Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-24

worlds past history has a country
produced farm products, within one
year, with a value reaching $S,926,-
100000, the value of the agricul-
tural products of this country for
1910. The farmers of this country
have steadily advanced in prosperity
and wealth, in economic independ-
ence, in Intelligence and a knowl-
edge of agriculture" And yet,
while these statements seem f1atter-
ing, can you imagine results if all
farm production should cease for
2 months, for five years? Lament
able suffering. inevitable starvation
would face the whole world.
Our population has practically
doubled in the last 80 years. 1t
Will probably double in the next
three or four decades, which means
100000 of people within our
borders. To feed these vast num-
bers is the coming problem in agri-
culture. Our decreasing exports of
foodstuffs is sounding the advance
alarm. The American people are
rapidly growing a market for the
farmers products. The aggregate
of farm products of today would not
feed double our population. Prac-
tically all our land is now under
cultivation. There will never be any
more acres of land to supply contin-
Ued increases in population.
MUST MAINTAIN FERTILITY.
The question that will confront
the farmers before, great while
is not that Of making two blades
grow where one grew, but it will be
/ the problem of growing several
where one grew before. To do that
/ it will be necessary to pay the
strictest attention to maintaining
the fertility Of the soil Methods
of scientific farming must be recog-
nized and carefully practiced in the
future that the world may be fed.
It is estimated that the human
race has been able to communicate
by written language for a period not
exceeding 5000 years. The most it
has ever accom- plished for itself has
been done within the last 1000
years. and by far its greatest work
in the last 200 years. Why is this
true? Because of our great resources
/ of recorded knowledge; because of
progression along business and pro-
fessional lines, and especially that of
the teacher. The teacher is more
thorough today in imparting knowl-
edge than ever before; his duties
more strenuous and his pay less in
proportion to his achievements. This
should not be the case. 1t is through
the efforts of the teacher that the
child's imaginatiOns are quickened.
his thoughts trained. and his effort
directed. Indeed, the teacher has
much to do with the formation OF
character in his pupils. Recall the
teacher and heathendom viii be the
world inevitable doom at no dis
tant day.
All great reforms must come
largely through the schools True.
the public school system of Illinois
alone costs an immense sum of
money: S34,OOo.OOO has been ex-
pended within the last 2 months
for public schools of Illinois. Twen-
weight thousand teachers go forth
TO instruct the vast army of almost
a million children who wend their
way to school at $50 o'clock each
morning.
Can the world survive without the
farmer who produces all food and
raiGent? Never Can the farmer
solve the problem of improved ag-
ricuIture and feed the additional
millions without aid from the
teachers? Impossible.
SCHOOLS ONLY SALVATION.
The relationship between the
farmer and teacher is inseparable.
Perhaps neither appreciates the
other as he should, nor does the
present statute provide proper in
struction in the public school, 70
those who expect to engage in agri-
cultural pursuits. Is IT not as I'm
portaut to know the elements of
plant food as to know the parts of
speech? Is il of less value to under
stand the selection of seeds best
adapted 10 ones soil than TO know
the highest mountain peak or long