The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-14

Indeed Mr.. Houston looks more like
business man than farmer. Hc is
tall, straight and broad shouldered.
lie wears business clothes, and he
talks in a practical way. He has a
serious face, with dark eyes which
smile now and then, Indicating a
strong sense Of humor. lie speaks in
plain English. and his words are well
chosen. He thinks in paragraphs. and
IT takes close attention to follow his
arguments When you Suggest sub
ject he exhausts it. going to his
secondly, thirdly ana sometimes to his
sixthly before he gets through
Secretary Houston's life has been
one of close thinking, and much of MIS-
thinking has been along agricultural
lines. He was born on farm. and his
father was we'll enough off to give his
children good education. AT the
same time he made them learn farm
ing. As soon as little David was old
enough to work he followed the pillow.
and later on did every kind of farm
work from hocing corn to dynamiting
stumps and splitting rails. He had al
30 TO plan out the crop and see that IT
was taken TO market
At the same time. he was going to
school. and venture he liked school
life better than farm life. lie left the
farm at the age OF seventeen. He then
taught country school. and in GER
tain sense h. has been 4 school man
ever since TIE place where he laugh;
was a shell OF house. situated in "A
clearing surrounded by stumps His
pupils ranged in age from seven to
twenty-six. and about the only advant-
age he had over some Of them. so he
says. was that he could keep the book
in his hand while they had to do the
rcciting. He was secretly afraid OF
the skill OF one boy in mathematics,
OF young woman in geography and
OF full half dozen in spelling. and
still he xnows he was not then below
the average Of those who are now
managing the rural schools OF our
country.
But all that was when David Houston
was seventeen. and little more than a
boy He Is n well educated man now,
for he has been going 10 school ever
since After teaching. he entered the
chief college of his State Of South Caro-
lima. and graduated there at twenty
one Harvard University made him "A
master OF arts at twcnty-siX. and since
then lac has received doctors degrees at
several big institutions. believe he
got one or more this year.
Mr.. Houston has also had big posi-
tons as teacher. He has served as q
professor OF political science at the
/ University OF Texas. has been presi-
| dent OF the Agricultural Mechanical
| College Of Texas, and chancellor OF
| Washington University at ST. Louis
! He has also been president of the
/ University OF Texas. and ne was a,
/ the head OF Washington University
/ when he came here. During the great
er part Of his life he has specialized
in the study ana teaching OF economies
and his present mission, many mer
think. is that OF applying the latcs,
| discoveries in modern economies 10 the
upift OF the farmer
The new Secretary OF Agriculture
does not think that the farmer has a
monopoly of the good things of this
earth He believes that the city man
. has many advantages over him. and
/ that his conditions should be so i'm
/. proved that the two will be upon nearly
the same plane as 10 health, education
business and credit. Said Mr.. Hous-
ton:
II want 10 see the methods OF sani-
tation which prevail in the cities eX-
tende6 TO the country. Every rural
community should have we'll paid ex-
pert physician. and should be under the
. charge OF the state Board OF Health
More attention should be paid TO the