Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-02-08

IN the better farming" movement. for
after all, prosperity comes out of the
soil, and good crops bring trade and
business to all.
To this end bill of great import wes
introduced in the House of Representa-
tives on Wednesday, January 18th, by
Representative Lever, of South Caro-
lima. and on the same day it was pre-
sented in the Senate jointly by Senators
Hoke Smith and Page. The bill pro-
vides for the further endowment and
support of Agricultural Colleges to en-
able them to assist in getting into prac.
tlce the best methods of agriculture
evolved by operations of the plan OF es-
tablishing and maintaining Agricultural
Colleges and Experiment Stations in the
various States.
According to the general plan out of
which this measure springs, it is pro-
posed that the procedure shall consist
of the getting into general practice the
best methods known of scientific agri-
culture by employing trained agricul-
turists, or practical farm demonstra-
tors, skilled in the most approved meth
ods CT farm practice, to take to the
farmer on his own farm the inforna-
tion or knowledge that will enable him.
the latter, to interpret and adapt to his
local conditions the best methods of
farming. In plain terms, it will as rap
idly as possible, place trained, practi-
cal man, selected and directed by the
respective State Agricultural Colleges,
permanently in each agricultural coun-
ty of the United States, and enables
the farmer to become master of his
calling aided by the best services the
country can furnish, and supported by
Federal and State funds.
According to the provisions of the
bill there will be an appropriation be-
ginning at the rate of less than one cert
per capita and will approximate three
cents per capita by the time the annual
appropriation shall have increased from
$500, 900 per year, the starting point, to
little over three millions, when it
reaches the maximum. To have clear
idea of the distribution of these funds
1t must be understood that each State
receiving its share Of the fund must an
propriate an equal amount for this pur-
pose.
Most authorities have expressed the
belief that the operation of this plan
will in few years increase the farm
output at least so per cent. That means
an increase of wealth per capita of
about $50. 90 per annum, and it adds to
the country's assets four and one-half
billions in national resources. The av-
erage acreage of Europe gives from two
to three times the yield of the Ameri-
can farms, Notwithstanding their soil
has been producing for centuries more
than the lands have been cropped here.
In the Presidents opinion this prom
ises to be the most valuable construc-
tive legislation of recent years. Speaker
Clark says the mind cannot grasp the
benefits that should grow out of this
movement. Majority Leader Under
wood expresses the belief that it will do
more good to more people than any
other single enactment in a generation.
Mr.. II. H. Gross, of Chicago, president
Of the National Soil Fertility League,
says he has submitted this specific plan
to every Agricultural College in the
land, there has been no adverse crti-
cism and about 95 per cent have strong
ly endorsed it; it has been approved by
about four hundred public bodies, such
as boards of trade, commercial associa-
tions, business mems clubs, women's
clubs, ETC., and nearly thousand infiu-
ential newspapers have expressed a
willingness to support it.