THE LURE OF THE CITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 147, 19 July 1909, Page 4

THE LURE OF THE CITY.

ONE OF ROOSEVEI/f'S GREAT ACTS. A LESSON FOR NEW ZEALAND. IProbably the greatest problem of the age is that of making agriculture a more attractive calling and thereby counteracting the lure of the city—to give to the industries of the soil their ilight'ful dignity and importance and providing the man 011 the land with tome of the .privileges iwid social advantages of the city dweller. The country making the most earnest endeavor to solve this great problem is the United States of -America, and the man who is in the forefront of the campaign is Theodore Roosevelt, one of Uie most rugged and disinterested characters m American history. Recently bripf reference was made in these columns (says a contemporary) to the eventful commission set up by the late American President 011 "Country Life"—something of the knowledge gained of it Mr. Edwin Hall, of Auckland, during a visit to the world centres of agricultural progress. We are now favored by Mr. Hall with a more complete account of tills great movement. Mr. Hall writes:—

THE FARMER THE TRUE CITIZEN. Ex-President Roosevelt recently showed a visitor to the Wliite House a drawing of an old grey-haired, slmggy farmer reading 'by lamplight, his feet in homespun stockings resting on a chair; an idyll of the hard-working, earnest pioneer of the farming country; and as the President looked lovingly at the drawing lie said, "That's the old 'boy I'm working for in the White House; I'm working for him all the time. The future of this nation rests with him; he .will never ask to have the laws set aside; he will never use dynamite; he's the 'true American." A MAX OF ACTION. ■President Roosevelt did not content himself with merely talking about the farmer. Shortly before his 'term of office closed ho appointed a special "Commission on Country Life" to report upon, the conditions of- the farm home. While in Washington I attended a siting of this commission, at which a number of agricultural experts from all parts' of the States and Canada were invited to mlake suggestions as to the best means to he adopted to render ,the farmer's life freer from drudgery and to make it happier tad more attractive. The purpose of the commission was not to merely help the fanner to raise better crops, 'but to call his attention to opportunities of making rural industry more efficient and rural life more desiraible. The commissioners were requested to take evidence as to how life on the farm can be kept on the highest level, and where it is not already on that level to be so improved, dignified, and brightened as to uwv.ken and keep alive the pride and loyalty of the farmers, the farmers' wives, and the fanners' boys and girls; and to ascertain how the desire to live on the farm can fee aroused in tho children who are born on the farm. THE VITAL PROBLEM. President Roosevelt said that with the single exception of the conservation of natural resources (which really underlies the problem of rural life), there was no Other, material question of greater importance before the American people, and he urged upon Congress the necessity of improving t>y every available means the oondition of the farming 1 population, and the problem that was of vital importance, not only to the fanner, but to the whole nation. He said, "We liape ultimately to double the average yield of wheat per acre; it will be a <»reat achievement, but it is even more important to double the desirability, comfort, and standing of the fanner's life."

Dean L. H. Bailey presided at the meeting: I attended, and gave an outline of the objects and methods' adopted by the commission. On my return to New Zealand I wrote to America for fuller information about the Country Life enquiry, and have received details of the reports, which are interesting to New Zealanders who are facing the same i problems. I THE PROBLEM ANSWERED.

The commission found that white in a general way the American farmer was never .more prosperous or (better off than he is to-day, "agriculture is not commercially as profitable as it is' fentitled to be, considering the labor and energy that the farmer expends and the risk* he assumes/ 5 and '"the social conditions in the open country arc far short of their possibilities." The leading specific retusons for this' condition are stated to lie:— "A lack of knowledge on the part of farmers of the exact agricultural conditions and possibilities of their regions. '"'Lack of good tmining for country life in the schools. "The disadvantage or handicap of the farmer as against the established business isystems and interests, preventing him from securing adequate returns for bis .products. "Lack of good highway facilities. "The widespread continuing depletion of soils, with the injurious ettVet on rural life. "A general need of new ami activeleadership." The three great, general, and immediate needs of couutry life, as summarised i)v the President from the findings of the -commission arc:— (1) Effective co-operation among farmers' to put tlieiu on a level with the organised interests with which they do business. (2) A nehv kind of schools in the country which shall teach the children as much outdoors ass indoors, and perhaps more, so that they will prepare for country life, and not, as at present; mainly for life in the town. (3) Better means of communication, including good roads' and a parcels post, which the country people are everywhere, and rightly, unanimous in demanding. • To these may well be added better sanitation; for easily preventable diseases hold seveml million country people in the slaverv of continuous ill health. EDUCATION THE 'ESSENTIAL.

In summing up, the commission states that the subject of ipsiramount importance as developed by the enquiries of the commission is education. Everywhere jlvere is a demand that education shall hlavo more relation to living, that the schools should express the daily life, and that in the rural districts they should educate by means of agriculture and country Jife subjects. The commission therefore suggests the establishment of nation-wide extension work, the investigation of agricultural conditions on a comprehensive plan under Government leadership, and the holding of conferences to unite the agricultural organisations.