New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-05-07
RUSK ON FARMING.
Causes Of Agricultural De-
preston as Stated by
Sec. Rusk.
Depreciation of the Productive
Power Of Land Due to Care
less Culture,

Power Of Land Due to Care
less Culture
WAsH1NGToN,-specia Telegram
ry Rusk of the Agricultural Departments,
in answer to numerous inquiries asking
about the canse Of agricultural depression,
has written letter flor publication, in the
course of which he says:
The present agricultural depression, it
seems to me, can be traced to combination
of many causes, go many that probably no
one man can enumerate them all. will on
4ly endeavor to point out some which seem to
me more directly responsible. They may be
divided into two classes: /. Those causes
Inherent to the farmers themselves, and for
which they alone can provide possible rem
edy. 2. Those over which the farmer him
self has no direct control, and the remedy
for which must be provided as far as remedy
lis possible by law, and for such legislation
the responsibility devolves upon the legisla-
tive bodies of the States and of the Nation.
What the farmer must do, will confne my
self to a mere enumeration of the first class
of causes indicated. On many farms, Iregret
so say, we find depreciation of the produc-
tive power of the land due to careless culture.
We find want to often of business-like
methods, due to the fact that in earlier
times business training was not re-
tgarded as an essential preparation for
the farmers work whereas to-day,
with altered conditions, when every penny,
and Imay say every m oment of time, has to
be proftably united fer, and in the face of
worldwide competition, successful farmer
must be as we'll trained and careful in bust
ness as the storekeeper, and his equal in in
telligence and general education. Nor are
the important questions of supply and de-
mand of market prices studied with the vigil
dance which characterizes the methods of our
merchants and manufacturers. These last
moreover, have the advantage oftransacting
their business in immediate proximity to
trade centers, where the widest information
IN reference thereto is readily obtainable.
Our farmers organizations are wisely seeking
to supplement- this want for the farmer; the
agricultural press is earnestly working in the
same direction, and one of the most impor-
tant duties deyol.ving upon this department.
consists in gathering and promptly distrib-
uting relableinformation on all those subjects
which are essentially interesting to the farmer.
It remains for him to avail himself to the in
formation thus supplied as his chief protec-
: ton not only against over-supply of certain
products but against possible oyer-reachng
ON the part ofpurchasers. The farmer must
look with suspicion upon any attempts to
sabridge the sources OF his information. His
advantage will always be in the fullest
knowledge of the facts. He must
carefully study the character and
the quality OF his products rather than
mere quantity, and always bear in mind that
hath ropion hirrh rl<>rD oo1,
the best goods at the best obtainable prices
that are the m ost readily sold Many Of our
farmers have been land greedy and find them
selves the owners of more land than they can
properly care for in view of the comparative.
iy high price oflabor in the rural districts
and in view Q: the fact that but small por-
ton OF mankind. comparatively, can profit
ably control the labor of Others. The pru-
dent farmer will limiths efforts to that which
he can efficiently perform. Again, more at
tention must be given, especially on our
Western farms, to the raising by the farmer,
for his own use everything that may be uti-
lized by himself and his household, so far as
climate will permit.
have passed over these various causes
briefly. l do not deem it necessary to dwell
upon them at length but will merely reiter-
ate the fact, that forthem the remedy is FEAST
BILE, and it depends upon the farmers them
selves to provide it. No one can relieve them
"
say, that owing partly to their own efforts.
there exist to-day in many States, valuable
instrumentalties capable of materially aid
ing them in their work. and to-day, in this
country, no farmer need be without all the
aid that knowledge and science can impart.
Farm mortgages.
The burden of mortgages upon farms,
homes and lands is unquestionably discour-
aging in the extreme, and while in some cases
no doubt this load may have been too readl-
ly assumed, still in the majority of cases. the
mortgage has been the result of necessity I
balances of purchase money, which are rath-
er evidences of the farmers ambition and en-
terprise than of his poverty. On the other
hand those mortgages with which land has
been encountered from the necessities of it's
owner, drawing high rates of interest, often
taxed in addition with heavy commission,
have to-day, in the face Of continued depres.
sion in the prices of staple products, become
very irksome and in many cases threaten the
farmer with loss of home and land. 1t is q
question ofgreat difficulty to all those who
seek to remedy the ills from which our farm.
-ers are suffering. At present prices the farmer
finds it takes more Of his products to get 8
dollar wherewith topay back the dollar he
borrowed than it did when he borro wed it
The interest accumulates, while payment o.
the principal seems utterly hopeless, and the
very depression which we are discussing
makes the renewal OF the mortgage most diff
6cult. Many people are disposed to associ
ate this phase ofthe subject with the ques
ton of an undue limitation OF our curren
cy Many carry this line of argument tc
extremes, but it is by no means Impossible,
chat these subjects are correlated. However
the question of currency is now receiving
special attention from another branch o
the governments; legislation on the subjec
is now pending before Congress: and we cal
no doubt look for an early and satisfactory
solution of this vexed problem.
After discussing the question of transpor
tation gambling in farm products, combina
tions and middlemen in trade he comes to
consideration of protection for the farmer.
now come to the consideration of one Q
the, gravest causes in my opinion OF the pres
ent agricultural depression, but which an
happy to state can be efectually and directl,
dealt with through national legislation
Few people realize that our imports OF agri
cultural. products estimated at prices pait
the consumers are about equal to our agri
cultural exports estimated at prices paid t.