OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 11

OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

NEW YORK, February 20. An interesting new departure has been made by the New York Central railroad, one of the most important of our transportation systems. It has gone over into a section of Western New York, where agriculture has not thrived in recent years, and there purchased for the conventional " mere song " a much run down farm. It proposes to take this farm; expend some brains and a little money—not more than is within reach of the average farmer of small means—and develop the farm into a good paying proposition—a handsome livelihood for a farmer and his family. . . . For years past that railroad has been noticing a constant fallingoff in its tonnage receipts within New York State. That meant a lessened income from a good many miles of railroad.. The man who has attempted to right this condition of affairs is Mr W. C. Brown, who was recently called to the (presidency of this railroad. Mr Brown was .born and reared on a New York State farm. To a keen sympathy with the situation he adds the insight of a most sucessful business man. It was his plan that led to the purchase of the farm, which is to be followed by securing similar farms in the other parts of the State. " It is a platform on which the railroad and the farmer can "finally stand together" said Mr Brown the other day in speaking of the . Central's venture. "Prosperous farmers along our lines mean increased traffic. There is no altruism about that. It simply means that it is good business for the railroad to do all it can to increase the products of the farm and better farming conditions. If the railroad, by moderate expense and thought, can make these conditions radically better for the farmer, it is plainly in its own interest to do so. That is why we have planned the three farm experiment statons n the State. . . . Ninety years ago the fertility of the soil in' New York State and the production of 3".er farms were the admiration of European travellers. In 1860 she was the first of the agricultural States of the Union. To-day Maine, lying farther north, with square miles of forest, raises more per acre of all the cereals, and her potato crop averages 225 bushels as against 82 bushels in New York. . . . I have selected as our farm superintendent a practical agriculturist, Mr T. E. Martin, who has succeeded in his western New York farm in raising the average acre yield of potatoes from 60 to 300 acres. I think that with such a man that we ought to show some real results within the end of the pesent year." The case and care of the school-child are in controversy. Figures cited from the Children's Court show that one child in every 75 in the old city of New York suffers arrest for some offence, and that there is an average of 16 arrests of children each day. "Dr T. Alexander MaoNicholl, who has already made startling charges of degeneracy and! deficiency against American school children, returns to the attack with the declaration that mental deficiency is increasing owing to the use of alcohol. " Three glasses of beer a day," he says, " will cut short the life of a man and may cause de.ceneracy in his children." The City Bureau of Municipal Research has projected itself into the argument. "In attempting to make a scapegoat of adenoidism, enlarged glands, and the Health Department," it says, " the public school authorities confuse every issue involved and prevent the public from taking proper remedial steps. Not a word do we hear of sweat-shops in the schoolroom ; not a word' about breakdowns due to overwork at school and at home; not a word of ventilation evils that could easily be corrected: not a wee bit of responsibility is lodged with overcrowding, part time, or well-intentioned but ineffective methods and policies." To help to meet this problem an upState Assemblyman has introduced a bill at Albany providing for the creation of a playground commission for this city, appointed by the Mayor, members to serve without pay and to exercise such powers •as the appointment of attendants and the consideration of propositions for the acquisition of additional playgrounds If men are but children of a larger growth, the case of the college boy may be consideed in this conttxt. The system of final examinations by which students' standards are determined is under attack at some of our larger colleges. " There was enacted at the Cornell University Infirmary yesterday afternoon," says one of our metropolitan papers. " a scene which cannot but be construed as an argument of burning intensitv a.gainst the system of final examinations —the departure from the hospital and from Cornell, of a man in the prime of youthful strength and vigour, his nerves shattered, iniured per-, haps for life, as the result of a three weeks' strain of preparation and trial of final examination."