The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-09-06
THE PRESS AND THE FARMERS.

g7ess one of the speakers criticized
the press because it paid more atten-
ton to lawyers and politics than to
farmers and farming. That expression
called for discussion and there was
difference of opinion as to whether
the criticism of the press was a just
one. Referring to the matter the Con-
cord Tribune voices the view Of the
editor in this editorials:
"At the State Farmers Convention
at Raleigh Tuesday, Mr.. A. L. French,
of Rockingham county, charged that
the Of the State neglect
and ignore efforts Of young farmers
and exploit young lawyers and other
professional men, making farming
less attractive for the ambitious young
man We are glad to note that Mr..
Charley G. Moore, of Charlotte, eX-
cepted~to this unjust charge and Wig
Orously defended the newspapers. We
get nearly all h weekly newspapers
of the State, and without exception
they pay more attention to matters
and news that directly and vitality con-
Germ The farmer than they do to any
other interest. OF late years especial
~ the country Weeklies are devOting
much space and rendering great serv-
ice in the advancement of agricul-
ture."
1t will be a surprise to the editors
of the local newspapers to read that,
at the closing session of the Con-
gress, this resolution was adopted:
That we believe the local newspa-
pers of our State fail, as a rule, to
give due attention to the agricultural
progress, and to the work of the indf-
Vidual farmers of their respective
com and tina we rpSDpcttuHv
call their attention to this uninten-
tional neglect of the class upon which
more than any other, not only the
welfare Of the State, but their own
prosperity depends
In so far as any of the local news
have not given due attention to
the agricultural progress, the fault
lies largely at the doors of the farm
ers themselves. They ave not under
stood the need Of publicity or helped
all papers are glad to publish. If
there is a party in a neighborhood,
some one present writes it up and
sends it to the editor, who publishes
it; if there is a political meeting, a
notice Of the meeting is sent to the
editor, and sometimes the speeches
are mailed in advance; if there is an
educational or religious meeting some
one interested sends the paper items;
but until recently it was rarely If
any farmer stopped even to
send the date of the meeting to the
editor. much less to send the story Of
the meeting. The farmer who makes
a particularly good crop, If asked to
write how he did it, will nine times
out of ten not comply with the re-
quest, and it has not been easy for the
local man (Who has onIy
himself to get the news and write
the editorials and collect the money to
keep the machines going) to get as
much farm news as he desired. Bur
in spite of this the Concord Tribun is
right in saying that most country
weeklies ARE devoting much space to
and rendering great service in the ad-
vancement of agricultural" 1t would
have been more just and helpful all
around if the Congress had thanked
the local for all they were
doing for all agricultural progress and
requested them to give more space
to the development of the States
chief industry. Undoubtedly that wae
the feeling of most of the delegates.
However,. though the resolution was
not tactful or. as appreciative as 1t
should have been, the papers will do
more and more to advance better
farming methods. Here is a resolution
the editors might properly adopt.
'.That we believe the farmers of o,,r
State fail. as a rule. to give due atten-
ton to the efforts the press is ma akin.
for agricultural pEOgress, and that
the Individual rme in their -
spective communities do not co-onar
ate fully with the papers as is necos
sary for the press to do all that it do