Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-12-20
rhe Farmer as pictured.

SOou-ISdi goOU- II 10 WIG" nv ASe'@'N
the report Of Secretary of Agriculture
/ WiIson, who gives him the figures on
the immeuRe crops he has raised in the
preceding twelve months, shows how
their values runs into the billions and
intimates hat if he should decide to
rest up for year, go abroad aAd "blow
in" some of the fruits of his labors, af-
ter the manner of other great men, the
country would probably go to smash.
1t looks well on paper to show that
the value of the farmers products last
year amounted 10 seven and halt
millions of dollars and that the ami
mails sold and slaughtered by farmers
brought in one billion two hundred
| and seventy millions. Mr.. Farmer feels
important when tie Secretary tells
him that the exports of farm products
exceeded our imports last year by
four hundred and forty-tour millions
Of dollars, that Jour foreign credit is
sustained mainly by our farmers, WIN,
| by the way, get no benefit from the
Dingley tariff; that great stream Of
wealth has been sent from the farms
to foreign countries to offset the adj
verse balanee of trade in commodities
other than agricultural, to pay the
ocean freight costs on imports convey
ed in foreign owned ships and to pay
| the interest, dividends and principal
on investments in the United States
by foreigners.
at is the farmer" Mr.. Wilson says,
"who has sent credit to expatriated
Americans; it isl he who has provided
the i'm migrant with millions to send
every year to the loved ones in the old
countries; ard, If their is still any
credit to dispose of, the farmer has
provided the American traveller in for
eign countries with his pocket money"
All this makes The farmer glad. He
| is patriot and likes to know that he
| Is the bulwark of his couutry's great
ness, but he would like to know just
where he comes in. Ifhe does so much
for his country it ought TO do little
for him. The lemon ought not to be the
only fruit of his industry the country
should be willing to hand him. For in
stance, he is probably the greatest
user Of machinery in the land. Yet the
former in Argentina or almost any
other far-away land can buy self
binder, mower, a pillow, harrow or
even the humble hoe, FER less than the
farmer in the State in which it is
made has to pay. But the farmer is so
rieh he really should.not mind being
taxed so that his poorer brother who is
a manufacturer may buy steam yachts
automobiles, divorces, new wives and
| expensive homes for them in foreign
lands, as well as other trfies necessary
to his happiness The farmer, being
rich, could get all of these things, but
he doesn't want them. He leads the
simple life, gets up at in the morning
cleans out his stable, feeds and cures
down his horses, milks the cows and
clean their stalls, feeds the hogs and
then washes up at the pump AMI is
ready for breakfast and his day work.
The old horse that has done This work
for years an the farm is all the auto
mobile he needs when he wants to take
to the road; the traction engine at
threshing time is as near as he gets to
steam yachts, and the wife he married
in his youth, who has grown old with
him, borne his children, shared his toll
and bis troubles, whose hands are hard
and whose face is furrowed with age
and care, is all the "af1inity" he needs
But, although the farmer does moi
want some of the thir gs that Other
rich men hold 80 important, there are
others he would like to have. He would
like tariff law that would take from
his shoulders some of the burdens OF
others that he has been carrying for
years. He would like his rural mail.
carrier to have the privilege of carry
ing small articles for delivery ON his
route, whether the express companies
want him to do so or not. He would
like gambling in the products of his
land brought TO ar end. He would like
toll roads abolished in the State, all
the highways made free and have the
State build trunk roads.
The farmer isn't asking any favors He
inst wants to he given souara deoI
and be allowed to retain some Of the
great wealth that he produces.-Sun