Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-30
4 ouEsTvoM OF co.oPfRAIlo,l

There Is q little too much talk about
"elevating the farmer" and "civilizing
farm life" President Roosevelt had
mistaken idea Of present conditions
on the farm when he appointed his
commission on country life. at least 50
are essentially farming states are con-
cerned. Others who are working hon.
estly and sincerely enough along altru-
istic and social lines need to under
stand the conditions in the country of
such states as Iowa and Illinois. Kan
sas. Nebraska and the sisterhood Of
commonwealths which are for the
major part agricultural. The idea that
country people eat with their knives
and sleep on straw ticks and are lack
ing in education and refinement COM
pared with other classes needs complete
revision much more than the tariff.
The fact is that the great advance Of
the past quarter century in manner Of
living. refinement. and material pros
perisy has been made in the country.
1t would not be far out to include ad-
vance in education. Man for man.
woman for woman and youth for youth
the country people compare favorably
with those of any city or village. Home
for home the comparison favors the
farm home. AS idealists moral and
-
the best of it We turn with conf
dence TO the country when We strive to
establish political or moral reforms and
that confidence Is always justified
Why all this oratory upon the needs
Of the farms and the people who own
and inhabit them?
There is much to be done in the
country as in the city. We are but at
the beginning. 1t is true that the
country school and the country church
lack greatly of full efficiency. Both
can be and should be made more help
ful. But the country pupil coming in
10 the town school rarely fails to make
good and religion Of the good old fash
toned kind f1ourishes on the farm along
. With the other natural products of the
country. There is much to be done in
the lines OF better farming and in this
lire also the cooperation OF all the
people should be welcomed by the
| farmer
II is not missionary matter but
! cooperative effort. City people assume
no advantage Of knowledge or of char
acter over their country neighhors. II
Is unfortunate that any such assun,p-
ton should be voiced by we'll inten-
toned leadership il church. school and
agricultural extension effort. II is all
cooperative. The city man is inter
ested in the farm. He lives by it. The
countryman is interested in the city.
He lives near it and whatever bad ad-
visers and those who appeal to preju-
dice may say his material interests are
inextricably mingled with those of his
distributing point. In school and church
and state their interests, are common
That each Charters in the market 20
| buy ct the lowest price and sell at the
highest is only incidental Tha, form
of antagonism exists between the city
man who sells and the city man who
buys quite as decidedly as between
the country and the town. In all that
/ goes to make counties and states and
nations and peoples better and greater
the interest Of one is the interest Of
! all and can not be separated Good
roads. good government. the reform OF
abuses and the establishment Of
righteousness are mutual privileges and
responsibilities.
! Let Us get together. Let's quit talk
ing to, Of and about each other at long
range thru the mouths Of other men
and get together and become acquaint-
ed. We are all alike There isn't any
difference between Us and there should
be no differences