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Show UNIFORMS FOR COUNTY AGENTS . - AN attempt is being made by one of the bureaus of the United States Department of Agriculture to force the county agriculturists- to wear a uniform. uni-form. ' The reason assigned for this is that the county agents are engaged in a work necessary to the prosecution of the war, namely, the stimulation of food production and that, therefore, they are entitled to a special designation designa-tion which, while it may not lift them above the civilian, nevertheless would indicate that they are serving the nation. na-tion. County agriculturists are a very necessary part of our agricultural machinery. ma-chinery. The service they render, if they are capable, practical men, is of great importance to the nation, either in time of peace or war. There are two strong reasons, however, why they ' should not be compelled to wear a uniform uni-form and we use the word compelled advisedly, for we know that many of them will object to donning a uniform. One reason as that the uniform should be restricted to the use of those engaged en-gaged in some branch of actual war ' service. Those engaged in the making of munitions or the production of food . are not entitled to wear a uniform suggestive sug-gestive of military service. If the county coun-ty agriculturist is entitled to a uniform because of his occupation then every farmer has a right to one. The other reason is more important, and one that should be most apparent to those in authority at Washington responsible re-sponsible for the suggestion. It is this : the county agent work is cooperative between the states, counties , and the federal government. Regardless of the proportion of the expense borne by the federal and county treasuries, the county coun-ty agent is responsible, in the last' analysis, an-alysis, to the farmers in whose service he is employed. It is the farmer whose taxes, whether paid to the state or nation, na-tion, make appropriations for this work possible and the county agent, if he knows his business, says to the farmer: I am at your service, you are paying my salary and expenses ; what can I 'do for you? This attitude can not 'be maintained main-tained if the county agent enters the farmer's gate in a government uniform, uni-form, with a federal tag on his coat lapel. This immediately brands him a bureauarat and the West has an aversion aver-sion to bureaucrats. Western Farm Life. |