The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-05-22
THE GRANGE AND THE FARMERS
PROBLEMS
(BY IL. l. LOnckSl

by H. l.. Loucks)
When have the farmers eyer failed
to produce enough TO supply the needs
of the nation, and a substantial surplus
for export to supply the needs of other
nations?
They navc never gone on a strike
though working longer hours, and us
ing child labor more than in any other
industry.
The annual production Of wealth
from the farm is o around the So
600, 0O0, 900 mark. This does not look
like the work Of an ignorant, inefficient
industry of the careless and lazy.
Agriculture has kept pace pretty
well with other industries, and for the
past 20 years has shown a steady and
gradual increase of yield per acre, as
a result Of more scientific and better
methods.
Agriculture is the one industry de-
pended on to turn the balance of trade
in our favor. For the 20 year period
under consideration the average an
nual surplus for export has been $780,
1850. No other industry can show
anything like so large a surplus for
export.
Agriculture is our one and only in
dustry conducted without any special
privilege, bonus, subsidy or protec-
ton.
1t is a well Known economic law that
where the natural law of supply and
demand prevails, uncontrolled by a
monopoly or trust, that the export price
governs the Price of all consumed at
home as well.
Agriculture alone Of all our great in.
dustries has to compete in the worlds
markets, and accept the worlds prices,
not only for the small per cent export.
ed, but for the whole crop.
NOW compare this record with other
lines OF comerce and industry. Our
manufacturers assert that they can
not operate their plants unless given
a monopoly of our home markets bv
means of a protective tariff. Whenever
there is a revision of the tariff on.
washington is crowded with represen.
tatlves OF the various manufacturing
industries even those infant in
dustries' grown hoary with age, pro-
testing vigorously against any reduc-
ton Of rates on their special industry
and declaring that any such reduction
would put them out of business. etc,
AT our next annual session | shall
recommend that we raise a fund TO
employ experts in the several lines of
manufacturing to teach them better,
more scientific, and efficient methods.
We are interested as buyers and also
in their employees as orr best Gus
toners.
The National Banks are taking a
lively interest in advising, and as in
the case Of Mr.. Decker Of Minneapolis,
even using their credit power as a
club to compel farmers wishing to Dor
row money to promise to raise more
stock. What for? To help the farmer?
No but to force an increased produc-
ton, to decrease the price, so that
they, the bankers could afford to buy
steak, which Mr.. Decker said thew
could not afford to do now. The farm
ers are catching on to the idea that 1t
is better to produce less at a profit,
than more at a loss.
twenty years ago the National
Bankers declared that I'VE had the
very best financial system the world
had ever known" They have had I'M
restrained control of their business,
and complete control of congress ever
since. and have secured such amend.
ments as they wished to keep 1t up to
date, and now they claim that it Is
the very worst in the world, or as
President Taft said Of it in Boston,
ut Is a miserable patchwork that
satisfied nobody"
We regret that 1t did not occur to
Mr.. Decker. or that conference of
Bankers called together by him, that
one OF the great needs of agriculture
is the use Of money at a lower rate of
interest. On that line, where they had
the power, they could have been of real
help to the farmers of the northwest.
The farmers are very much inter
ested in our banks, bankers and our
financial system. On their own testi-
mony the bankers have made a mess
OF 1t. I think we should raise a fund
to employ experts to teach the bankers
more scientific, and better methods of
finance, so as to put more money in
circulation, and thus cheaper the rate
of interest, so that farmers could afford
to use more money in farm develop
ment.
In addition we should establish a few
cooperative agricultural credit asso-
Citations rs demonstration banks" to
show them how to loan our deposits
on a smaller margin.