadership. Everything
resolves Itself IL the end into the question
of personality. Neither society nor gov
ernnent can do much for country life I'M
less there is voluntary response in the
personal ideals OF the men and women
who live In the country. In the develop
ment of character, the home should be
more important than the school, or than
society at large. When once the basic
material needs have been met. high ideals
may be quite independent OF income: but
they can not be realized without sufficient
income to provide adequate foundation:
and where the community at large is not
financially prosperous IL Is impossible to
develop a high average personal and COM
munity ideal In short, the fundamental
facts of human nature apply to men and