Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-03-08
President Wilson'S
Stirring Address
to U. S. Farmers

BY, the ioiesIBnt, VIC Seii-sucTihce
and devotion of the farmers of Amer
lea will, believe, bring to trium-
plant conclusion this great last war
for the emancipation of men from the
control of arbitrary government and
the selfishness of class Legislation and
control, and then, when the end has
come, we may look each other i'm the
face and be glad that we are Ameri-
cans and have had the privilege to
play such Il part-PreSident Wilson.
Following is the message of Presi-
dent Wilson the farmersvmfwypyp
dent Wilson to the farmers in con
ference recently at Urbanan, H.:
! am kerry sorry indeed that can
not be present in person at the Ur-
banan conference. | should like TO
enjoy the benefit of the inspiration
and exchange of counsel which
know | should obtain, but in the cir
cumstances it has seemed imposs-
BILE for me to be present and, there
fore, can only send you very earn
est message expressing my interest
and the thoughts which such con-
ference must bring prominently into
every mind.
need not tell you, for am sure
you realize as keenly as do, that we
arc Ns Il nation in the presence of Il
great task whichd emands supreme
sacrifice and cndeavor of every one of
us. We can give everything that is
needed with the greater Willingness,
and even satisfaction, because the OBJ
jcct of the war in which we are en-
gagged is the greatest That free men
iiavc ever undertaken. 1t is to pre-
vent the life of the world from being
determined and the fortunes of men
everywhere effected by small groups
of military masters who seek their
own interest and the selfish domina-
ton throughout the world of the gov
crnmcnts they unhappily for the mo-
mcnt control. You will not need to be
convinced that it was necessary for
this war. 1t had raised its evil hand
against us. The rulers of Germany
had sought to exercise their power in
such way us to shut Off our economic
life so far as our intercourse with
Europe was concerned, and to con-
fine our people within the Western
Hemisphere while they accomplished
purposes which would have perma-
nently impaired and impcndcd every
process of our national life and have
put the fortunes of America at the
mercy of the Imeprial Government of
| Germany. This was no threat. IL had
become IA reality. Their hand of vio-
| lence had been laid upon oud own
people and our own property in fla
| grant violation not only of Justice but
of the well recognized and long
standing covenants of international
law and treaty. We are fighting,
| therefore, as truly for the liberty
| and government of the United
| States as if the war of our own Rev
olution had to be fought over again:
and every man in every business in
the United States must know by this
time that his whole fortune lies in the
balance. Our national life and our
whole economic development will
pass under the sinister influence of
foreign control if we do not win We
must win, therefore, and we shall
win. need not ask you to pledge
your lives and fortunes with those of
the rest of the nation to the ac-
complishment of that great end.
You will realize, rs l think states
men on both sides of the water real
ize, that the eliminating crisis of the
struggle has come and that the
achievements of this year on the one
4
| issue. 1t has turned out that the fore
cs that fight for freedom, the freedom
of men all over the world as well as
our own, depend upon us in an extra
ordinary and unexpected degree for
sustenance, for the supply of the ma
terials by which men are to live and
! to fight, and it will be our glory
when the war is over, that we have
supplied thoscm aterinls and supplied
them abundantly, and it will be all
| the more glory because in supplying
them we have made our supreme eff
fort and sacrifice.
| In the field of agriculture we have
agencies andi nstrumentalities, for
tunatcly, such as no other government
in the world can show. The Depart
ment of Agriculture is undoubtedly
the greatest practical and scientific
agricultural organization in the
world. It's total annual budget of
$46, 100000 has been increased dur
ing the last four years more than
seventy-two per cent. 1t has staff
OF eighteen thousand, including a
large number of highly trained ex-
rerts, and alongside of it stand the
unique land gran colleges, which are
without example elsewhere, and the
sxty-nine state and federal expert
ment stations. These colleges and
experiment stations have total en-
dowment of plant and equipment of
$l72 900, 900 and an income of more
than $35,0O0,000 with 1921 teachers,
resident study body of $4,000 and
| a vast additional number receiving
instructions at their homes. County
agents, joint officers of the Depart
ment of Agriculture and of the COL
leges, are everywhere cooperating
with the farmers and assisting them.
The number of extension workers un-
der the Smith-Lever Act under the
recent emergency legislation has
grown to $500 men and women work
ing regularly in the various commu-
mites and taking to the farmer the
latest scientific and practical infor-
nation. Alongside these great public
agencies stand the very effective vol
untary organizations among the far
mers themselves which are more and
more learning the best methods of
| co -Onprat iOp and tba baet