Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-07-23
HE URGES FARM INSTRUCTION.
Congressman Lever Delivers Able Ad-
dress to Chicago Audience.


read with interest by the friends of
Representative Lever, whose work in
behalf of the country's farming
classes is receiving national recOgni-
tion:
Congressman A. f. Lever, of South
Carolina, chairman Of the House
committee on agriculture, and au-
thor Of the Lever agricultural extern
sion bill, was the guest Of honor at
the Union League Club yesterday at
a luncheon Of the National Soil Fer
tilty League. lie advocated direct
education of the individual farmer
with a view to conserving the soil
resources of the United States, before
large gathering Of financial leaders,
economists and agricultural educa-
tors.
That the latest Investigations of
government experts show a decrease
in proportion to population in recent
years in the amount Of ground de-
voted to their raising Of food pro-
quoted to prove that the farm land in
America is producing only one-third
as much per acre as land in Europe,
which has produced crops for more
than 1000 years.
South the New Land of Promise.
The famous advice of Horace
Greeley to the young men of Ameri-
ca was reversed by the Congressman,
who declared that the land of pros
perity for the youth OF this genera
tion is the awakening South.
During the early history Of this
nation there was more Or less atten-
tion paid to agriculture by the gov
ernment heads" said Congressman
Lever. Washington, Jefferson and
other early Presidents endeavored to
stimulate a proper regard in the
minds of the people toward agricul-
tural conservation. but nothing was
done in the way of Federal support
or the agricultural industry OF this
country until the passage of the Nor
land grant for State agricultural COL
leges. twenty-five years later came
the experiment stations. Now we
propose to establish and maintain a
public service of tremendous value
to every interest in the land when
We place a skilled farm demonstra-
tor in every agricultural county.
THE Lever agricultural extension
bill, which has the unqualified and
keenly active support Of the National
Soil Fertility League, provides for
This service, the Federal government
appropriating a sufficient fund, also
the States, and apportioned according
70 the rural population. From obser-
Vation Of foreign and occasional do
mestic application Of these methods
it viii be tremendously profitable
investment.
ParaphraSeS Horace Greeley.
Il desire to say word for my own
section Of the country If Horace
Greeley were here to-day, | am salts
fed, with his keen observation and
practical conception Of things. that
instead OF his famous utterance. Go
West, young man. and grow up with
the country he would turn and say,
Go South, young man
Here we see 100000 people each
year going into Western Canada, yet
we have in the South millions of
acres of magnificent farm land as
good as anywhere in the United
States, which could be purchased at
from 50 to II an acre, and ! assert
on absolute proof and record that we
can produce as much grain and raise
as much live stock of as fine a grade
as anywhere in the United States.
In my own State Of South Caro-
INA we hold the corn-producing rec
ord per acre Of the United States: in
my own State we have the original
alfalfa-growing tract Of land. Your
great Western ranges have been cut
up and are being cut up into farms,
and the South will become the natu-
raj and radical meat producing sec
tion OF the United States.
Nature Viii Solve Problems.
"Our race and labor problems na-
ture can take care OF. All this agi-
tation and disturbance is due to the
individual; endeavoring to make capt.
tai, and is largely and almost inva-
riabIy. the effort OF some local dis
turber or demagogue. We ask you
? Northern and Western business men