The age-herald., 1901-11-13
CANNOT RAISE
 STAPLE PRODUCTS Truck Farms in the East Su-
 percede Cereals SOUTHERN COMPETITION Farmers in the North Atlantic States Complains of the South-Re-
 port of the Industrial
 Commission.
SOUTHERN COMPETITION

Washington, November 12.-The indus trial commission today made public it's review of evidence taken before the com mission on the subjects of agriculture and agricultural labor. Among other subjects discussed is that of agriculture depression, of which the commission speaks as follows:
 ''The cause most often assigned for the depression of agriculture in the Eastern States Is the increased production due to the opening of Western lands in advance of the natural demand and practically the agency of liberal land laws and grants of land in aid of railroad construc- ton. The competition of the West has been rendered especially severe by the policy of railroads in making freight rates relatively low for long distances. The old staple products having thus be- come improbable in the East, it has been necessary for farmers to change their methods and vary the character of their crops taking up especially the cult ure of products which are not easily transported long distances.
 Depend on Truck Farm.
 Thus truck farms have largely super ceded cereal growing along the Atlantic coast, but farmers in the North Atlantic states now complain of the severe com petition 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 much longer distances than formerly since the introduction of refrigerator cars
 Another cause which several witnesses ign for the unsatisfactory condition
 agriculture in some parts of the coun- ..J in the conservatism of the farmers their lack of quick adjustment to chang ed conditions, and lack of effective busi- ness blaming and management The farm CT, as a class, has not kept up with the times but has raised the same crops year after year without regard to changes in supply and demand. This undue con- servatism and lack of manageing abil- ity among farmers is especially empha- sized with reference to the Southern states and Is given as an explanation of the too exclusive attention to cotton pro- auction prevailing there.
 South Needs Money.
 Another cause assigned for agricultur- al depression in the South is the scarcity of money. the difficulty of borrowing on real estate security, and the consequent high rates of interest. It seems to be possible, however, to borrow money in the South at somewhat lower rates of i'm terest than formerly. The decline in the price of cotton is of course an important element in the depression of agriculture in the South. The inefficiency of negro labor is assigned as another cause. On the other hand. 1t is affirmed that these is too much good and cheap labor in the South An abundance of cheap labor is said to be unfavorable to the success 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"