Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-09

! ures show you something of our agricul-
] tural interests. The American farmer is
1 the backbone of the country. He is the
biggest institution in it,
What Makes Uncle Sam Rich.
But last year and the year before have
been the exceptions, Mr.. Secretary. The
crops have been much better than ever be-
FORE
That is true to minor extent" replied
Secretary Wilson. But for years the
farmer has been bringing over foreign gold
from Europe Australia and Asia to even
up our losses in other branches of trade
In the last thirteen years our average eX-
cess of exports over imports amounted to
about 2I5 million dollars per year, and
during that time the annual balance of
such trade in favor of the farmer was 337
million dollars, that is, the farmer had
not only to give the balance of trade in
our favor, but he had to pay 60 million dol
lars in the shape of an adverse balance to
other imports In the last fourteen years
the farmers balance of trade amounted to
almost five billion dollars 1t was enough
to pay all the losses of our other foreign
business and to put 1000 millions of dollars
in round numbers. to the credit of the ma
ton. Those figures give you some idea
where this wonderful wave of prosperity
which has been sweeping over the country
comes from"
Farming as Business.
"Then, 1 suppose that farming, as
business, has begun to pay"
at has always paid" replied Secretary
Wilson, when managed in a busness-like
manner. But the day has passed when you
can take 1t up as a makeshift. The man
who would make money in farming to-
day must know his farm and how to farm
it. He must know the nature of foods, and
fertilizers. He must understand the mar
kets and bring the same business judg-
ment to bear that is necessary 10 the sue
cess of other businesses. Above all the
farmer must keep up to the times and
farm scientifically, for it is only in that
way that he can get the most cut of his
land.
'Will we ever have a great farmers
trust, which will corner the market raise
prices and fight the other combinations of
capital?"
II don't think such a thing possible" re-
piled Secretary Wilson. This is a big
country and farming is a big business. All
the world is more or less engaged in 1t and
you can't control elements like that. Be
sides each farmer is Independent of the
other. and while all have to a large ex-
tent common interests they are somewhat
antagonistic to one another. I think the
farmers might be united in opposition to
anything vitality against the interests of ALL
but that matter settled they would as be-
fore act as individuals
The Question of Farm Labor.
But, Mr.. Secretary, how about labor
matters? 1 should think you would have
trouble to get men to work on the farms
1 understand that most of the farm boys are
going to the cities"
That was so for time. but more now
remain upon the farms. We have had a
great immigration of farm laborers and we
have been steadily making inventions in
farm tools SO that the average hand can do
more now than the man of the past. Take
the rice lands about the Gulf of Mexico One
American farm hand with our machinery
can raise as much rice there in one year
as four hundred Chinese laborers can raise
in China employing Chinese methods and
Chinese machinery. The conditions as to
other crops are somewhat similar. Indeed,
the farm machines enable US to dispense
with large number of hands,"
is farm labor organized, Mr. Secretary?
Do the farm hands have trades unions?'
mot that 1 know of. The men are so
scattered that it would be difficult to or
ganize them. They are not employed at
the farm hand of today expects to own a
farm of his own a few years from now.
He is SO busy scheming how he can do that
that he has no time to worry over hours
and wages"
How about wages, Mr.. Secretary? Is
the farm laborer well paid?'
II think he is replied the Secretary OF
varying with the locality. In the north
west, where, perhaps. the most skilled of
our farmers are found. hired men get So
a month and more. That Is equal to $40 a
month without board, which is good pay
for any man. Such hand will understand
how to use farm machinery He will know
all about crops, and he can, II necessary,