The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-11-14
FARMERS LACK QUICK Adjust.
MENT TO CHANGED CON-
ClTlONS
NOT UP WITH THE TIMES
Industrial Commission Discusses the
Cause OF Agricultural Depression.
TilIers Of the Soil Are Charged With
Lack Of Business Planning and Man.
aeement-Raise Same Crops Year
After Year.

Washington, Nov. 13-The indus
trial commission has made public it's
review Of evidence taken on the sub
jects of agriculture and agricultural
labor. Among other subjects dis
cussed is that of agricultural depres-
sion, of which the commission speaks
as follows:
THE cause most often assigned for
the depression of agriculture in the
Eastern states is the increased produc-
ton due to the opening of Western
lands in advance of the natural de-
mand, especially through the agency
of liberal land laws and grants of land
IN aid of railroad construction. The
competition of the West has been
rendered especially severe by the pol
icy of the railroads in making the
freight rates relatively low for long
distances. The old staple products
having thus become Improbable in
the East, it has been necessary for
farmers to change their methods and
vary the character of their crops, TAX
ing up especially the culture of prod
ucts which are not easily TRANSPORTED
long distances. Thus truck farming
has largely superseded cereal growing
along the Atlantic coast, but farmers
in the North Atlantic states now COM
plain of the severe competition of
states further south in this industry,
and much the same may be said of
fruit growing. Even so perishable a
commodity as milk is transported
icto
since the introduction Of refrigerator
cars.
"Another cause which several wit
nesses assign for the unsatisfactory
condition OF agriculture in some parts
OF the country is the conservatism of
the farmers, their lack of quick
Adjustment to Changed Conditions,
and lack OF effective business planning
and management. The farmers as a
class have not kept up with the times,
but have raised the same crops year
after year without regard to changes
IN supply and demand. This undue
conservatism and lack of managing
ability among farmers is especially
emphasized with reference to the
Southern states and is given as an
explanation of the too exclusive atten-
ton to cotton production prevailing
there.
Another cause assigned for agri-
cultural depression in the South is the
scarcity of money, the difficulty of Dor
rowing on real estate security and the
consequent high rates Of interest. It
seems to be possible, however, to bor-
row money in the South at somewhat
lower rates of interest than formerly.
The decline in the price of cotton is of
course an important element in the de-
preston Of agriculture in the South.
The inehiciency of negro labor is as
signed as another cause. On the
other hand, it is affirmed that there is
too much good and cheap labor in the
South. An abundance of cheap labor
is said to be unfavCrable to the sue
cess of agriculture, because it results
in planting too large an acreage and
in neglect of personal attention by the
planter.
Against the charge that farmers
are unduly conservative is put the
counter charge that they turn from
one crop to another without sufficient
regard to the suitability of the climate
and soil, or to the conditions of the
market"