Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-02-12
PLATFORM OF
 RURAL PROGRESS
Editor Clarence Pee Gives C0mpra- seusiVe Summary of Forward Move mcuts for Helping the South-
 crn Farmer.

3klanta, Ga, Feb. 11-Mr. Clarence ff2@ editor of The Progressive Farmer aud Gazette, speaking today before the 7aJaetIng here called to organize into estE body the Southern workers for agricultural betterment and al.o to swg2niZe a Natural Cotton Products Association, outlined a comprehensive Platform of Rural Progress for the sSanth Mr Poe declared the funda- .Nental needs to be better schools. "Se can never realize upon our op- fvartanities, he declared, "sO long as Ghe Southern boy or girl has only half HE many days schooling as the North ern and Western boy or girl" Second lyv Mr. Poe declared, we must seek to arosnote more profitable methods of FagEuing; and thirdly, we must en- aurzrage the agencies that are promot- a1,g a finer rural civilization. In con agfusion, he summarized his platform a' rural progress as follows:
 l.-Better Public Schools.
 YI) Longer terms We now spend Esss than half as much per capita to ier&in the brains of our children as thf Northern States, and the first s,rgat need is to increase our school appropriation at least 70 per cent.
 (2) Agriculture as a public school s1udy for boys Supplemented by corn sfubs, etc. :, and domestic science for 8arm girls.
 6%) Instead of the misit eitfied fext books now in use, we must have sext books that smell of the soil adapted to farm life.
 a Agricultural high schools as rapiAy as they can be supported, and ultimately one in each county
 U.-Incrensing Farm Profits.
 CD Better seed selection which would increase yields 9 per cent in IFS many years.
 f2) The use of more tools and ma- sshinery, the average farm worker in Ise South now having only $30 worth against $110 in Indiana Iowa, and ailinois.
 t3) Better methods of fertilizing to get best results from the $50,000,000 I year spent for fertilizers in Geor- sia and adjoining states alone.
 t4). Encourage corn growing. The South can beat the Corn Belt itself as all record crops show
 g5). Encourage stock raising and aairying which can also be made more profitable South than West, and which hone can build up our land.
 s6) In working out these things we must insist upon liberal support of demonstration and extension work, hrmers in 'stitutes, farm papers, test ahrms, experiment stations, the Farm 9rs' Union, and >all other agencies now af work for agricultural betterment.
 HI.-DevelOping Better Rural
 Civilization.
 tD. Better roads. These need not ae macadam, but the cheaper gravel ar sand clay.
 @. Rural telephones. Business men in each town should cooperate with farmers in developing these.
 fS9. Group farm houses as far as practicable after the European plan. (4). Institutes for farm women should foe held in connection with all Institutes for farm men.
 t5), The Torrens System of regis 5erlng land titles would make farm capital available as collateral and stimulate progress.
 f6). Every southern state and county should start campaign against our foGrN most disastrous preventable dis ssases-tuOerculosis, malaria, typhoid i lever. and hookworm disease
 lD.. The great plantations cdltivat- ed by shiftless. unintelligent labor hampers progress Our great need is i fbr q thrifty, progressive class of in seIIigent small farmers owning their I own homes.
 fS). In National legislatio~ South 3rn farmers without regard to party | should join Western farmers without regard to party, in their crusade for 2 tariff that does not rob agriculture sn help manufactures, and fo~ mak- lhg the Postoffice Department c~teient by extending rural mail delivc~ and 1 establishing parcls post and postal | INxings banks.