The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-01-09

termines their destiny and progress.
We have some Of the most outstand-
ing object lessons ever before civ
en- to the world, all of which were
brought to the surface by the great
world war. France, for years, re-
veled in pleasure and infidelity, but
at last was forced to repent before
the throne of the god of war
England reveled in the pride of
her world supremacy in commerce,
and likewise, was forced to repent
at the throne of ruthles subma-
rine warfare.
Our literature for years has taught
us that we ought to respect human
rights, and believing in the doc
trine of democracy and freedom for
all people, we destroyed the thrones
of these false gods paved the way
for a free world and have endeared
ourselves in the hearts and minds
of millions of enslaved people
Therefore we, who have been stu
dents of history, students of agricul-
ture, students of the rise and fall Of
nations do not need to go back
many years to find that the litera-
ture read by a people governs in a
great measure their destiny.
Agricultural literature has a most
decided and accepted place in de-
termining the progress of a country
or people. Neglect of this side of
agriculture has brought disaster to
individuals without number. We
need to know and recognize that
farming with all its different and in
tricate phases ought to be intelli-
gently adjusted so that each and
every farm could be operated upon
a profitable basis. We need to
know that a well-balanced system is
the only safe one We need to
know, and ought to have known long
ago that one-crop system never
made a people prosperous. Disaster
will sooner)' or later overtake the
man who deals with farming so
lightly We need to know that
man who depends upon his invest
ment in land and the labor he puts
forth, ought to farm for a living
first and profit later We need to
know that speculation has no place
in marketing the products of the
farm. There is today and has been
for centuries, too wide a gulf be-
tween the producer and consumer.
Such system will and can only re-
suit in making the poor, poorer and
the rich, richer. Education is the
solution to such problems.
What is meant by education" is
this: That all people who are not
antagonistic to the welfare of the
man who tills the soil ought to have
knowledge of the problems of the
farmer; ought to be able to under
stand that he of all men is the de-
Gliding and governing factor of our
existence. That he ought to have a
fair consideration in the councils of
government and the administering of
the affairs of the nation, state and
community. That he has certain So
ial rights and privileges very much
his own but rarely understood. That
his burdens and obligations are a
part our own. That there is a broth
erly relation existing between the
producer and the consumer.
Then, the producers side must re-
ceive a brief review, and if possible, |
determine just where the broad !
term education" is applicable to his
business.
If were not speaking from ex-
perience, l should certainly feel
some hesitancy in dealing with this
side of farming. have always |
looked upon the gulf which we say
exists between the producer and !
consumer as real, when in fact it is |
only imaginary. l am now willing |
to say, and have been ready to con-
cede for several years, that this
gulf, though imaginary is a product
of the faults and mistakes of both
classes. | have been rather radical
in my views on this subject in years
past, but after a close and syste-
matte study of both sides of the
question, am forced to admit that
both classes are responsible for their
share in the misunderstanding. This
fact is not so prominently noticeable
today as it was, say five years ago.
But the farmers viewpoint, and his
side of agriculture, or the producing
class of our citizenship as related to
the consuming class, is far more
delicate than most people are will
ing to admit. Many people will say
that the farmer has more opportuni-
ties for reading and for thought
thanght than any ether class of