The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-01-19
THE RURAL PRESS
The Local Paper Most Useful
Agency on che Farm-Tho Press,
Pulpit and School Trinity Of
Influence That Must Be
Utilized in Building
Agriculture.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union

Lecturer National Farmers Union
A broad campaign of publicity on
Che subject of rural life is needed in
this state today to bring the problems
of the farmers to the forefront. The
city problems are blazoned upon the
front pages of the metropolitan dali
les and echoed in the country press,
but the troubles o. the farmers are
seldom told, except by those who
seek to profit by the story, and the
glitter of the package ofttimes OBJ
scures the substance A searching in
vestigation into the needs OF the
farmers will reveal many inherent de-
fects in our economic system that can
be easily remedied when properly I'M
derstood and Illuminated by the pow
er of the press.
The rural press, the pulpit and the
school are trinity of powerful In
fluences that the farmer must utilize
to their fullest capacity before he can
occupy a commanding position in pub
lie affairs These gigantic agencies are
organized in every rural community
and only await the patronage and CO.
operation of the farmers to fully de-
velop their energy and usefulness.
They are local forces working for
the best interests of their respective
communities. Their work is to build
and their object is to serve. They
prosper only through the development
and prosperity of the community
Every farmer in this state should
subscribe for the local paper, as well
as farm periodicals and such other
publications as he may find profitable,
but he should by all means subscribe
for his local paper, and no home
should be without it. The local paper
is part of the community life and the
editor understands the farmers prob
lens. It is the local press that will
study the local problems and through
its columns deal with subjects of most
vital Importance to local life OF the
community.
A Noble Task.
Ir too many instances the country
papers mimic the city press by CIV
ing prominence to scandals, accidents
and political agitation. The new
rural civilization has placed upon the
rural press renewed responsibilities,
and enlarged possibilities for useful
ness. . 1t cannot perform its mission
to agriculture by recording the frail-
ties, the mishaps and inordinate am
billions Of humanity, or by filling its
columns with the echoes of the strug-
gies of busy streets, or by enchanting
stories of city life which lure our
children from the farm.
1t has a higher and nobler task.
Too often the pages of the city dailies .
bristle with the struggle of ambitious
men in their wild lust for power, and
many times the flames of personal
conflict scar the tender buds of new
civilization and illuminate the path
way to destruction. The rural press
is the governing power of public senti-
ment and must hold steadfast to
principle and keep the ship of state
in the roadstead of progress. The
rural press can best serve the inter
ests of the farmers by applying its
energies to the solution of problems
affecting the local community. 1t
must stem the mighty life current
that is moving from the farm to the
cities, sweeping before it a thousand
boys and girls per day. 1t has to deal
with the fundamental problems Of
civilization at their fountain mead. It's
mission is to direct growth, teach eff
1ciency and mold the intellectual life
of the country, placing before the pub
lie the daily problems of the farmers
and giving first attention to the leg
islative, cooperative, educational and |
social needs of the agricultural classes
within its respective community.