The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-12

f'AA lAi1fAHN &fA1N 1iAf4E &
interest seeks. but otherwise doesn't
Ind. "A main matter = II lodge N
the mi0d d knowledge f the facts
and 10 convince The second sober
judgment In no other Way STALL W.
have an adequate knowledge and mo-
tive for better schools and churches
IN th5 cities ana country reelons alike.
and FOR a >aner assault upon the
sources and agencies Of evil every
where
These County Conferences could
meet once Il year FOR the study q
local conditions and the discussion
Of the faces OF local and
IT'S more efficient administration. spe-
clal committees could be appointed 10
prepare and publish report such As
the Georeia surveys. In the prepara-
ton Of these surveys. or other mat
Ter requiring some research, they
might readily get the assistance #
the Departments # the
! nlNers.tN and the various colleges.
Some work = this sort has already
been done by The twenty-five OF thirty
oolntN CLUBS already organized al the
University.
But whatever method is adonted in
any particular case. We can scarcely
escape the clear conviction as to the
general plan expressed 10y the Georcia
Gun: That observation and ANALYSIS
Of social conditions must precede in
depreciation: that facts without opin-
ions are useless. and that opinions
without facts are impertinent if not
mischievCua: that it is idle to specu-
late upon questions Of betterment
without intimate knoWled2e Of social
tIuctufeS ana functions: th@t we must
investigate social realities before ma
turing a coGe Of social d~octrines: that
the production and distribution Of
wealth ought to be a means TO large
ness and fullness of life; that individ.
ualS "A communities. whatever theft
state, are always improbable.
Questions OF Large Sort.
Just ahead Of us are proposals for
Legislation Of the large sort tnat al
fleets IN q fundamental way this thrill
in" task q commonwealth building in
Nitch We lind ourselves 50 earnestly
engaged. These proposals are not the
result 81 any extraordinary crisis that
c~onfronts us. but are The natural out
growth Of d healthy twentieth century
state. Whatever differences Of op;n-
ion exist as 20 what ours We should
pursue. ana however oar inierpreta-
ton Of The facts may vary, the obiiea-
tor OF patriotism is to know the facts
and 10 inspire a passion for the fact:
and for full and fair discussion by al
the people.
Abundant material is at hand To-
this work if we can devise u mean.
for maxim it available. The dali,
papers Ct the State. the Progressix,
: Farmer. the state journal. the church
pa pers have in the past few month
, contained invaluable matter that il
I the hurry OF everyday reading j
thrown aside and lost. Special studio
+ by our own leaders of taxation an,
I legal reform and suffrage reform, cen
: sus reports. reports Of our State off
I Gals. social and economic surveys an,
such as these MADE in New York h
Cornell University and in Wiscons..
by the university Of that State. all 6
his material can be brought to on
aid to just the degree that we desire
and made to perform the service
G was meant to perform: giving In
n people the facts and explaining t
t them the experiences of others i
G dealing with similar facts. The Unite
IS States government and our own Stat
n government have published hundred
e of bulletins that would be of priceless
It value if they could be made to reac
If the hands of the people.
l. In no other way, it seems to IN,
1t could the paramount work of civ
y education be SO effectively carried o
e as trough county conferences for III
common good.
n The resources of the university "a
y at the service Of any community
3 helping organize such q conference
r furnishing literature of a local or
r general sort, developing a program
er making special statistical studies
le cooperating in any other possIb
$ way.
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