The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-21

SI ASAhNSA pES Gnu @GNWs
Can any sane man think this re-
duction to me would not amount to
at least cents bushel or $4,000,
possibly twice as much Three thou
sand is reasonable interest on So, 900
per annum, and If this one-sided trade
amounts to so much out Of one farm
what untold millions of shrinkage will
there be in the aggregate value Of our
American farms? Let me give Won
the opinion of a gentleman down in
New Jersey.
An Open Letter.
ITO the Editor Of The New York
Times: The altruistlc position taken
by George t. Powell in his article in
The Times is beautifully virtuous. but
can this country afford such beautifled
indulgence In the long run? The cost
will be something as follows:
"First--Depreciatio OF farm values
in the United States TO the extent
of billions OF dollars.
"Second--Further forcing Of farm
ers to land Swimming policy. The
country is already greatly suffering
from having had that policy forced on
farmers by the competition OF too
many new farm owners who have had
no source Of income except that Sc
cured from fertility Swimming.
Third-The creation OF a condition
in which the country will be largely
dependent for it's future bread food
supply on outside countries.
"Fourth--Almost complete discour-
agement In connection with possible
future investment of capital i'm farm
ing operations.
"Fifth-Cutting down OF demand
from American farmers for manufac-
tured products. This injury 10 manu-
featuring interests will be far greater
than will be counter balanced by the
advantage to such interests by reel
procity.
"SiXth-Agricultural education will
be all the more difficult to apply to
tho agricultural classes. The only hope
for agricultural education lies in fos-
tering and protecting agricultural in
terests. Brains and money are not
going to be applied in ordinary farm
ing unless there is a chance to make
money in that pursuit. With present
prices the outlook was encouraging.
With reciprocity, and with our labor
prices, these would be no outlook for
the economic production of the sta
pie farm crops Of the grain-g grow
ing sections of the country, or for
dairy interests. 1t would seem that
every dictate Of national prudence
should induce the holding of national
policies that would conduce to a per-
manent status of all-grOund prosperi-
ty, including agricultural prosperity,
and outside of mere justice being done
to farm owners.
THE idea of universal free trade is
a beautiful one. but so long as hu-
man nature is as selfish as it is that
idea will not work In practice
This clamor for reciprocity is born
Of short sighted selfishness, and
It's realization will be accomplished at
a fearful future cost to all classes i'm
the whole country in return for
relatively small present advantage to
food consumers only.
-. NJ. w. Kitchen.
East Orange, N. j., Feb. IS" |
Return to Farm Drudgery.
On every hand is evidenced the de- |
sire Of the American farmer to correct |
by better farming, saner and more |
scientific methods the havoc he Gre |
ated on his land during that period |
when prices were so low he was COM |
PEELED to farm it all as poorly and
cheaply as possible so as to hold the /
land until that better day when con- |
sumption approached production. |
Shall We with our eyes open start |
back toward poverty and farm |
1rugery? But some one wants !
his thing. Who are they? James /
!. Hill having secured 10000, 600
through northwestern transportation
n his need wants to haul two tons
where he now hauls one Some other
'ailroads will be able To increase their
onnage. The millers want cheaper
wheat to grind duty so cents bar
el on -FOUR. The Minneapolis mills
want to double their capacity and
'arning. The terminal elevators at
Duluth and Chicago
want to increase their volume of bust
less, the board of trade speculator
wants IL because It will lessen his
hazards in selling what he did not
'roduce nor does not own, the jobbers
want to supply the needs of 5000. 900
consumers the manufacture
RS want to manufacture more goods
or the Jobbers, the steel trust wants
free Canadian market for it's enor-
nous output. The beef trust wants
rec live stock with protection against
repaired Canadian meats. The Inter
ational Harvester Co. wants TO milk
he Canadian farmer as IL has the
american farmer, the brewer wants
rec barley, the newspapers want free
rint paper, and Taft thinks he wants
o be president again.
An international Farmer.
Let me quote an American who Is
n international farmer: !
Minneapolis, Mimi, Feb. 1S.-Reci-
rocity will push the American farm
r back into slavery of proverty from I
rhich he has slowly and painfully
merged, according to p. L. A. Fergu-
on, farmer of Wisconsin and Sas- |
atchewan, who was scheduled for an
ddress at the farm school Of the
University OF Minnesota today. He ar /
ued the same topic with James ] 4
ill for two hours Friday. {
Ferguson is engaged in farming ON !
9th sides of the tariff wall as IL now !
xists. Six years in Saskatchewan :
ave given him definite knowledge
the possibilities of Canadian praf- !
q soil, which, he says, can be {
rought under cultivation at the aver I
&c expense of 81 per acre. His 1000 3
ere farm in Wisconsin is a newer 6
roposition, but has been carried far !
lough to convince Ferguson that 1t /
annot stand competition with his Z
farm. +
Reciprocity. as now proposed lie /