Lower coast gazette., 1913-05-10
Financing the Farmer.

1913.
Continual complaints against the high cost OF
living. heard on every side, naturally prompts
one to endeavor to get at the underlying causes
of this distressing condition. It will be con-
coded that the high cost OF living is not the re-
suit of the prevalence OF any one particular GUS
tom or condition, but that q number OF import
ant elements enter into the consideration ana
solution of this important problem. | shall not
ATTEMPT to go into all the various ramlflcatiohs
of the question, but shall endeavor TO CONNIE
myself to q discussion OF those matters Whlch 1
deem to be the more potential FACTORS IN the
much-talked of high cost Oh living.
II is believed that one o. the principal rea-
sons for the increased cost o. living lies IN the
crude agricultural methods and conditions pre-
yailing. Il is q well"knoWr tact that inc per-
centage of increase III the rural reputation OF
The country is much smaller chan Cnat OF Tie
urban. Conditions as they exist to-day are suen
that country life no longer possesses any attlac-
ton for a great many people. AS a result: Ihey
al flock to the cities anG the agricultural inter
asts of the nation are suffering from indltfer-
ence and neglect. The logical result is, thai
while the population Of the country increases
from wear to year the production from the SOIL
does not increase proportionately. Inc num-
nor of consumers so far cut-numDels the pro-
ducers, and the demand is SO greatly III excess
of tho supply, that for high Drlces 10 pfeVall
is but natural. ".
Another factor is the lack Oh good roads. Inc
farmer often is obliged TO maui MS produce 10
market over roads in wretcnet condition which,
of course. necessitates delay anu extra expense
which would not be incurred il the roads OF
the country were in a condition consistent with
its growth and development. And VINO pays
the increased cost which this lack OF good ROADS
entails? Why, the consumer, o. course! lie
has to submit to this simply because the farmer
is not afforded adequate facilities Tor the mar
ketinq of his produce to insure a price TO the
consumer which shall be consistent with reason
7 have spoken of the decreased per capita
production from the soil, which J believe TO De
one of the chief causes of the trouble. me NUM-
her of acres of land farmec III the Unlteo otales
is not commensurate with the numDer OF acres
available. 1t is highly important tnat our pro-
duction be increased. The business OF the Tar
mer is lust like that of any other calling. IL one
is to make a success OF 1t, ne must 20 at ~ III
an intelligent way and have me oenent Oh the
most modern and scientific metnoos alo devices.
If a farmer is able to produce onl! q snali ciop
as a result of Anticipated metnods, u Is neil-eei-
dent that the price to the consumer WI, y : -
creased as a result of the decreased pfoductloh.
IF q farmer loses his stock through disease or
his cron through pests and other contributing
canses. it naturally follows thar The consumer
NAYS more for what he does geC. II better agrl-
cultural methods were in vogue ana the FARMER
were enabled to farm scientifically, those things
which render a large production Impossible
would he obviated and consequently the cost 10
the consumer decreased.
The farmer, like everyone else, requires
money with which to finance his business opefcc
ations. If he is to do this conveniently, 1t IS OIL
course necessary, that he be enabled TO procuIe
loans during the crop moving season at such
rates and on such terms as Will not Work a
hardship upon him. If he is obliged to submit
To arduous and burdensome conditions In the
nrocurement of this necessary money, 1.-The result
to the consuming public. is disastrous.
How can some of these underlying causes De
remedied? By improving agricultural condl,
tions so that the environment of the farmer Will
he such as to produce content. This can be &C.
complished by systematic education along agrl'
cultural lines. Much is being said and done on
behalf of good roads these days, and various
suggestions have been advanced for the procure,
ment, of this Improvement, some VI Wllch ousn
to prove feasible. The decreased per caplts
production, of course, is attributable to the de
crease in the rural population, which oellevf
can be increased by adoption of the remedies
which | have suggested. | believe that the avail
able acreage for farming purposes can be IN
creased through reclamation and irrigation pro
iects and conservation methods. Improved
methods of farming can be accomplished .!
education along those lines with aid from I'M
state and national government. -
The question of providing better methods 10
financing the farmer is one which has cause
considerable discussion. That the intrlcacles 0
its various phases are Of a perplexlng charac
ter. is common knowledge. Much thought an
effort have been expended in the endeavor
solve this problem. 1t has been studied by me
we'll versed in matters of finance. lnvestlga
tions have been made of the conditions in vogu
elsewhere with the idea of applying them, $
far as applicable, to the United States. oe
lieve that it ought to be possible to evolve som
feasible plan from all of this investigate
which will be just and equitable to all the II
terests concerned. :
The problem of the American farmer is a
al]-important one-one which merits the COZ
q ~ ..4,ll;ro,t p,,hliaI cnirifpd Plf