The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-01-18
CORN CONVENTION
TURNS ATTENTION
TO THE INDUSTRY
Making More Corn
Grow in Same Spac . !.
is the Real Object
OPENING SESSION
Augurs Well for a Successful
Week Among the Grow
ers of the State
OPENING SESSION

N.-- 49,
Monday evening, with about l25 men
present who are Interested In the
better growth and development OF the
farm lands in this section Of the
state.
President Dawes called the assem-
blage 10 orde. and the welcoming
address was given by Mayor Hitch
cock, who expressed the opinion in
his opening statement that the con
vention was really ona of the most
important IN the state, for it has 70
do with the very foundation on which
the success Of the state is built. He
believed that The men were not full
ly awakened 10 the real Importance
TO what is being accomplished. The
mayer said that 1t was now the bust
ness Of these men connected with
agricultural growth 10 make it plain
to the farmers what can be accom-
plished In farming on the more scien-
tile scale for one thing, and to im-
prove the social conditions on the
farm to make them compare in q
measure at least with those OF town
life. The mayor declared that
enough had ben said in the past
twenty-five years concerning the i'm
proved farming to last for the next
quarter OF a century, but that it
would have TO be repeated time and
again before il would sink in deep
enough 10 make an impression suii-
GENTLY strong as TO move the great
er percentage OF the farmers. What
needs 10 be done, the mayor deciar-
ed, is to carry out il real operation
what the master minds are setting
forth in theory, Tie mayor admit.
ter mat there is really more talk
than accomplishment. Touching on
the graduates Of the agricultural
college, the mayor said that these
Young men, after completing their
course should return TO the farm and
there accomplish the real work, and
o wander on into The cities to live
the easier HE. THIS returning te
the farm and doing the advance
work would have 4 greater influence
on impressing the farmer OF the rea'
merits of the scientific farming. Ht
urged for a more democratic life II
all walks, and declared that 1t Was
the actual doing OF these things By
the higher educated men that hat
its influence il the proper direction
The MAJ or spoke very highly oil tht
efforts Of Secretary Hume, OF th'
state college, to cast his lot in Souts
Dakota and do all that he can TO
ward lifting up the conditions OF
the farm and making the farmer
see where they can improve things
President Dawes spoke in respons'
10 The mayor, and his remarks il
iu!l follow:
For many years We have beef
reading, studying andl listening II
the Gospel of good cornh better farm
ing and bigger crops. AN OF thi
instruction has taken the line o
HOW to do things and but little al
tention has been given to the WHY
The HOW of anything is more or les
a mechanical process, or, perhaps,
habit. The horse readily learns hoI
to do lis work; the deg is easil
taught how to 90 certain tricks; til
OK knoweth his stall and even tn
hog will seek shelter in time c
storm, but these actions are not go1
erned by conscious reasoning nc
with knowledge OF WHY they az
performed. Man, only. is endowe
with the mental power to reason
philosophi2e and form a judgmer
upon the evidence presented. To q
this requires the expenditure
greater effort than most men al
willing to exert.
The modern farmer wants to kno
WHY and he wants the knowleds
in plain understandable English ar
he positively refuses TO accept ar
statement on faith.
1t is safe to admit that all farr
ers know HOW to farm. 1t is all
admitted that they do not Do as We
as they KNOW. During the la
crop year many new conditions ha'
confronted the man chat puts bra.'
into his work. All fields were mo
or less Spotted" that is in the san
feld, all known conditions being VI
form, some spots produced z tair
& good yield and other spots poor,
q total failure. The careless a,
ignorant farmer at once cri
"drouth'' and quit work. TIE n
r.;,h bic hand in Tho game ne pan