The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1912-01-25
A Sensible Agricultural Coll
Iege Movement.

Washington, ID. O., Jan. l5.--A bill
of great import will be introduced in
the House OF Representatives on We'd
nesday, January 18th. by Representa-
tive lever, ot South Carolina, and on
the same day il will be presented in
the Senate jointly by Senators Hoke
Smith and Page. The bill provides for
the further endowment and support of
Agricultural Colleges to enable them
to assist in getting into practice the
best methods OF agriculture evolved by
operation of the plan of establishing
and maintaining Agricultural Colleges
and Experiment Stations in the vari-
Gus states.
This measure is the joint work Of the
National Soil Fertility League, the Ex-
ecutive Committee of Colleges of Ag-
riculture, and the statesmen above
named. It is in line with the Presi-
dents recommendation in his address
at the National Conservation Con-
gress at Kansas City, Mo, September
25th, 1911, it has the support of the
House leaders OF both parties, and il
may be regarded as an omni partisan
measure.
According to the general plan out Of
which this measure springs, it is pro-
posed that the procedure shall consist
of getting into general practice the
HEAT ,,,athoda knomn ~ so,antiIio auri-
culture 10y employing trained agricul-
turists, or practical farm demonstra-
tors, skilled in the most approved
methods of farm practice, to take to
the farmer on his own farm the in
rmation or knowledge that will ena-
lie him, the latter, to interpret and
adapt to his local conditions the best
methods of farming. In plain terms,
it will, as rapidly as possible, place a
trained. practical man, selected and
directed by the respective State Agri-
cultural Colleges, permanently in each
agricultural county of the United
States. and enables the farmer to be-
come 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
cent per capita, and will approximate
three cents per capita by the time the
annual appropriation shall have in
creased from 100000 per year, the
starting point, to a little over three
million dollars. when it re che5 the
maximum. To have clear idea OF
the distribution of these funds it must
be understood that each state receiv-
ing its share of the fund must appro
pirate 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 80 per cent. That means
an increase of wealth per capita OF
cbout $50 90 per annum, and it adds to
he country's assets four and one-hali
billions in national resources. The
averag' acreage of Europe gives from
two to three times the yield OF the
American farms, Notwithstanding
their soil has been producing for CEN
turies more than the lands have been
cropped here.
In the Presidents opiuion this prom
ises to be the most valuable construc-
! tive legislation of recent years. Speak
er Clark says the mind cannot grasp
the benefits that should grow out OF
this movement. Majority Leader Un-
derwooi expresses the belief that it
will do more good to more people than
any other single enactment in gem
Grafton. Mr.. II. 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 criticism. and about 95 per
cent have strongly endorsed it; it has
been approved by about four hundred
public bodies, such as boards OF trade,
commercial associations, business
mems clubs, women's clubs, etc, and
nearly a thousand influential news
papers have expressed willingness to
support it.
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Two go ID Red Milk Cows, Z years
Uill all ,n t;.oa Gaa