The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-26
LATEST WRINKLE
IN AGRICULTURE
Dr.. Carver at Head Of New Depart
n,ent Service Which will Keep
Boys on the Farm.


WASHINGTON, June GA more
thorough organization Of farming and
the establishment Of credit and mar
keting systems on business basis
are among the objects of the rural
organization service the latest
wrinkle to the many sided agricultural
department. There IS also the ever
present question as to what Is to be
done to keep the farmers on the
farms, or III other words how follow
ing agricultural pursuits as business
may be made attractive from none
tasy as well as social standpoint and
thus overcome the young mans long
ing for the city.
DR.. Thomas n Carver, who severed
his long connection with Harvard uni.
versity to become head Of the new
department service, said today that
he took the job because it will solve
for the farmers all the remaining age
old problems that heretofore have
proved the great stumbling block In
the perfection Of American farming
methods. J" The plan is new one. It
will be in an experimental stage Tor
some years to come. Professor Cary
er says the plan is the right one, but
admits frankly that it will take many
months of digging and effort to get
the system running true to form. Pro
fessor Carver. therefore, has been
loathe to make any statement regard.
ing the plans and workings OF this
new department. But today he con.
scented to explain some of the objects
! and purposes of his department to
! the people Of the country through the
/ United Press.
/ The movement we are launching
here" said Professor Carver, is, In
my opinion one of the, greatest YET
undertaken by this government to i'm
/ prove the farmers financial, physica
and social condition Let me say a
the start that 1t is no detriment t.
i the American farmer that he has no
/ solved these problems for himself. HI
Z has had no time for experiment. HI
has had but scant time to organic
with his co-workers to market hi
crops to best advantage. We will d.
this for him by gathering all neces
sary data to which he can refer at
glance. 1t has long been recognized
1 that disorganization has been thu
greatest weakness of agriculture
Such condition is natural becaus'
of the vast number of farms and be
cause of the isolation of most farms
4 The farmer has learned to Cooperate
4 better with nature than with men AM
4 he has not learned how to cooperate
along financial and social lines.
Eve will organize surveys to ge
at the basic facts regarding organic
ed rural agencies. We VIII try to b
the medium between the farmer an
the flnancier from whom the farme
wants credit. In this respect we vii
perhaps use great deal Of the infor
nation being assured today by tn
American Agricultural Commission
which is studying rural credit sys
;. tens In Germany and other European
, countries. We will study localities
. for the best means and manner o
transportation and we will gathe
, data regarding the best markets TO
certain surrounding farm districts
We will gather information concern
ing farmers organizations and W
/. will study even the rural educationa
!. systems in an effort to better then
/. All these facts and data will be dis
! seminated among the 100000 o
n more farmers of the country with
t out any cost in money or time t
S themselves, at different interval
n and in such manner as to appeal )
/ the farmers.
e And one more thing we will do a
;. an aid to the farmers will be to stud
d the reasons why the young men froI
t. the farms insist on leaving the far
/ for the city. Contrary to general in
S preston, it is not the farmer who fail
e who sells out and goes to the city
S is generally the farmer who has SUI
i. ceeded who moves in to town. TIL
s phase of our problem Is every bit &
e important as the lettering of the sy
d tenn Of rural credits and the establish
ment of farm banks. We think W
have hit the nail on the head at tt
start. One of the chief reasons fl
= the exodus of young farmers fro
e their farms is the lack of attractiv
If ness in life in the country How wi
IS we remedy this is still a deep que
g ton. The promotion of social center
81 the suggestion of undermining tt
le farmers homes with the installatic
s. Of all the appliances that GO to NAL
L. life in the cities easier may be I'll
t. answer. We are going to try 1t,
o. any rate We have big work ahes
of us-a difficult workout because
thing is difficult is no reason for ia
ure'"
e Spanish War Veterans.