The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-18


world the competitor of every other
farmer in the sale of products consumed
at his own door, and he who can produce
cheapest will survive. The farmer, there
fore, must have the best machinery and
make it available over the largest possible
area, and this again restricts the small
farmer at least to the production OF the
speciality best adapted to his location.
There is another reason for this: formerly,
where his surplus product was consumed
near by he could know the capacity of his
market and the competition to be ex-
pected; now-and this is especially true
of the California farmer-when his surplus
is consumed many thousands of miles
away and sold at the price fixed by the
competition of the world it is not possible
for any farmer to inform himself of the
probable profit OF production of many ar
ticles. And yet this knowledge, while far
more difficult than formerly for the farmer
to obtain, is far more essential, because
while formerly the farmer was interested
in the money value OF but small portion
OF his product, he is now interested in the
money value of nearly all of it.
Still other elements now have to be con-
sldered by the farmer. The increased use
Of money involves borrowing and debt.
With proper business knowledge borrow
ing is legitimate and profitable to the Dor
rover; nearly all business men are large
borrowers, but borrowing in excess of the
knowledge to use wisely involves risk,
paid for by high interest, and often leads
to disaster. The farmer, unaware of his
ignorance, has become greatly indebted,
and is now profoundly interested in a
stable currency. From being very small
buyer he has become a very large one, and
is vitality interested in the control of trusts
and other com binations affecting the price
of the necessities of life. As all that he
sells and all that he buys are necessarily
transported over the great routes OF COM
merce, he has come to have money in
terest in the conduct and control OF trans
portatlon companies. Paying more taxes
than he did, the farmer is more interested
in the maintenance Of giant system OF
taxation and the economical conduct of
public affairs. All these and kindred SUBJ
jects form part of the great science of
economics, as to which it is highly neces-
sary that the farmer be well informed in
order, in the conduct of his business, and
by his vote when necessary, to lntelh-
gently protect his own interests. From
the lack of this knowledge he is continually
misled by agitators. and often by the par
tisan press.
1t appears then that from being pro-
ducer and manufacturer on small scale
for the home market he has become pro-
ducer and merchant on large scale for
the markets of the world. While once
little knowledge would serve him, and that
mostly such as his own observation could
supply it is now essential that he be
broadly educated man, familiar with the
conditions affecting his own business in
all parts of the world. Henoeforward the
successful farmers will be only those so
educated. If the product of the small
farm will not justify the expense of this
information-and it will not-there re-
mains but the alternative of the combina-
ton OF farmers to secure 1t at the common
expense for the benefit of all or the gradual
absorption of the small farms by the
strongest and the extinction of the small
farmer, who will sink into the condition OF
dependant. This process of course will
not be sudden but gradual, as the world
always moves, beginning with the weakest
This conclusion is not to my liking, but 1
know it to be the opinion of such business
men as have heard express themselves,
and ] believe it to be the teaching of science
and the judgment Of all competent to form
one. If erroneous some one should be able
to put his finger on the weak spot of the
reasoning, and l wish he would dose. The
pleasure of escaping the conclusion would
be far greater than the annoyance of being
caught in bad logic. This column is open
to discussion and l shall be glad to devote
it mostly to that purpose. shall be glad
to hear from my brethren farmers or
others. Assuming the correctness of the
conclusion it is evident that we have lost
ground in the race of life by reason of our
isolation. We do not meet and learn from
each other as residents of cities do; nor do
we have such opportunities as they to meet
with the most eminent of other classes or
to learn from books the experience of
others. The remedy is equally obvious in
the correction of that condition. The I'M
certainty is whether that can be done.
Further profitable discussion of the subject
must be on the practical ways of accom-
plishing this end. EDWARD f. ADAMS.