The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1920-08-13
Better Schools and Roads
Plea of Farmers Here
CONTINUED from First PaEa1

ali cases of strikes the public inter
est must be paramount to those of any
group.
The farmers believe in collective
bargaining, and such Legislation
should be enacted by congress and the
state legislatures as will guarantee
this right.
The drift of population from country
to city is not only a menace to the fu
ture food production OF the nation, but
1t threatens the political life of the
ration. 1t is today the most momen
tous issue before the public. To the
end that effective measures may be
taken to check this tendency to still
further congest the centers of popula
'tion, and add fuel to the fires of un
rest and discomfort, we favor the ap
pointment, under proper reso
lutions and appropriation by
the next legislature, of commission
composed of farmers and farm ex
perts, who shall investigate and re
port such legislation as may be nee
essary to encourage the ownership Of
farms and to develop the rural life sc
fbot n NAV hold ont tho sauna nrnn,
Use of material reward and social op
portunities that are offered to the
young men and women in the towns
ard cities. The increase In tenancy
placing the most productive' lands In
the care and custody of those who are
rot vitality concerned about their con
tinued productivity, and who have nc
abiding interest in the community
where they may live, should challenge
the attention of every patriot con
cerned for the economic and political
future of the nation. The commits
sion above mentioned should be
charged with the duty of investigat
ing and reporting upon all progressive
legislation enacted m this, and other
forward looking nations of the world
for the encouragement of farm owner
ship and the advancement of rural
life. Such investigation should in.
clude the subject of rural credits, com
munity schools, improved roads, bet
ter marketing facilities, farm taxation
and related subjects.
The state department of agriculture
should be reorganized by the next leg.
islature to the end that it will be the
state clearing house for the agricul.
tural activities of the, state. 1t should
be patterned, upon the model Of other
progressive states where state board
OF agriculture nominated by the farm
ers' organizations should take the
place Of the present political organiza-
ton. The. executive head OF the Blu.
reau of agriculture should not be Sc
leoted by reason of, any political IA
yors already conferred, or expected,
but solely with reference to. his fit
ness for, the task. The salary Of such
executive, to be named by the board
OF agriculture should be sufficient to
attract the most capable talent avail
able. No reflection is intended on any
commissioner of agriculture, past or
present, but it is the system against
which we protest.
More generous appropriations
should be made for public education
and particularly for the rural commu.
nifty schools. 1t should no longer be
necessary for farmers to move from
their farms, turn them over to the
tender mercies of tenants, and still
further congest the cities and towns,
or permit their children to grow up
in ignorance. The university of the
state, and especially its college Of ag-
riculture should be adequately sup.
ported to the end that there may be
developed a rural and farm leader
ship that will be capable of competing
with the leadership of ony other inter.
est or industry.
Nothing save public education will
do more to make the country attrac.
tive than good roads, and we urge that
increased state and federal aid be
given for this purpose.
We appreciate the fact that If the
country home is to retain the boys
and girls it must be made more at
tractive, therefore we urge increased
appropriations or additional instruc
tors in rural sanitation, in rural ny
GENE, in home economics and for
lectures on rural life
J. |. FINNEY, Chairman
f. H. DUNKLIN
HOMER HANCOCK.