Decorah public opinion., 1913-12-03

will find themselves quit of many OF
the difficulties which now hamper them
In the field Of credit The farmers Of
course ask and should be given no spe-
cial privilege. such as extending to
them the credit of the government
itself. What they need and should OBJ
tain Is legislation which will make
their own abundant and substantial
credit resources available as foun-
dation for joint, concerted. local ac-
ton In their own behalf in getting the
capital they must use. 1t is to this we
should now address ourselves.
1t has. singularly enough. come to
pass that we have allowed the indus
try Of our farms to lag behind the
other activities Of the country In It's
development | need not stop to tell
you how fundamental to the life Of the
nation Is the production of its food.
Our thoughts may ordinarily be con-
centrated 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 valleys and the
free hillsides that we draw the sources
of life and of prosperity. from the
farm and the ranch. from the forest
and the mine. Without these every
street would be silent, every office de-
serted. every factory fallen into disre-
pair.
And vet the farmer does not stand
upon the same footing with the fores-
ter and the miner i'm the market of
credit. He is the servant of the sea-
sons. Nature determines how long he
be hurried in her processes. He may
give his note. but the season of it's
maturity depends upon the season
when his crop natures and lies ut the
gates Of the market where his prod
ucts are sold. And the security he
gives Is OF character not known in
the brokers' office or as familarly as
ii might be ON the counter of the
banker.
The agricultural department Of the
government is seeking to assist as
never before to make farming an eff
cient business, of wide cooperative ef-
fort. in quick touch with the markets
for foodstuffs. The farmers and the
government will henceforth work to-
gether as real partners in this field.
where we now begin to see our way
very clearly and where many intelli-
gent plans are already being put into
execution.
The treasury Of the United States
has by timely and we'll considered
distribution Of its deposits facilitated
the moving of the crops in the present
season and prevented the scarcity OF
available funds too often experienced
at such times. But we must not allow
ourselves to depend upon extraordi-
nary expedients. We must add the
means by which the farmer may make
his credit constantly and easily avail
able and command when he will the
capital by which to support and ex-
pand his business. We lag behind
many other great countries Of the mod
ern world In attempting to do this
Systems of rural credit have been
studied and developed on the other
side Of the water while we left our
farmers to shift for themselves tn the
ordinary 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
Conscious of this backwardness and
neglect on our part, the congress re-
Gently authorized the creation OF
special commission to study the vari-
Gus systems Of rural credit which have
been put into operation In Europe. and
this commission Is already prepared
to report. Its report ought to make II
easier for us to determine what meth
DDS 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 ag
riculture may be made to serve them
very greatly In their work Of framing
appropriate and adequate legislation.
1t would be indiscreet and presump
tuous In any one to dogmatize upon sc
great and many sided question. but
feel confident that common counse
will produce the results we must al
desire.