Newark post., 1912-06-26
PROGRESSIVE POLICIES
APPLIED TO THE FARMER
SPEECH OG DANIEL o. HASTINGS DELIVERED AT THE COLLEGE
FARM ON FARMERS DAY

can can OUT To the IdfllltI anu ttll
Of its needs. The only means Of
communication with the soil
known to us is that of experiment.
1t takes the farmer. who has little
or no education. lifetime to learn
how best to till his own farm: he
who has learned how to study and
the Importance of doing it has d
better advantage. but this expert
mental farm and those engaged in
conducting it are making the task
Of both the educated and the un-
educated easy compared with the
conditions decade or 50 ago. Here
is being conducted. right in our
midst. experiments OF all kinds
Jhat can t help but he Of assistance
to anyone who will take advantage
Of them. There is no longer any
excuse for going ahead blindly ,
here is the light by which all may
see who want to see. Here is the
opportunity for the ignorant to be.
come wise and for those who think
they are wise to learn how ignOr-
ant they actually are. Let all Of
us who appreciate the Importance
Of the farmer. also appreciate the
Importance Of this institution to
the progressive policies which
make the farmer successful, and
then let rs do what we can to en-
courage those who are giving the
best years Of their life to make the
work Of this institution a success.
But. my friends. knowledge Of
the soil and the means of fighting
the armies Of insects that threaten
the life Of the crops. are not the
only things to which the farmer is
entitled in this generation. He is
entitled to his telephone. which
viii enable him to bring the voices
Of tn" - who are hundreds OF miles
away iiI1O his own home. He is en-
titled to his electric lights. which
will enable him to turn the night
into day. he is entitled to have his
mail delivered at his door and this
soor will be extended to larger
parcels. And last. but not least. he
is entitled to a good road that will
enable him to market his products
Wrcc>sfullv and bring him in
closer ans: more convenient c~m-
a'nuioatlou with lis ncighbnr& and
the community in which he lives.
We shall soon find that the test as
+" whether or not Il farm is dcSir-
able will depend upon the charac-
Ter Of the roads that are around
md about j.. Fortunate. indeed.
for all OF us is the fact that the
'itiZenS Of Delaware are awaken
gin to the Importance of this sub
ject, Year by year and for many
wears we shall see wonderful i'm
provcmentS along this line. Wheth-
er il be done by the State counties
in the State. hundreds in the coun-
ties. or by public spirited indi-
vidual or individuals is not Of as
much importance as it is to get it
done and let all enjoy the benefits.
# we are alive to the Importance
Of this kind Of progressive policy
We will let no opportunity escape.
It means more to the farmers than
to others; it increases the value Of
his farm and makes it a more at
tractive place to live. 1t does
more than anything else to eucour-
are the healthy boy Of the farmer
T. follow in the footsteps Of his
father. It brings the world closer
together and makes it brighter ana
happier everywhere.
Let us see that this young plant
# public Improvement is nursed
and cared for until it shall fully
mature. and we shall then enjoy in