The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-20

against the combined FORCES Oh pEtJu-
dice and tradition
The country life commission appoint
ed by President Roosevelt emphasizes
the Importance of introducing the
study of agriculture in the public
schools, in order to better develop
country life and bring about truer
adjustment of city and country re-
lationships. The subjects taught In the
school, therefore, should largely re-
late to the life the pupil will live, to
the activities that will accompany his
time, instead of subjects foreign to his
environment. Moreover, nothing can
be more unreasonable or illogical than
the assumption that the dominant in
dustry of a state-or of the world
shall be given less concrete educa-
tional consideration that that required
for a clerkship. Neither should the
producer of raw material on whom
the prosperity Of the nation depends,
occupy a place subordinate to- the
trader who must live on the producer.
These statements are not to be con-
sidered merely sentimental, but the
forshadowings of a national necessity
not very far removed.
Z
seem irrelevant and foreign to the
subject. They are not so intended,
however, but rather to indicate, in a
measure, the forces that must be en-
listed and CO. ordinated before an ag-
ricultural state can come into it's own.
Every great economic movement must
establish for itself an educational pro-
paganda and agriculture is no excep-
ton to the rule
Dawn of New Era.
A new era, however, is dawning. Ne
cessity often makes converts where
reason fails to convince. We are be-
| ginning to ask, what of the future?
| The tremendous drafts made upon
the natural resources of the country
to create agricultural products valued
at nearly $9,000,000,000, annually,
calls loudly for the return Of fertiliz-
ing elements to the soil to counter
balance those consumed by the grow
| ing crops. otherwise, like the exper-
fence of every spendthrift, the coun-
try will sooner or later become inn
poverished.
| 1t is estimated that $500,000,00O will
not cover the average waste of the
country, most of which is preventable
and all of which is little less than
criminal Weeds alone damage the
crops to the extent of many millions
every year. Plant and animal diseases
also play havoc with the farmers cal
culations
However, there is a remedy Educa-
tion-science The next generation Of
farmers should be highly skilled II
farm management. But this is largely
your problem. You farmers should
! magnify your calling through YOU
children. No one else will The mex
generation of farmers, versed in the
physical sciences and familiar witt
the laws of nature and skillful in di.
recting them-but being unhamperet
with pioneer conditions as you are
should waste but little and at the same
time produce vastly more from TIT
same acreage and yet be able to con
; serve-even increase-the productive
powers of the soil.
To accomplish this end is wortl
while. But it cannot be accomplishe'
through Indifference or by practicini
parsimony in matters affecting agri
cultural education, farmers institutes
demonstration farms, or college ex
tension propagandas. Your opinion
and your influence, however, Shouts
govern in these matters, since you pro
, duce the wealth for all and yourselve
Z have most at stake. What, therefore
I is your decree? In the language o
the west, ut Is up to you" VIII,
should not you farmers take NOR
, active part in directing the affairs o
! state? Is not the producer Of wealt
as important a factor, socially an
!. politically as the distributor Q
I we-lth?
The country is spending very larg
) sums OF money to properly educat
those who are ambitious to 'live o.
the other fellow" and very small sums
| comparatively, to educate the produc
r ing class. AS a case in point, tn
? benevolent millionaires of the countr
donated more than $61,000,000 durin
the past year for educational purposes
but scarcely dollar of it was dedi
, Gated for the encouragement of thos
industries that dug the very dollar
J they donated out Of the ground, c
I wrought it out "'midst sweat an
; CRIME" in the mines and factories.
The time has come, however, regard
I less of all other considerations Whe
Q farming-the basic industry of the ma
: tion-must be reduced more nearly
I to an exact science. The seductiy
g element of chance, as far as possibl
: must be eliminated. We cannot al