Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-03-29
EDITOR

York i'm the steamship Saxonia on April 26, to
return in the Cedric leaving Queenstown on July
is. The commission is intended to consist of two
Representatives from each state in the Union, be-
sides two delegates from the province of Saskat-
chewan, Canada, cheerfully admitted at the earn
est request of the provincial premier.
Besides its endorsation by Congress, the com
mission received the hearty approval of the con-
ference of governors, also that of President Taft
while in office, President Wilson before his in
augural, and former President Roosevelt. Let
tiers of welcome in advance, in most enthusiastic
terms, have been received from the leaders of the
European systems of aid to agriculture which are
to be investigated, and Sir Horace Plunkett, who
has started a similar movement in Ireland,
strongly rendered his cooperation in speech at
a banquet given in his honor in Washington on
January q last, at which President Taft was one
of the speakers.
Reaching Naples on May 10, the commission
will visit Italy, Hungary, Austria, Germany,
Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Belgium, France,
England and Ireland. Russia and other coun-
tries not named in this itinerary will probably
be visited by subcommittee The party will
Ispend seventy days on land, dividing the time
among the above countries. The Eager Tours
Company will manage the trip under contract
From u. s. senate document the following gen
eral directions to the commission are taken:
The inquiry will embrace examination of the
methods employed by progressive agricultural COM
muntes in production and marketing, and in the
financing of both these operations.
Special note will be taken Of
| IC;r mr. or1or ofiro, IN fhon
motion of agriculture by the governments and by
voluntary organizations of the agricultural classes.
Second. The application of the cooperative sys-
tenn to agricultural production, distribution and
Third The effect of cooperative organization
upon social conditions in rural communities.
Fourth. The relation Of the cost of living to the
business organization of the foodproducing classes.
The commission will report to the Interna-
ttional Institute of Agriculture Rome, Italy. at
it's general assembly in May. This body is sup
ported under treaty by the government of the
United States, and the American delegate to it,
appointed by the department of state at the re-
quest of the Southern Commercial Congress, is
David Lubin, who, with Sir Horace Plunkett,
maps out the itinerary of the commission. The
following extract from a letter written by Mr.
Lubin will show the controlling motive behind
the movement. Referring to the lack of organi
zation on the part of the farmer, the writer says
And this is the same sad story of the farmer in
all ages and all times He is the last man to change
his dialect to change the dogmas of his religion, to
change his habit of dress, to change his mode of
thought; and wonder, when consider that the
poor devil speaks to barb-wire fences to pigs and
to clods of EARTH while his urban neighbor mingles
with his fellow-man, and iron sharpeneth IRON
so the urbans become shrewd and aggressyely
ming which enables them to lord it the dull and
sluggish rural mind.
If the farmers be aroused to of their
potential power, if that power be awakened,
called into action. it would then be easy task to
brush aside exploiting influences. There is pow
greater in all the United Staets than the wipow
of the many That power is majestic, imperial;
but it is only effective in action. 1t is impotent
when inactive. The farmers may complain unAl
they burst, and they will have help sympathy
from one but If they rise up, united, and in
ton, they become invincibe.
Although it does not appear that Hawaii will
be represented on the commission, the results of
the movement ought to be eagerly awaited here
1t is in line with what this territory set on foot
in small way two years ago, in the establish
ment of marketing division of the bureau of
immigration. Moreover, an important feature Of
the systems to be investigated is related to ne
cessty reflected here by the project of Japanese
bank to aid the local industries of that nation
atty, and by late reports of similar action being
considered by Portuguese homesteaders in the
district of Hilo .-~.
Governor Frear and President Peck of the
10Th ,.I1