The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-05-08

an outline Of what the organized farm.
ers are advocating as the true solu.
| ton.
Why select agriculture as the one
and only great industry IN the nation
requiring this special education al the
private expense OF those Indirectly in
tereSteds
What effect will il have on the in.
dustry. and those engaged in it
Have they not kept pace with other
industries in improved methods o.
productions
Our competitor in the worlds mar.
ketS have had the advaataSe ot state
owned and operated railroads for
transportation az cost and In some in
stances state owned elevators; and
yet we have met them. paving all the
traffic would bear over oar privately
owned elevators. What other indus
try has, OF could have done so weilc
In all these external efforts 70 aid
the farmer from Presidents Taft and
Wilson down, the main object as stat
ed is 10 increase production. 80 as 10
reduce The high COS; 81 living. ind!,
-~ctly placing the whole blame for the
high COS, Of living on the farmer,
which Is Got true and Is no, fair.
L. increased production means lower
prices. and K does. how VIII i, help
the farmer, 70 produce more and get
less for IL
Food products have not increased in
price as rapidly as other products.
Under our present system a. uncor-
;rolled marketing the farmer does not
receive as much for the bumper crop
as for the medium or average crop.
How does the price OF farm products
compare with - years ago.
Can the farmer produce as cheaply
IS he could - years ago:
Can the farmer exchange the pro
ducts OF his farm for as much OF the
things he needs as he could - years
ago? That IS the ? test.
II discussing this question I wish il
distinctly understood that J an doing
so from a general. or national stand
point and any apparent criticisms are
not intended 10 apply 10 the many gen
erous men who are locally irving -
assist the farmers. I believe in better
farming. in scientific farming. in bring.
ing practical education as close to the
farm as possible. L is absolutely nee.
eSsary 50 long as our competitors are
doing so. Indeed our competitors are
spending much more per capita 70.
the encouragement and development
o. agriculture than We are I think il
Is safe TO say that our new great com.
peLtor, Canada. is spending % times
as much.
Waa- / wish I emphasize is. that Il
il IS better education the farmer needs,
it should be al public expense. In.
crease our public educational facilities.
not only for the farmer, but the me-
chaniC. the manufacturer. the banker.
the railroad manager. and the CONNER.
cial men and women. Treat all alike,
Let il be vocational education Of the
most liberal kind. the best invest
ment that state and nation tan make.
I will Try 20 demonstrate before | con.
clude this series, that as a matter OF
fact. The farmer is less in need Of this
special education, provided BY the pri-
vate generosity OF the representatives
OF other industries. than any other.
The education the farmer now needs
the most is along the lines Of cooper.
atiye transportation, distribution and
marketing.
Every other great Industry pays as
much. II not more attention 10 distribu-
ton and sale than 10 production, many
OF them fixing the price the customer
must pay before the product leaves
the factory.
The farmer alone. on the advice of
other interests, limits his efforts TO
production, and permits those other
interests 10 take charge OF the more
important functions OF distribution
and sale.
There is where the profits go. There
is where the big margin is between
what the farmer receives and the con-
sumner pays.
The organized farmers have their
eyes on that margin.
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