The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-05
Committee Named by Clarke Submits Comprehensive
Report Needs of The State.
Submits Comprehensive

authorization. A system OF rural
credits similar to the Raiffeisen sys-
tenn would prove great factor in
more economic farm production,
/ Farm Organizations.
| While there are in some sections of
! the state organizations among farm
/ ers with meetings at stated times,
either in the homes of the members
| or In the rural school houses, such
organizations are altogether too few,
and much good could be derived by
having farmers club in every
township or school district in the
! state.
Cities have their commercial clubs,
maintained by business men, profess
sional men have their associat' ons,
and stradesmen their unions, whsre
their needs are discussed and means
taken to promote their own interests.
But the farmer stands alone, without
any organization whatever, each fight
ing his battle single-handed and this
y
department with which he transacts
business in either buying or selling.
AS agriculture is the ma nstay of
| our nation, leading all vocations or
pursuits, it ssems to us that our ma
t1onal government should foster and
encourage by substantial aid the for
nation of organizations among farm
ers. Such organizations would awak-
en- greater interest in restoring and
maintaining the fertility of the soil,
the care and feeding of live stock,
the marketing OF farm products, the
purchase of supplies, and would lead
to better social condition among the
farmers. To the wives and children,
especially, would tn sse meetings be
highly beneficial.
While it is true that we have a
state agricultural society, district and
county fairs and farmers Institutes,
all largely maintained by farmers.
these meetings are held but once a
year and cannot take the place Of
local organizations work meetings at
least once month in the busy sea-
son, and oftener when farm work is
not so rushing.
Education In Rural Schools.
| In many of our cities manual train
Ing is now carried on successfully.
Both boys and girls have their eyes
and hands trained IN practical work
that will be Of great value to them
in after life.
There is no training of this kind ir
our rural schools, and while the chill
dren born and reared upon the farms
have wide experience in actual
work. and owing to their surround
ings. habits of industry are formed
giving them advantages denied to the
! children reared in city; still no pro
vision has yet been made to teach
| even the simplest elements of scian
tific agriculture In our rural schools
A large percentage of the teachers
in the country schools have been
born and educated in the cities and
have no knowledge of. or love for
agriculture. Consequently the chill
dren hear more of the pleasures o.
the city than of their own home. The
result is that desire for city life i:
/ formed in the mistaken belief tina
life would be more enjoyable in tbs
crowded cities than in the country.
/ To offset this condition. the teach
t1rr - ~ Mi w. L
made compulsory in our rural schools
At present there are no teacher
qualified for this work who can b.
secured for the salaries paid. Here 1
great opportunity for our nationa
government to provide the mean
for training teachers for this work /
better salaries were paid to sucl
teachers and more permanent employ
ment afforded than, they would max
life work of teaching, to the grsa
betterment of the schools.
A change Of teacher In the rura
schools nearly evsry term is just a
vicious as changing the farm tnan
every year. The sooner there is
radical change made and more pei
manency secured, the better for a.
concerned.
High Cost Of Meats.
There is a great falling off in TIL
number Of live stock on Iowa farm
is well known. One of the maIn re-
sons for this condition is the shor-
term farm lease While the owne
lived on his farm there was NOR
profit in raising live stock and feet
, ing all the grain upon the farm tina
in selling the grain. By this metho
. much fertilizing matter was returne
to this soil and fertility was thereb
increased, but the short-term tenar
cannot afford to keep stock, his tel
ure being altogether too uncertain
This condition is one Of the mai
~ 1Sar .