Evening journal., 1909-06-17
Editorial
Opinion
The Farmers wastofulness.

The Farmers Wastefulness.
New York Sun.
IT would be we'll for the country II sew
eral millions Of our fellow citizens could
see the economic situation as clearly and
appreciate It as sanely as does Mr..
George T. Powell, whose letter on "The
Farmers Wastefulness' we published on
June II. Mr. Powell declares that "the
most urgent problem before our nation to-
day is not the tariff but the prevention OF
tho great wastefulness IN agricultural
methods that occurs everywhere in the
United States, and the dissemination OF
scientific information that shall lead to
soil restoration and improvement" The
proposition is 'rrefutable.
Responsible authorities have estimated
the amount Of the food bill of the Amerl-
can people at little more than $1,000 OOO.-
900 year. That both the first cost and the
retail price OF most Of the articles on the
list could he and should be materially re-
duced there can be no question. As The
Sun has asseverated and as MIR. Powell
declares, very few Of our farmers have
even vague notion Of the cost OF their
products. The makers Of farm implements.
Of clothing. hats, shoes, furniture and
other articles bought by farmers know
to the fraction of a cent the cost Of their
merchandise. There are and there can be
no wasteful or haphazard methods I'm man.
ufacturing or In commercial business. The
inevitable penalty OF indifference to cost
In those lines Is failure. Except in rare in
stances no other methods are followed on
the farm. In that industry ii is not the
producer upon whom the penalty falls
The consumer pays for the waste, indiffcr-
ence and ignorance of the producer.
Because OF sundry legends handed
down from generation to generation there
Is a general belief that farmers life IS OF
arduous and poorly requited toll Much OF
that belief is utter nonsense. The average
farmer works no harder to-day than does
the average man in any other line of in
dustry. His reward Is determined chiefly
by the intelligence which he applies TO his
operations. Farmers whose hayhclds show
one-third grass and two thirds weeds. who
are satisfied with 200 pounds Of cotton OF
100 bushels Of potatoes or 20 bushels OF
corn to the acre. who say that the,
cant afford" TO spray their apple trees
who leave their wagons their ploughs
harrows, and hoes in the fields and fence
corners to rust and rot. are usually poor
and worthy Of no better condition. Fol
their plight we have pity but no sympa.
thy. Unfortunately, they represent large
persentage Of their kind and they demand
and receive consideration far beyond theil
merits
This is a Tar reaching question. II ha,
been too much neglected. The pith Of tn,
matter is that the American people pay
every year scores Of millions Of dollars {,
maintain a LOT OF foolish traditions abou
the farmer and the planter. We scoid thu
Beef Trust" if the price OF meat is ad
vanced. We blame the baker and the mil
Ter II the size Of loaf is reduced or ~
price increased. We criticise the tariff an,
the transportation companies as the pro
voking causes OF high cost OF living. SOM
day the root Of the matter will be reacAe'
and the producers OF our food supplies vii
be compelled to make unit cost the dom
inant factor in their industry as It is II
other lines.