Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-01-13

own profit and that of the commun-
ity. Efficient business management
is not likely to be developed on the
small farm, and yet no one will deny
the desirability of the small farming
unit from the point of view of soil
conservation. What l have said re-
fers solely to the financial side of
farming. This has brought out the
question of district organization for
administrative purposes. 1t has been
suggested that the small farmers
should organize and employ a gener-
al agent whose special duties should
be to look after the buying and sell
ing phases of their business. Among
important duties of such an agent
would be to keep in touch With the \
markets, to study the sable de-
mand for various produc 5, to carry
on correspondence with markets and
commission men with a view to OBJ
tanning the best returns, and in gen.
eral to serve as a reliable and impair
tial source of information and coun-
sci on business subjects.
But when all has been said regard
ing the Improvement of business
methods on the farm, there still re-
mains the fact that comparatively
few farmers now in the harness can
be induced to thoroughly systema-
tie their business methods. The
farmer is perhaps naturally disinclin-
ed to the use of figures, and it is
only after costly lessons that he may
be induced to calculate a little more
closely, to record Systematically his
business transactions, and use The
data as a basis upon which to plan
his future work Good business
methods are matters of habit acquir-
ed in childhood and youth, not in old
age Satisfactory Improvement will
be noticeable in the business manage
ment of the average farm only when
the subject receives the recognition
it deserves in the public schools. An
adequate business course for the
farmer should include the practical
phases of political economy, includ-
ing marketing and transportation, a
course in commercial law, at least
sufficient to enable the farmer to
avoid unnecessary litigation, and
n fDr
Much is being said in regard to
educating the boys away from the
farm. In my opinion he would not
leave the farm nearly so often if due
emphasis were laid on the business
side of agriculture in the public
schools. A boy is naturally attract
ed to business. Surround him with
a bushes atmosphere on the home
stead and he will stay by you and
succeed you in your old age; con-
tinue in your slip-shod way and he
will move to town and become a
cheap clerk instead of landed pro-
prietor
The American Society of Equity, at
it's last meeting in st. Louis, consid-
cred the establishment of a 0,000,-
600 agricultural universit y to better
prepare the rural youth for the bus
mess of farming A $10,O00,000 uni
Versity would doubtless be of ines
Unable value to agricultural inter-
ests, but that sum expended in the
improvement of rural schools, and in
the development of courses in the
business of agriculture in the pub
lie schools would be vastly more
far-reaching in results.
The keynote to every discussion
at the recent National Conservation
Congress was to save-saye the fer
tility of the soil, save the natural
resources, save the public health and
character, and James J. Hill empha-
sized the saving of common sense.
What an enormous saving to the
whole nation, if better and more
economical methods were followed in
the greatest of all industries, the
American farm.