The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-08-12

We shall continue to encourage Ine
teaching or these things because they
are fundamentally necessary, but the
greater problem at this time is to
teach the farmer how to sell to the
best advantage what we have taught
him to produce at the least cost. We
have taught him productive ability;
we must now teach him selling abili-
ty. It will do him little good to fill his
barns with crops for which he can
find no sale, or which at the best he
must sell with no margin OF profits,
To my mind the problem Of mar
keting, the reduced cost Of distribu-
ton of farm products from the pro-
Queer to the consumer, is the biggest
problem for solution The best au-
thorities prove conclusively that the
farmer receives only so per cent of
the price paid by the consumer for
his products. Just what plan will
be worked out to reach this problem
cannot be foreseen at this time. l
had inserted in the last appropria-
ton bill a provision to study this
whole subject with view to reach
ing some conclusion which might be
taken to the farmer in the way OF
practical demonstration. The work
is now organized, and as chairman
of the committee, 1 shall encourage
to the extent of my ability the work
of the department as outlined by
Secretary Houston in securing:
first, better methods Of marketing:
second, better rural credits; third:
better schools for the farmer.
But the Government Will Only Help
You to Help Yourself.
But the most vital element in the
problem is not toibe overlooked. The
farmer must not get the idea that he
is to sit down and wait for things to
be hanied to him on a silver platter.
The government does not propose
to run his farm for him. 1t is only
willing to help those who help them
selves and acts upon the assumption
that the enrner wants 70 do thirss
for himself and only needs a little
guidance. Unless he will give his
cooperation to the government and
to his brother farmer and to his COM
munity, the work of the government
will be worse than wasted. The spir-
it of self-help and community coop
Grafton is to be the cap-stone Of the
arch.
In the improvement of farm condi-
tons the ideal cannot be reached
until firm grasp is had upon the
practical side of life. The enthus-
last will find little encouragement in
bringing about the ideal farm condi-
tion-the educated farm boy and
girl; the we'll arranged, carefully and
santized farm home; the front yard
filled with ever-blooming roses, the
parlor athrob with inspiring music,
the walls alive with historic paint
ings, and all those things which We
would like to see until he has
brought about the financial inde-
pendence of this same farmer. We
would make a mistake to get the
cart before the horse. 1t is we'll to
look to the ideal, but it is wise to
look to that end in practical, SEN
sible way, by teaching better mar
keting methods, by standardizing farm
farm products, giving to them COM
munity character, by developing a
system of rural credits and rural CO.
operation by which the farmers may
secure long loans at low interest
We shall increase the bank account
Of the farmer, relieve him fnan-
cial dependence and assure to him a
few moments away from drudgery in
which he may look with hope to the
aesthetic and better side of life.
"a Big Work"
The department Of agriculture un-
der. it's new leadership and the COM
mittee on agriculture as now con-
stituted, have set for their purpose
the big constructive work Of bring
ing about those conditions which
make for the ideal in farm life. In
this mighty task they ask the sympa-
thy and help of all agencies seeking
the real good of the great mass Of
our people. And not the least pow
erful among these forces stand those
strong and fearless papers-such as
The Progressive Farmer-which sound
sound the note of encouragement and
reach out the hand of help Sto the
struggling farmer.