The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-06-09

in this State it was the Grange that
first gave voice to a public demand for
this reform. Both in the city and in
the country the Grange is proving a
power for driving the political corrup-
tionists out of public life. and as Il
consequence the Grange is loved and
honored by the good citizen everywhere
and hated by the politician and spoils-
man. This is the best evidence that we
are doing things and getting results.
Patrons, keep up the work. The farmers
in Washington, at last,are the leaders
in the progressive movement. We hate
monopoly and special privilege and if
our friends of the cities will join with
us we shall soon get rid of both in this
State.
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
Ia properly safeguard and best serve
the interests of agriculture, we are in
urgent need of a State Board of Agri
culture, and / recommend that special
to investigate the work of the Board of
Agriculture of other states and make
recommendations as to the duties of a
secretary and scope of work which the
Grange should stand for. Not until we
have a State board under the charge of
an efficient secretary, will the farmer
get what is due him or have adequate
protection against agricultural app7opri
ations being used to play politics.
EDUCATION.
| We have made rapid strides in this
direction. Washington spends $7,O0O,000
annually for education, and yet not over
one in twenty pass beyond the eighth
grade. We must soon awaken to the
fact that the higher the average in edu-
cation, the higher the standard OF citi-
zenship. The Grange claims the honor
of leading the fight for the mill tax
bill for support of our state educational
institutions, and taking out of the hands
of politicians the club that in the past
forcing corrupt legislation.
But we are not yet through. Not UNI
til high school course is placed within
reach of every scholar in the State with
out having to be sent away from home
or the parents being compelled to move
| off the farm to the cities should one
Il h.a tod of
the general fund for higher branches.
Central high schools in rural districts
with public halls in connection is the
solution of the back to the farm" prob
lem. In place of our farmers moving to
town to give their children the advant
ages of high school education, why not
make it possible, before We spend any
more money on our higher schools of
learning, for every child to have high
school education without the parents be-
ing obliged to move off the farm and
leave it to tenant, or perhaps, what is
worse vet, sell the farm and invest in n
questionable investment and perhaps
lose the savings of a lifetime. In place
of the cry "back to the farm" while le-
gislating the farmer off the farm, !
would suggest that there be legislation
looking to the proper and sane education
of the farmers boys and girls without
his having to leave the farm.
1t is an outrage on the taxpayers of
the State that our University, State
College and Normal Schools should keep
up a preparatory course, when the same
or better facilities can, or should be
found at home. Such a policy is anita
gonistic to the proper development and
extension of the high school system and
doubles the cost to the State.
But let me repeat in this connection
what l have said again and again dur
ing the years | have been State Master.
| am not opposed to our institutions of
higher learning. On the contrary,
strongly desire to see those of our State
,,alo on,al or s,1narior IN the hest in