Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-03-12
1.-THE DISEASE OF NATIONS"
By JOHN S. GoG1N, of Osuabrock. N. D

The above was the theme of an Illinois bank
or, in an address before the academy of Sclenc
of the Twin Cities, early December of 1918. III
took the position that all the great nations 0
history had risen as agricultural nations; hat
flourished and dominated for a time rs grea
commercial ones, then caught "the disease o
nations which Slapped their vitality aud result
ed i'll theirdecay or downfall This disease h,
said was in every case the decadence of agricul
ture and thatthe country was already infected
with that disease; but that it would quickl.
and certainly be eradicated by the modern anc
only one remedy of education of the farmer ant
the taking to him of the benefits and advan
tagcs Of an education.
Tn gentlnnan's findings about the rise and
fail of nations is quite correct and in accordance
with the teachings of history; but his conclu.
sion> regarding the nature of the disease and
his prescribed remedy for that disease which lie
very correctly says this country is already infect
ed with, is not founded upon historical facts
past or present, nor upon the teachings of COM
mon sense, and vet tits absolutely true that III
every case of the decay ordownfall of a nation
lis agricultural pursuits had first fallen intode
cay. But it is also clearly indicated by history's
teachings that this dccadence in agriculture
was in turn preceded by its ~yotcries having been
forced into some form ofslavery by others with
in the government, or by the government itself.
y form of slavery that forced the tillcr of the
soil to give up to others without due and Just
~recompense therefor, the wealth he produced.
Human nature always has ana ever will de-
cree, that under such circumstances a man either
deserts that calling if he can, or he plods along
t--. III - l
courage, which are far more necessary to 4 man
for successfully waging the battle of life and of
industry than is the ever increasing mass of non
essential and, in many cases worse than useless
stuff that is now catalogued under the heading
of education.
Whenever any man. set of men, or any govern
ment wantonly takes from the farmer his loaf of
bread and losses ii to the dogs of war, the dogs
Of education and public or governmental %institu-
tions, or the dogs of high finance or low finance
and offers hima poisonous stick of candy called
education. or any other comparatively worth
less, uncalled for or insulting thing instead;
he, they, or it, is simply playing with fire in its
most dangerous form and history plainly tells
us what usually results from toying with that
variety of fire.
The Aleuts, which iuil4bit that island p%eninsu.
lar, which carries the American continent to
its western most point, We're a highly prosper
Gus and contented people before the coming of
the white man to their shores. They We're Z
nation in themselves, with a civilization, laws,
customs, works of art, etc. of their own, Being
small and weak, numerically, they as usual in
such cases were appropriated by the white
man, who Immediately began to de<poil them
of tbajronca hp,,ptanrc Of ,,roJr,tion
and prosperity, Offering in return education.
Those of them who accepted the substitute be-
came thereby untitled for the old employment
or order of things. and there being no field for
their new accomplishments they not only be-
useless members of society, but An added
burdenupon the rest Of their people. These peo-
pie have been and now are forced to go to the
white man for a market for the meagre produc-
lions still permitted them, and they receive for
it an average of about twenty-five per cent. of
the amount received from the consumer, while
for the necessaries of life, which they now must
buy of the white man. they are forced to pay
from four to ten times the cost of production,
The consequence natural one--is they are
disappearing from the face of the earth, through
and the ravages of those diseases
peculiar to mankind whenever he is robbed of
that before mentioned heart and courage, which
nature and natures laws nave ever decreed that
man must have in order to thrive and prosper.
Those people have certainly been hard hit by
the disease of nations Is any man as foolish
as to believe that simple education would or
could work a remedy therefore? The same Is
also true of the American Indian, and these ar
guments might be carried much further did
sound rgument so require.
History and fact plainly tell Us that the
American farmer of today is the most able and
efficient farmer that the world has ever known.
They also clearly teach us that in the matter
of education in the accepted sense of the term,
the average American farmer is not only better
equipped than his forefather was at any time
from Abel to the present day, and as we'll or bet
ter educated than are the men of other callings
in his own country but he is as we'll educated
as the great Napoleon was when he began his
his world conquoring career.
Aleut, Is an ESquimo word which means
other people, And strange as it may seem. and
and is, present conditions and tendencies clearly
indicate that the farmer, upon whose prosperity
contentment everything in this country and
government is so very dependent, is rapidly be-
ing forced into the position of being an Aleut,
in this his own country.
How about 1t worthy citizen! Can you find
any flaw in my arguments or any error in my
statement Of facts? These are your affairs pre-
sented for your consideration, and | an merely
sounding timely warning by pointing out
facts which, whether Intentional or otherwise,
have not been appearing in print, or being other
wise presented to the consideration ofthe people
RFTTED FADMlNG MODK