The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-12-10

tunes; and we shall certainly do well
not 10 let the Socialists copyright all
me plans Tor social betternent For
myself, 90 not believe at all in the
general principles Of socialism. but
every political proposal ought to he
considered solely OF its merits, and if
IT makes for the enrichment Of life
and the uplift of our fellows, sensible
people Will not drop it just because
Of tie old women who tell MS It is
socialistic. In an old English paner
now before me a disguised Conserva-
1--WE, who views with alarm the
pre- mt state Of things in England,
quotes q sentence John Stuart Mill
mrots IN 1902: Each is the proper
guardian of his own health, whether
bodily or mental or spiritual" But
All the men who accept that doctrine
absolutely ought to have died in the
indlvldualistic p two hundred years
ago. The man who said. L am not
my brothers. keeper" was the first
murderer. while it was the teaching
Of the Master whom Christendom pro-
fesses to follow. that the strong should
help the weak. 1t was fitting, there
fore. that Mr.. Lloyd-George in a re-
cent speech. when tainted with the
remark that he seemed to expect "a
new earth,' replied that he did wish
to help in a simple way to bring about
a new earth where the best Of. all
would be concentrated and organized
to avert the worst from each"
1t is along these lines that most
English legislation has been framed,
organizing the best OF all to avert
the worst from each" Hereafter the
strong and the weak together are to
paw alike in order that the poor who
become sick may nOt see their fami-
lies suffer or find themselves h
adequate medical attention. Already
all the people are taxed to provide
small weekly pensions for Old men and
women past their three score years
and ten, thereby fulfilling what has
been called the holy obligation of
tightening the steps Of the aged as
they descend the hill that leads to the
ever-f1Owing river"
Giving the Child q Fair Start in Life.
But most important Of all, there
has been a hearty recognition OF the
patent truth expressed by Mr.. Lloyd
George in the words, THE future Of
this country rests entirely with its
children. n every effort has beer
made to see that the boy or girl shall
not begin life-the only life he has
-trag1cally shackled bv h curse of
education has long been the rule in
England. and when an official was
asked the other day the number OF
illiterate voters, 1t developed that less
than One-third OF ! per cent-not one
in three hundred-of those participate
ASE IAN N@o \CNAO VNS ~
read and write. Compare these with
the figures for our South Atlantic
states. where the percentage OF white
l~lliteracy,~ according to figures publish
ed in The Progressive Farmer a few
weeks ago. was rs per cent, and fol
the South Central states 90 per cent
Even In Ireland. the percentage o!
ilhteracy is now very low. I did flnt
application for an agricultural
bank loan which the applicant ha<
H., 49, -, 49, h,1f nT
inquiry. ] LEARNED that it was not be
cause he cOulh not write, but becaus'
an accident lad injured his hand
The sovernmd mt provides for compul
sory education up to the Of four
teen, though providing that partial eX
emptiOn may be had under certain
conditions for town children owe
twelve and farm children over eleven
Free text books are PROVIDED, an
provision is also made for furnishing
one meal Il day to poor children WI
are plainly under-nOurlShed.
How Medical Inspection Pays.
In the South, OF course, where u
population is not so cOngeSteu, "nei
there is no excuse for unemployment
and where there is little bitter poV
ertv there is little occasion tor al
ranging for meals for the poor-a
though it must be admitted that pa
cooking and improper 1000 conolha
tons lead many a cnllu 70 Suiici ~
uDder-nutritiOn, when the amour
spent for food is quite ample. Nor
there serious need in the South 10
free textbooks. IN one partlcula
however. we must ollo England
example, and the quicker we 90 S
the better. We must PROVIDE for u
medical inspection Of school children
In eyerv generation since the beglI
ming of time thousands and thousanC
Of children have gone through III
manned and handicapped because !
diseases which might easily HAY
been cured if treated in time.
The benefits already apparent 1ro'
medical inspection in England al
enough to indicate how many Sou1i
ern children we are booming unnece'
sarilv to weakness or death. ana 1t
not surprising that Hon. Percy 1alue
a DISTINGUISHED member or Parlli
nent said TO me the other day: "N
.ra Si,nnlv going to nave n new rat