generations of peach-culture, and the farmers are turning to other crops
in order to make a living. There the minister has found that his business
is to preach scientific agriculture, and his most impressive service has
been to raise a great crop of potatoes, with a dust mulch, the greatest
ever raised at that time in that region. He became the leader of those
farmers in the actual struggle for a livelihood. He helped them set their
business on a firm footing. He preached as he worked, and his people
responded accordingly.
The second reason for the maintaining of the church in the open country
is the fact that it is the best school by which to teach the farmers to
give of their prosperity to the community and to the common good. Farming
is an austere occupation. The best farmers are always economically
austere, which is defined by an economist as “the condition in which men
produce much and consume little.” The very definition shows that of all
occupations farming must be the most austere. But the practice of this
austerity makes the farmer close and often mean. He stints himself and he
stints everybody else. He refuses to support good roads, and he declines
to pay for better schools because he is not a spender but a producer.
The church, of all institutions, makes the closest and most intimate
appeal to the farmer. It is his school of giving. It has an agent living
in the community, needing to be supported. The salary of the minister,
and the supplying of his needs, are a constant education in the building
of community utilities. The schools will be better maintained, the roads
will be sooner reconstructed, even at greater cost, and the poor will
be better cared for, where the church exists in the open country; to
fertilize, with its appeals, the sour soil of the farmers’ austerity,
with the needed ingredients for benevolence.
The third reason for the church in the open country is the fact that
the church is a family builder. The rural household, which for three
generations was the spring of American idealism, has been dissolved, in
the past twenty years, by speculation. The exploitation of farm lands
has made so many families nomads, and has retired so many farmers to the
towns, that there is need of a new era of home building in the country.
The best fitted of all institutions for this service is the church. Her
work, as she well knows, is with the young. Her membership is always made
up largely of women, and with them lies the future of the American home
in the country. The moving force in the exodus from the farm is too often
the woman. The church will do more to make life worth while for her on
the farm than all other institutions.
The fourth use of the church in the open country is as a center of the
concern for the farmer’s income. The church in the country which does
not sanctify the livelihood of the farmer will not survive. “The most
successful farmers in America,” says an economist, “are the Mormons,
the Scotch Presbyterians and the Pennsylvania Dutch.” All these are
religious farmers, and their churches are their coöperative associations
for farming. They all idealize country life. They are organized for
agriculture. But, mark this, in all these country churches—and their
churches are out in the open—the church has concern for the prosperity of
its farmers as farmers. The income is the man’s job, and when the church
would get the men it will care for the income. The Lord Almighty cares
more for the feeding of the whole people than for any other thing. First
of all God is the Father of men, and He cares most for their satisfaction
in material things than for their having books, or for their having any
of the higher refinements. If the people have not abundance of food and
warm clothing, all moral and religious values will suffer. Therefore the
farmer is the Lord’s hired man; and the church’s first business in the
open country is “to produce the spirit in which the knowledge will be
used, which will enable the farmer to succeed.”
The transition in economic affairs, through which we are passing, is
working its effects upon the country churches. For the church is the best
of all thermometers of the social economy. Many churches in the country
are being closed. In the South alone, according to the Southern Baptist
organ, sixteen hundred Baptist and Methodist country churches are closed
every Sunday of the year. In the state of Illinois, our sociological
surveys have shown that about seventeen hundred country churches have
been closed and abandoned. It is the elimination of the unfit. It is
the realignment of the religious people for greater efficiency, at new
centers. There is no sign that country people are less religious than
they were. But there is every indication that the churches are being
sifted on the principle of efficiency.
The churches are suffering at the farmers’ hands another process, which I
would like to describe as dehorning. It is like the removal of the horns
from the heads of dairy cows; and it has the same purpose. Doctrinal
subjects which divide are being tabooed, and the churches are no longer
to hook and horn one another, but to live together in peace and produce
the most of the milk of human kindness, with the greatest economy in the
fodder of doctrine.
This transition is showing also in the inventing of a new type of church.
It is appearing all over the land at the same time. I find it in all
denominations, and it bears the marks of the same spirit everywhere. My
friend, McNutt, at Plainfield, Illinois, has become the most eminent
exponent of this new ideal of the pastorate, but he is far from being the
only man who is so succeeding. He has a unique power of telling of his
work; but many others, who cannot tell of it, can do as well. His church
has the heart of the community; and there all the people, especially the
young, gather for musical culture, for recreation, as well as for worship.
The modern church for the open country will be a community center. It
will bring all the people together, by serving the needs which are common
to all. For the community has taken the place once held by the farm
household, as the circle of the life of country people. Tradition once
ruled farming, but its place has been taken by science. The farmer can no
longer teach his son to farm the land, therefore the household cannot
dominate the country, as once it did. The new ideals of country life are
community ideals. And the churches which are succeeding in the country
are community churches.
The community center church cares for the young, for the growing boys and
girls of the community, and for the farm hands. It is a center for the
recreative life of the people. Music has its home in that church. Plays
are presented under its auspices. The holidays of the year are celebrated
at its instigation. Every needful enterprise that the country community
requires for its development is fostered by the community church. I have
known side paths to be made on country roads, in this manner, the whole
countryside coming together for a “frolic” for the purpose of laying
out these walks. I have known a country bank to be started in this way.
There is no limit to the good that can be done in the country, in making
country life worth while, by a church which has the community spirit.
My friends, worship is the symbol of the community. The church spire out
in the fields is the center around which the whole locality revolves.
The common assembly, on Sunday, does more, all over the open spaces of
this great land, to organize people in neighborhoods, and to cultivate a
country life ideal, and to make country life worth while, than all other
institutions combined.
For there is nothing in the high price of farm land to keep the boy and
girl on the farm. The only way for the conservation of the highest value
of country life is to secure pastors who will live in the country, and
churches through which they may build men into communities of farmers,
contented, devoted to the work of a Divine Providence, and crowning the
productive labor of the week with worship on the Lord’s Day, in the place
where the community meets most fitly, in the church of the open country.
THE EXTENSION OF THE POSTAL SAVINGS SYSTEM TO OUR SCHOOLS AND ITS VALUE
TO THE PRESENT AND COMING GENERATION.
BY F. A. FILSON, _President of the Missouri Association of Assistant
Postmasters_.
Of the three great forward movements which have marked the history of the
postal service during the past dozen years the inauguration and extension
of the postal savings system is, we believe, destined to be the greatest
and most far-reaching in its effects on the general welfare of the great
mass of our people. Rural delivery, the first of the three great forward
movements, it is true, has been not only a phenomenal success but has
been of untold value to all classes of our people and is sure to grow in
popularity and efficiency as the years go by. And the parcels post, the
third great movement which we believe is sure to be inaugurated will in
a measure revolutionize many branches of business, but in the end be of
untold blessing and value to the masses; and whatever in our country is
of great and lasting benefit to the masses is sure to be accomplished
notwithstanding the opposition of wealthy corporations and selfish
personal interests.
The postal savings system, like all other great forward movements, in its
infancy met with violent opposition from many classes of our citizens,
who for selfish reasons or lack of information violently opposed the
enactment of the necessary legislation for its installation. Many of
the same arguments which have been worn threadbare in the discussion of
rural free delivery, parcels post and other progressive measures, were
again brought into use and vociferously enunciated through the press
and from the public platform and on the floors of Congress; but after
mature deliberation and thorough discussion the right prevailed, as
it generally does, and the necessary bill was enacted by Congress and
a committee appointed who immediately got busy and laid plans for the
inauguration of the system and adopted rules and regulations for the
conduct of the business. Be it said to the everlasting honor and credit
of this committee and its co-workers that the system evolved is, in the
judgment of your humble servant, one of the very best, most comprehensive
and practical of any system of its kind in use throughout the world. In
fact, it is the product of the experience of all other nations plus the
practical common sense American ideas of our illustrious chief and his
co-workers on the committees. While our system is yet in its infancy,
the phenomenal record it is making and the ease and celerity with which
the machinery of the same is moving quietly along proves conclusively
that while it may not be perfect it is founded upon correct principles
and with a few alterations will become famous throughout the world as
the American system of postal savings. It is with considerable pride
that its advocates and promoters can point to the fact that every one
of the predictions which they made before its inauguration and during
the long campaign for the enactment of the necessary legislation has
already been fully and conclusively demonstrated and proven beyond the
possibility of a reasonable doubt. In fact, many of the bankers and
those who so violently opposed the inauguration of the system have
become fully convinced of the fact that it will be no detriment to the
banking business of the country, but, on the other hand, will be of
inestimable value in bringing from its hiding place the idle currency of
the country and placing it in the banks and putting it into circulation.
Not only has it demonstrated that it does and will do this, but it
has, in the localities where depositories have been opened, originated
and is continuing a sentiment favorable to creating and maintaining
savings funds among many classes of people who have never before given
the matter as much as a serious thought. The experience of our postal
savings depository at Cameron is, I presume, about the same as that in
other localities, namely, that over sixty per cent of our 300 or more
depositors are men, women and children who never before had a bank
account of any kind.
From our standpoint we believe that the fact that the system thus induces
such thrift and frugality will be of untold blessing to the present as
well as coming generations, and that as a result our nation will become
richer and greater in the coming years and its people more prosperous,
contented and happy. While the system inaugurated by the committee in
charge is complete and comprehensive, yet in the very beginning of our
experience at Cameron we saw the need of a little further extension
of the same, and after giving the matter much thought and serious
consideration we laid plans and have inaugurated in all the schools of
our city penny savings banks, to be operated in each room of the schools,
under the direction and charge of the superintendent and teachers. This
system of penny savings banks in the schools works in connection, and is
really a part of, our postal savings depository at the post office; and
while it is an idea of my own, yet I have submitted it to the postmaster
general and the postal savings system committee, and hope in the near
future to see it adopted and extended to all the schools throughout the
country. It is very simple and easily instituted and operated, and we
believe will be heartily and enthusiastically received by the teachers of
a majority of the schools throughout the country.
A brief explanation of the system, as we have it in Cameron, I believe
would be of interest to all postal officials that have to do with the
postal savings system, and I therefore take pleasure in presenting at
this time a brief outline of the same, and would be pleased at any time
to explain the workings more in detail or answer any questions that may
be propounded.
The extension of the postal savings system to our schools and the
establishment of the penny savings banks therein is based upon the
facts that many of our children do not receive as much as ten cents at
one time for their labor or for their spending money, and that they,
like many of their elders, find it very difficult and at times almost
impossible to keep money in their pockets for any given length of time.
In fact, in many cases it immediately begins to “burn their pocket,”
and must be spent at once. Hence their pennies and nickels are spent
before they accumulate the necessary ten cents with which to purchase
a saving card at the Post Office. Then again, the tendency of our time
for years has been for the youth of the land to spend all they have or
get, be it much or little, with great rapidity and absolutely without
any idea of its value. In the inauguration of penny savings banks in our
schools we endeavored to impress two valuable admonitions on the minds of
every pupil: First, that every boy and girl should, as soon as he enters
school, make it a point to earn a small amount of money each week; and,
second, that they should make it an invariable rule to save at least
one-half of all the money earned and given them and place it in a savings
fund. In giving these two admonitions we made the assertion that if those
in the primary department would follow these rules and deposit their
money in the postal savings banks and invest it in government bonds,
compounding their interest by withdrawing and depositing same, that at
the age of twenty-five years the larger majority of them would have
amassed sufficient capital to enter into any retail business in our city.
In introducing this extension I first laid the matter fully before our
superintendent and received his unqualified endorsement of the same, and
then arranged for a meeting with all the teachers of our schools and to
them presented the postal savings system and our extension system for
the schools, and after a full explanation they, with the superintendent,
voted unanimously to place the same in our schools. Immediately after the
opening of the schools I visited each one separately and presented the
matter to the pupils and opened a penny savings bank, which was placed
in charge of the teacher. I closed this feature of the work on Friday,
September 15, and the results to date have been eminently satisfactory
and very gratifying. I have arranged with the teachers to have them
submit a weekly report during the two remaining weeks of this month
showing, first the total number of depositors, second the total amount
deposited, and third the average age of depositors. After the close of
this month these reports will be made monthly instead of weekly.
ADDRESS.
F. C. SCHWEDTMAN, _Chairman of the Delegation of the National Association
of Manufacturers of U. S. A._
Permit me to extend to you, in the name of the great organization which
I have the honor to represent, the good will, coöperation and support of
thousands of progressive manufacturers from almost every state and city
of the Union in every sane endeavor to preserve the natural resources of
our nation.
I have listened with keen interest to yesterday’s and today’s arguments
for the conservation of coal and timber, soil and water. It seemed to
me particularly significant to have a lumberman in the person of the
honorable chairman of your executive committee urge the preservation of
our forests, and it was equally fitting to hear our great farmer Governor
of Missouri make a plea for the soil. Of course, both of these gentlemen
spoke upon subjects nearest to their hearts. Unfortunately I am not a
farmer, but their action gives me courage to devote a few minutes to a
few phases of the conservation problem nearest my heart.
Allow me, an employer of industrial labor, to plead for higher efficiency
in the industries and especially for better opportunities for the
millions of toilers, in the shops as well as upon the farm. The greatest
nation of the future will be the nation that best understands how to
economize and preserve human energy and happiness at home, and how to
build up trade abroad.
President Taft told us last night how, by mixing science and proper
education, our crops per acre can be doubled and trebled. In the same way
can the output of our mines and factories be increased tenfold in value
by industrial education. Instead of selling steel billets to the nations
of the world, we want to sell them sewing machines, dynamos and watch
springs; and instead of exporting raw cotton we want to export high grade
cotton goods. This requires government support for industrial education,
and I urge you, in return for our aid to secure agricultural schools and
experimental stations, you give us yours to secure scientific industrial
training. The National Association of Manufacturers is persistently
and systematically working to that end. And there is another phase of
preservation even more important. Among the measures pointed out in your
handbook to which the association will give its vigorous support, both
legislative and administrative, I find this: “Means wisely designed
to diminish sickness, prevent accidents, and increase the welfare and
comfort of American life, believing that human efficiency, health and
happiness are natural resources quite as important as forests, water,
land and minerals.” Now, I do know something of this feature of the
preservation movement, and after the vigorous campaigning which the
National Association of Manufacturers has carried on in the last two
years for “human preservation” under my supervision, I feel that it is
not only of equal importance to soil preservation, but more so.
Authorities tell us that in comparison of the vital and physical assets
of a nation, as measured by earning power, the former are from three to
five times as valuable as the latter. These authorities assert that there
is as great room for improvement of our vital resources as in our lands,
waters, minerals and forests, and that this improvement is possible
in respect to both the length of life and to freedom from disease and
accidental injury during life.
Prof. Irving Fisher estimates (in Bulletin Number 30 of the committee
of one hundred on national health) that $250,000,000,000 is a minimum
estimate of the vital assets of the United States in 1907 and that of
the estimated annual loss of three billions of dollars due to sickness,
accident and death, one-half, or one and one-half billion dollars, is
preventable.
According to Dr. Tolman, the total number of work casualties suffered by
our army of wage-workers is sufficient to carry on perpetually two such
wars at the same time as the Russo-Japanese and our Civil war. According
to the same authority, our railroads, during the year of 1906, killed and
wounded more persons than were killed and wounded in the six bloodiest
battles of the Civil War.
In all these directions our losses are from five to ten times greater
proportionately than those of the most progressive European nations, and
what are we doing about it?
The National Association of Manufacturers has carefully compiled facts
and figures and has everlastingly spread the gospel of preventing these
losses and compensating equitably the sufferers from unpreventable losses.
Do not think for one moment that this is a subject that does not concern
the farmer. I can prove by facts and figures that the percentage of
injuries among farmers is greater than in the industries, and easier
prevented. If you want to convince yourself go to the nearest insurance
office. You will find the accident insurance rates for the farmer higher
than for the carpenter or machinist.
Some European countries have evolved compensation schemes by which $78
of every $100 paid for accident insurance is paid to the injured wage
worker. Under our liability laws, only about $30 out of every $100
reaches the injured worker. What would you think of your neighbor if he
were trying to run a machine with 30 per cent efficiency in competition
with yours of 78 per cent efficiency? He would not last very long.
We ask your help in establishing sound, safe and efficient schemes in
all the states of the Union. The first part of the problem will have to
be solved by legislation, the second by coöperation, and it can be done
only by a combination of all the progressive elements of society. It must
be done as quickly as possible, bearing in mind all the time that he who
starts out well prepared for a race is in better shape to win than he
who hurries on without due preparation. We must have facts and figures
before us and we must select the best men in the various states to act as
investigation commissioners.
So-called reformers do not always appreciate this. A short time ago I
addressed the governor and the legislature of one of our Middle Western
states. The governor, a man of many fine qualities, asked me during the
progress of my arguments why I had gathered such a mass of facts and
figures from European sources. I asked him in return how he would settle
it without statistics, and he replied, “We need no facts and figures, all
we need is the right kind of a gizzard.” Of course there is no sense in
arguing with such a man. He misunderstands the issue. Americans do not
need, and do not want charity; they want justice.
We in the United States will eventually have the best system for
preserving the best resources of our country, the health and well-being
of our people, the self-respect and earning capacity of our wage-workers,
the lives and limbs of our toilers, but it will take the combined energy
and wisdom of all of us to bring this about.
REPORT OF THE AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION.
BY WM. O. STILLMAN, _President_.