El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-23
Of
F53L. LIFE
Planned
The Conservation Congress
Takes Up Many Matters
Of Rural Life.
TO MAKE COUNTRY
LIFE ATTRACTIVE

eHA--1---E ANl4 L4-E L4l4L4 -Na.L4O-4a4 GOL
Gervstion congress, which viii open IL
Kansas City, Monday, September rs
win make this gathering one Of the
most important ever held in the coun-
try. The personnel Of the honorary
guests VIII include president Taft sec
reCarles wilson and Fisher representa-
tlTes Of number Of foreign gOvern{
ments, judges Of the supreme court
the mayors Of many cities, the govern
Ors Of many states, the presidents OF
colleges and universities and numbe
OF prominent clergymen and educators.
me OLLclal guest. In addition to the
Officers Of the congress, viii include Is
delegates appointed BY the governor Of
each state and territory, five delegates
appointed by the mayor of each city
having a population above $4,000, and
three from a. selected number Of cities
below that Delegates viii also be in
attendance from the chambers Of com
meCce, the boards Of trade and other or
CARNATIONS interested IN the COnserva-
ton OF the natural resources Of the
country.
Most Important Congress.
This years Conservation congress
viii be the most important ever held.
The first one, which was held In Sc
attic in 1903, dealt with questions Of
the far west, including chiefly water
power and forestry. The second, held
last year in St Paul, was devoted es-
pecially TO the consideration Of public
lands and their utilization. This third
congress, held in Kansas City, viii deal
entirely with the conservation Of the
farm and everything pertaining to the
interest Of the farmer. AS Kansas
City is located in the central part Of
the country, in the heart Of the great
est farm areas or the world this sub
Jet can be considered here with es-
pecial significance The National
Grange, and various other farmers or
CARNATIONS are actively interested in
the congress and it is expected that
several thousand farmers viii be in at
tendance
The conservation OF soil fertility
viii be one OF the most important sub I
jects considered In New England and Z
various other parts OF the country, (
there are hundreds Of abandoned farms /
which are useless and vaIueless because I
the soil has become sterile and unprO- /
dUctiTe. The Uich fields OF the middle /
west show no signs Of being over
worked, but their term Of service mas
been comparatively short. This con
gress aims to help bhe farmer provide
for the fertility Of the soil 50 that
there IS no possibility Of its becoming
No More Virgin Soil.
The country has practically come to
the end Of its virgin soil At present
only two civilized countries, India
and Russia grow poorer average crops
per acre than the United States. Where
England gets 90 bushels yield to the
acre and Germany %, America falls
below 10. The chief reason is that
American farmers, as whole, are be-
hind in their understanding Of the soil
and its needs. There viii be several
experts upon this question in attend
ance upon the congress Professor
Cyril Hopkins OF the University Of Ill
fnOis, will speak upon fIhe Chemistry
Of the Soil" He has reTOlutiOniZed
farming in Illinois by analysis Of the
soil Any farmer in the state may send
him a sample OF the soil from his farm
and Prof Hopkins VIII analyze It and
tell him what constituents it lacks TO
make 1t fertile.
Henry wallace, the president OF the
National Conservation congress, Is en-
thusiastic In his efforts to promote the
conservation OF the tlIer. as wen as
OF the soil He believes that the drift
Of the population from the farm to the
city must be checked If the prosperity
OF the country IS to be assured and :
time Of the congress viii 1
be devoted to discussions as to the
means Of developing the character Of
the men and women and the boys and
girls OF the farm
To Make Farm Life Attractive.
The social sterilitv Of rural life IS
grave question which only recently has
been considered 1t VIII receive more
attention at the Kansas City congress
than has ever before been given to it. {
There is no reason why country life
should not be made quite as attractive
as city life If there is proper reCogn1-
ton of the importance Of social develop {
ment The city man is now endeavOr- :
Ing TO move back to the country in or y
Ia
country life. but comparatively few I :
'armers have realized the need OF bring 9
ne the advantages Of the city into n
their homes There should be farmers y
modelled after the bust :
ness mems associations Of the larger -
towns, and there should be hearty CO.
operation between the two In bringing
his matter before the congress II Is {,
loped that the business men may be n
brought to see the advantages Of tax n
ng the initiative in securing this CO. +
operation, even TO the extent Of helping n
he farmers to start their organizations. "
To Improve Country Church. OF
The Improvement or the country d
hurch viii be considered from many S,
tandpoiuts. Generally. there are too f.
many churches in the rural COmmuni- II
les. Sectarian ideas divide the people cl
90 much. There is Inadequate support d.
or several churches. where one might in
e we'll supported. Many rural churches
o not have resident pastors. These Z
re supplied from ueighbOring towns =
nd are generally Of one denomination.
While there are rural churches which
re effective agents in the social evOlu-
lon Of the communities the country Z
lurch as a whole needs new direction y
nd to assume new responsibilities
The salaries Of country pastors are
iUably low, often falling below $500
nd rarely reaching $1,000 Consequent
r, the rural pastor and his family SUI
sr much privatiOn, even though they m
re not burdened with great financial I Sa
responsibilities. In New England and ne
]me other sections, the great draw he
7cks Of denOminatfOnal rivalry are IA
cling recognized and active movements p
wards rural church federation are be- Of
g inaugurated- This does not mean tn
gained union, but only cooperation IS
the effort to reach and help every Va
dividual in the community. Rural &c
lurch federation means that some OnA ce
lT1rrT -nusf he gcfiyeI7- 7-aS-o77siTIo ~ alb
cry square mile When one cOmmuni- -
in the open country mas more IL
urChes than it can support. it means
wing up the suDerfluous church l
here a church is needed. It means
.endly cooperation and agreement as Oh,
the kind Of church to be erected ~ ~
The i. VI. c. A. at York. ~ ~
The Young Mems Christian Associa- ~
IN is extending its wOGk into the | a.
J ~ llsLL5 - IL ~ cou-u pace a uEe be,
lder effective aid in centering the 81,
zluence Of the young men upoh their fbe
-m homes and thus TO some extent lar
event the Inclination TO rush blindly on