Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-07-14
WEDNESDAY, July "a. 1909
FARMERs, CROPS AND ROOD PRICES

| The Oshkosh Northwestern OF laLe
issue contains a leading editorial of
sound reflection when it quotes the ex-
pressed opinion Of Secretary Wilson Of
the department of agriculture that the
present high prices of foodstuffs are
due, at least to a considerable extent,
| to the lack of available farm hands in
most Of the agricultural sections of
| this country. AS matter Of fact
there may be something to this theory,
anl at least it affords ground for in
te resting specuIations Secretary Will
son declares there are thousands Of
acres of valuable and fertile land in
the western part of this country which
are lying idle because the owners can
not hire labor TO work and develop
them, while all over the land the farm
ers could materially increase their out
put Of crops if they could secure nee
cessary help during the regular crop
season.
! OF course there is not the slightest
doubt that the prices Of foodstuffs
would drop materially and to reason
able figures for the consumers, pro-
vided the crop yields Of the nation could
be increased, for this would come under
the operation of the old law of supply
and demand 1t is also evident that
the troubleldoes not lie in any scarcity
Of land, for there are millions of acres
Of desirable farming lands that are
stil waiting to be developed, while
with modern scientific methods and ro
tation Of crops much more could be got
out of the land that is already under
cultivation. The difficulty of accom-
plshing this, however lies in the fact
that there is a limit to human endur-
ance when it comes to farm work, just
the same as there is in all work And
it is safe to say that most of the farm
ers in the great agricultural sections of
the country are working right up to
their limits in this respect now, and
are cultivating as much land as it is
possible for them to do with such help
as they are able to hire.
Undoubtedly these farmers would like
nothing better than to increase the size
Of their farms and their produetiyeness
because it would mean larger returns
in the way Of money to them, even if
the prices of grain and other farm pro
ducts should drop 10 normal levels.
But the trouble is that they can not
find the help to increase largely the
number of acres they have under culti-
walton or to work their present culti-
waited acreage in such way as to
make it yield larger crops.
This is a serious dilema and it means
far more to the rank and file Of the
people Of the country. the consumers
of limited means, than i does to the
farmers. The prices that must now be
paid for foodstutfs and other necessities
OF life have reached figures that are
almost prohbitive A proper reduction
Of tariff schedules would help out won
dcrtully, but larger crop yields would
help out more This Is being pointed
out by economists and publicists on
every hand The disturbing question is
as to how to bring this about, How
are the strong and able bodied men in
the big cities of the country who have
hard work to make a living for them
selves and families, going to be at
trarted to farm work? II seems re
Ipngnant to them. for some reason or
Jnother although the mony now paid
to capable farm hands in most sections
Of the country, added to their living
and lodging which is thrown in, is far
better than The wages which are given
to laborcrs in the large centers Of pop
nlufintt