Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-05-30
CHEAPER MONEY FOR THE
FARMER.

! OF the MOney-lenueT. lnlS IS COuul
ton that is manifestly unjust an
which it has been the effort of those
especially interested in the welfare d
the farmer to remedy. 1t seems thai
this reform has been secured, as the
Atlanta Constitution says:
Within very few years the farm
ers of the United States will no doubt
be able to command credit upon then
acres at a lower rate of interest than
at any previous time in American his
tory. This is foreshadowed by the
enormous governmental and private
activity looking to the simplification OF
rural credits. Specifically, two current
developments are significant One is
the proposal to incorporate in the
new currency bill a provision empoW-
Gi llS HdliOudl UdilhS W dNSCDL lcl !
mortgages as collateral. Another IS
the report from Rome that the federal
commission now in Europe studying
rural credits on behalf of this govern
ment is making rapid Roadway. 1t il
therefore, inevitable that sooner or
later the anomaly that at present pre-
walls of the farmer, the support of tn :
country, being compelled to pay a
higher rate of interest than any other
element will be rectifiedy Relief is
likely to come through rural co-opera-
tive credit societies, as we'll as through
the broadened lending capacity of ma
tional banks.
But it will be mistake for the far
mer to assume that the placing at his
disposal of facilities for better credit
will be sufficient to remove all of his
difficulties. The Constitution, for in
stance, has recently devoted a great
deal of space toward demonstrating
the dangers and loss of the all-cottol
crop system in this state Benjamin
w Hunt, former president of the Geor-
gia State Bankers association, and
other fnanciers OF like conservation
have pointed out that unless diversifi-
cation takes the place of this wron,-
headed method, the state will suffer.
Cheaper credit will have tendency to
encourage diversification, since it viii
place at the disposal of the man who
owns his acres ready means for eman-
cipation. But what about the tenan-,
the "cropper," who is so dominant a
part in our agricultural system?
1t is hardly to be expected that the
''cropper" will be better off, or his de
pendence upon the banker, the mer-
chant or the landlord any less binding
than under the present system. If the
banker, the merchant and the landlord
continue to exact that return for credit
or for rent shall be altogether in co.,
ton all the cheap credit in the world
will not improve the lot of the crop
per-" or the condition of the agricul-
tural system of which he is so large a
part. And cheap credit will not heil
even the man who owns his acres, IN.
less he is convinced as to the folly O.
/ single-shotting on cotton and sincerely
desires emancipation
All of which is cited not to disparae
rural credits; on the other hand, TIL,
SpuStllulIOH is oil Enthusiastic duNO
cate of the movement to introduce thi
system. But if we are to effect revo
lutionary change in our prevailin,
agricultural method-a method tina
yearly strips the profits of a singl
cron and sends them out of the stat
TO pay for food that should be raise
within the state-the change MUS
come through convincing every ma
who has to do with farming in Georg!
that the right way is the diversifcatio
way. Farm credits and other device
will be helpful auxiliaries. But tn
remedy must come through the mar
not through any single automatic pan
acea.
Timely and helpful is the municipa