Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 187, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1913 — FOR ECONOMIC LIVING [ARTICLE]

FOR ECONOMIC LIVING

Conference on Agriculture and Country Life at Indianapolis Proves Big Success. Purdua University Agricultural Extension. The first conference on agriculture and country life held In Indiana at Indianapolis, June 3-4, was brought to a close with an address by Prof. G. I. Christie, superintendent of the agricuTtural extension department, Purdue university. Professor Christie called on the people of the state to put their shoulders to the wheel and make the new vocational educational law a success. He urged the delegates to go back to the communities as returned missionaries. He said that he wished the governor would name a day In which meetings would be held in every school house in the state where the people’ should gather to discuss Che subjects which were talked over at the conference. ———•—- The conference adopted a set of resolutions calling for a crusade for more economic living. The resolutions Btated that the much talked of high cost of living of the present time was directly attributable to the extravagant . habits into which the people have fallen. “Back to the simple life, to sensible clothing, to clean and healthful amusements; back to the first principles of living, which will In a large measure solve the high cost of living.” The conference also recommended that wherever it was possible that the country churches should consolidate, a strong, active country church being one of the greatest needs of the rural districts of Indiana. The conference recommended that the young ministers turn their attention tp the country churches as the great place for opportunity; that the attention of the people of, the country be turned to the great importance of securing a strong resident pastor; that those attending the conference pledge themselves to “promote the full development of the country church and the rural school, and the building of a contented, abiding, intelligent, successful country life.” The vocational educational law, passed by the last legislature was also endorsed.

George Woodruff, president of the First National bank of Joliet, 111., addressed the conference on “Farm Credits.” Mr. Woodruff was a member of the commission that went to Europe to investigate the farm credit system there. He gave three reasons lor the high cost of living in this cbuntry other than the one already given. He said the three things responsible for the present high cost of living are the increasing gold supply, the breaking dewn of competition and the per capita production of the soil. He named increase in wages as the remedy for the first cause: trust regulation and control of middlemen for the second and for the third increased available acreage and increased production to the acre. Improved farm finance, Mr. Woodruff said was one of the most important methods for applying the third remedy. President W. E. Stone of Purdue nniversity made a straightforward and lomprehensive analysis of vocational education and explained the provisions of the new law, the difficulties In the way of its administration and forecasted the splendid results that may follow its wise interpretation and enforcement He, too, exposed the fallacy of our national boast of industrial superiority and declared that whatever of such supremacy we may have had In the past was due to three things—the exploiting of national resources, the leadership of exceptional men and the artificial aid of legislation. Because these three Influences are limited by their very nature we must expect permanent industrial efficiency to be based on adequate preparation for suitable life work.