Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-02

other activities of the country in its
development. [ need not stop to tell
you how fundamental to the life of
the nation is the production of it's
food. Our thoughts may ordinarily
be concentrated upon the cities and
the hives of industry, upon the cries
of the crowded market place and the
clangor of the factory, but it is from
the quiet interspaces of the open val
leys and the free hillsides that we
draw the sources of life and of pros
perity, from the farm and the ranch,
from the forest and the mine. With
out these every street would be silent,
every office deserted, every factory
fallen into disrepair. And yet the
farmer does not stand upon the same
footing with the forester and the
miner in the market of credit He is
the servant of the seasons. Nature
determines how long he must wait
for his crops, and will not be hurried
in her processes. He may give his
note, but the season of its maturity
depends upon the season when his
crop natures, lies at the gates of the
market where his products are sold.
And the security he gives is of
character not known in the brokers'
office or as Familiarity as it might be
on the counter Of the banker.
Partner of Farmers.
The Agricultural Department of the
government Is seeking to assist as
never before to make farming an
efficient business, of wide cooper
alive effort, in quick touch with the
markets for foodstuffs. The farmers
and the government WILL henceforth
work together as real partners in this
field, where we now begin to see our
way very clearly and where many
intelligent plans are already being
put into execution. The treasury of
the United States has, by timely and
well-considered distribution of its de-
posits, facilitated the moving of the
crops In the present season and pre-
vented the scarcity of available funds
too often experienced at such times
/ But we must not allow ourselves to
depend upon extraordinary expedi-
ents. We must add the means by
which the farmer may make his
credit constantly and easily available
and command when he will the cap
ital by which to support and expand
his business. We lag behind many
other great countries of the modern
world in attempting to do this. Sys-
TENS of rural credit have been studied
and developed on the other side of
| to shift for themselves in the ordi-
nary money market. You have but
| to look about you in any rural dis
trict to see the result, the handicap
and embarrassment which have been
put upon those who produce our food.
Rural Credit.
Conscious of this backwardness and
neglect on our part, the Congress re-
Gently authorized the creation of q
special commission to study the va
rious systems of rural credit which
have been put into operation in
Europe, and this commission Is al
ready prepared to report. Its report
ought to make 1t easier for us to de-
ter1nine what methods will be best
suited to our own farmers. l hope
and believe that the committees of
the Senate and House will address
themselves to this matter with the
most fruitful results, and / believe
that the studies and recently formed
plans of the Department of Agricul-
ture may be made to serve them very
greatly in their work of framing ap-
propriate and adequate legislation. 1t
would be indiscreet and presumptu-
Gus in anyone to dogmatize upon so
great and many-sided question, but
/ feel confident that common counsel
will produce the results we must all
desire.
Turn from the farm to the world of
business which centres in the city
and in the factory, and think that
all thoughtful observers will agree
that the immediate service we owe
| the business communities of the coun-
try is to prevent private monopoly