Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-01-02

to Become Constructive Agent to
Develop lt-Otherwse It Should Be
Opposed.
"The task of agricultural education
will never be complete until we seek
to reach the very last man on the farm
with the best things" said President
X. l.. Butterfield at Kalamazoo, speak
ing to 300 people assembled to confer
with him concerning rural affairs.
For forty-seven years the grange has
been concerned with the effort Ito
reach the last man on the farm with
the best things" says Miss Jennie
Buell. lecturer of Michigan state
grange, in the Michigan Farmer Some
times it has led, again it has followed
other institutions in the quest. There
never was a time when it was nearer
the goal, nor n time when it might see
so clearly how distant is that same
goal as today. There is still Il wide
gulf between "the last man and 1.-THE
best things" agrculturally albeit great
movements are stirring to bring them
together. Greatest of all present move
ments is that one which aims at CO.
operation. which in reality includes all
others of whatever name. And for co
operation in theory the grange stands.
if it stands for anything. The diff
Guilty nov is to assist in applying it
practically so as to carry the best
things" into the byways to the last
man" 1t means working shoulder to
shoulder with those we never have CO.
operated with, both in and outside the
grange. 1t means finding common
ground with consumers MS well as with
producers, with bankers as well as
farmers, and so cooperating from that
common ground for the betterment of
/ all.
/ One form of possible cooperation
which is tapping at our doors today is
that of the county farm bureau. Great
diversity of opinion is held by individ-
ual patrons. and exactly opposite posi-
tionS are being taken by different
oranges which alone shows the need
for thorough Investigation and dclibcr-
ate action on the subject At best the
wholc matter is i'm a hazy state, so
new that MS yet 10 has taken no form
that universally prevails.
Certain it is THAT pure paternaIism ON
tie part of city business men will be
resented 10y country business men.
Just as certain is it that no one can
possibly object to the farmers of a
county forming an association among
themselves for promoting the rural
welfare of that county from any and
every standpoint they may see fit
Both of these plans for farm improve
ment exist now. together with many
other plans in between. Some coun-
ties hire Secretary" manager
demonstration" "agent," expert
call him what you will. Others do
not. Where employed in some In
stances this field man devoteS special
efforts to soil improvement, in some to
alfalfa and forage crops, in some to
seeking better markets and to stand
ardZinz the products offered for sale
in some he is active in strengthening
and extending organizations among
farmers. Varying forms Of this idea
federal gov9rnment by agricultural
colleges. by bankers. by city boards OF
trade and by farmers alone. On all OF
these the grange will find material fol
study and comparison.
Here. then, is a large opportunity fol
extending grange influence outside its
own borders. yet one which also con
Germs its membership vitality. If the
county farm bureau. by and large. is
harmful proposition the grange
should condemn it wholly after careful
and full examination. IT, however, /
finds in the idea possibility of develop
ing into plan for reaching the las
man on the farm with the best things
the grange ought undoubtedly to stan(
as a constructive agent in developing
it to that end.