Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-11-26
BASIC INDUSTRY
FACING CRISIS
Continued from Page /

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of the streams-of growing crops ant
contented herds.
Ii is so vital to the welfare of the
nation that our agriculture flourish
that none can dispute the assertion
that the most vital problem of the hour
erica'S agriculture.
These are days OF changes, Of great
purposes, of going forward How shall
we meet the problems that now con
front the nations producers of food
Some departments of our national GOV
the full needs of the situation. The
United States department of agricul-
tltro. for instance. has not functioned
according to its great possibilities and
10 the needs Of the country Much eff
fcrt has been devoted to the science of
agriculture. but | wonder how many
will disagree with me when | assert
with all possible emphasis. based up
on careful and studous observation.
that just now the business of agricui-
ttre is vastly more essential to its con-
servatiOn that the science of agricuI-
tlire.
Wants Profits Before Science
We read that more than 100000
copies Of bulletins were distributed
:Dy the department of agriculture dur
ing the past year We know that many
of them have been of value in helping
she farmer to overcome difficulties in
the science of farming But of what
particular interest is it to the farmer
Of Kansas or Minnesota to be able to
procure bulletins advising him how to
destroy smut i'll wheat when he knows
from experience that when he shall
have raised his crop he will have to
accept for it less than the cost of pro-
ductiOn?
The sheep raiser of Montana is. of
course, interested to learn how to com
bat sdiseases among his animals, but
when he rallies that he is compelled
to sell the WOOL and the animals as
we'll. at Il price which means actual loss
TO him is he likely to be very enthusi-
astic about bulletins from the govern
ment dealing with sheep diseases?
While. as | have said, the bulletin
service of the department of agriclll-
ture has been in degree of value to
the farmer, | am firmly convinced that
much more benefit could have been ac-
compliShed had the department shown
as deep an interest in the profits of the
the farmer as in the quantity of his
production.
The Country Newspaper
And this brings to the front another
phase of rural life on which the eyes
Of the country should be- and l prOphe-
sy will soon be, focused
| refer to rural journalism. In COM
mon with the farmer the country news
paper publisher has been unappreci-
ated often misunderstood. and. like
the farmer, underpaid.
What power for good in America
the country editor has been What a
valiant part he has played in our ma
tons welfare and progress What q
mighty force he has been in the growth
of our civilization. What a guide he
has been in public opinion What a
Staunch reporter he has been Of the
American farmer, and what void
there would be in the life of our peO-
pie if he should follow the thr0ng to
the great cities and lose his identity
in the multitudeS, as our farm boys
and girls are doing.
The home town paper" is to the
farmers home the immediate, most
valuable and certainly the most avail
able source of information. The indi-
vidual farmer may sometimes feel that
he has a quarrel with the editor and
stop the paper" but he will find ac-
cess to it and read it nevertheless,
whether he reads anything else or not.
Did it not announce his marriage years
age to the only gin? 2" Did it not tell
of the parties at his home? Did it not
announce the birth of his son. John,
who. after he had become the light and
life of his home passed into the Great
Beyond, and warm expressions of SYM
pathy found place in the home town
paper" Did not the editor rejoice in
the farmers successes and support him
vigorously in fighting his battles?
Home Paper the Vehicle
SO | say to you. my. countrymen, the
local home town paper" is also the
place to print information Of value
gathered and supplied by the machin-
cry of our government to meet the real
needs Of agriculture. Such informal
ton will thus find an abiding place in
the home of the American farmers.
Publishers Should BE Rewarded
Hundreds of thousands of dollars are
annually wasted now in sending broad
cast pamphlets dealing with agricul-
tural problems of individual commune
ties. But the day Of the indiscrim-
mate use of the bulletin is passing, and
the welfare of the people must become
the paramount consideration.
Let the necessary information be
given through the columns of the rural
press to the particular districts in
which it is needed instead Of printing
cpuntIaSS thousands Of huI tho