The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-13
.DILAT0RY FARMERS
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION REVIEWS
EVIDENCE AS TO AGRICuL-
TURAL DEPRESSION
CONSERVATISM A HOLD-BACK
Liberal Policy of Disposing of West
ern Lands Is Alleged to Have
Caused Over-Productfon-
Fad for the East.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-The indus
trial commission today made public its
review of evidence taken on the sub
jects of agriculture and agricultural
labor. Among other subjects discussed
is that of agricultural depression. IF
which the commission speaks asffollows:
1.-THE cause most often assigned FOR
the depression of agriculture in the
Eastern states is tbs increased produc-
ton due to the opening of Western
lands in advance of the natural demand.
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 especial.
ly severe by the policy of the railroads
in making freight rates relatively low
for long distances. The old staple
products having thus become unprofit-
able in the East, it has been necessary
for farmers to change their methods and
vary the character of their. crops. taking
up especially the culture of products
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largely superseded cereal growing along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 complain of
the severe competition of states further
South in this industry, and much the
same may be said of fruit growing
is transported much longer distances
than formerly since the Introduction of
refrigerator cars.
Another cause which several Witness
es assign for the unsatisfactory con-
dition of agriculture in some parts of the
country is the conservatism of the farm
ers, their lack of quick adjustment to
changed conditions, and lack of effective
business planning and management.
The farmers as class have not kept
up with the times, but have raised the
same crops year after year without re-
gard 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 agricul-
tural 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. 1t
seems to be possible, however, to Dor
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 inefficiency 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 unfavorable to the success of agrl-
culture, 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