No. 7. DEl'ARTMENT OF A(;iilCULTL'ltE. Ii4l 



Many questions of minor importance along these lines are worthy 

 of consideration, among which may be mentioned that of land tenure. 

 There is no reason for our present cumber.some, expensive and uncer- 

 tain system of land tiau.sfer. The Torrens system would do away 

 with all this, making the transfer of land safe and simple. 



Another question of prime import upon which each one of us 

 should make our views and influence felt is that of economy and 

 integrity in public administration. There is no good reason why 

 one system of business management or one system of morals should 

 prevail in private affairs and another system in public affairs. There 

 has been and still is too much laxity in this matter. We need to 

 demand better service from public men and better business methods 

 in the management of jjublic atlairs. Closely interwoven with this 

 is the whole subject of taxaticm and the problem of its equitable 

 adjustment. 



Another grave problem which interests every farmer 4s that of 

 the general status of agriculture in America. What is to be the 

 future of the American farmer? Essentially he has been in the past 

 a middle-class man, a balance wheel for the nation. Farmers there 

 are, to besure, who fall far below this estimate but as a class this 

 is where we expect to find him. Shall he continue to occupy this 

 position? The history of many of the older countries of the world 

 does not afford a i>i"omising outlook. Too often has the tiller of the 

 soil sunk to the level of a tenant or even to that of the peasant. A 

 l>roblem of this sort is not to be solved by any offhand remedy or 

 suggestion. It is one which will demand time and study, but one 

 which is worthy of the best thought of the men and women who 

 have at heart the welfare of American agriculture. 



Ko farmer can afford to neglect the social life of the community. 

 Too often he does neglect it and suffers the result. Man is a social 

 being. He demands more than food and drink. Social intercourse 

 contributes both to enjoyment and to business success. Country life 

 does not favor it. It therefore comes upon us as a duty to give some 

 thought to this phase of life. 



Every man, whether farmer, mechanic, merchant or lawyer, owes 

 a duty to the public school. This duty unfortunately nnost of us 

 shirk. But the problem of the rural school is facing us today in 

 such a way that Ave cannot afford to neglect it. We are proud of the 

 men and women engaged in educational work, and prouder yet of 

 the pupils within these schools; yet we have the right to ask 

 whether our school system has done in the past what it ought to do 

 for the country cliild. I think our answer must be that while it has 

 done much it might have done more. Long have we bewailed the 

 movement from country to city, 3'et what can we expect when all 

 the work of the school points only in that direction. I am not 

 among those Avho expect much in the teaching of agriculture in the 

 common schools which will enable the boy to become a better farmer 

 or in the teaching of domestic science which shall enable the girl 

 to become a better housewife, but I believe Ave have the right to ask 

 of these schools that they shall help us to maintain in the mind of 

 the child an interest in the affairs of the farm and home. We need 

 a type of education more closely in touch Avitli the future life Avork 

 of the child. It matters loss Avlietlier that instruction be of the 

 highest type possible than it does that it shall be of some type Avhich 



