The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-10-07
AVERAGE FARMER
IS HANDICAPPED
Marketing Expense Is Held to
30 Far Too Large.
ECONOMIC BURDENS MANY.

Failure of Agriculture to Keep Pace
With Increase In Population--Grow-
ing Proportion Of Tenant Farmers,
Says Charles r. Sanford, Not Fa-
vorable Tendency.
"There Is q great margin of expense
somewhere between producer and con-
sumer which leads to the justly found
ed complaint of the ultimate consumer
of the high cost Of living" said Charles
f. Sanford, president Of the farmers
national congress, in calling the thirty
third annual session to order at Plano,
Ill. This, Mr.. Sanford asserted "leads
to confusion in the public mind as to
the real status Of the farmer and the
profits arising from his occupation.
During the last two decades the
agricultural industry has not kept pace
with the increase of population, falling
behind 1873 per cent. During this same
period there has come an extraordinary
increase in the valuation Of farm lands
until it is no longer an easy or simple
matter for the average man to become
the owner OF we'll improved ,rm.
Moreover, the percentage Of tenant
farmers is steadily increasing, in some
states with alarming rapidity. 1t can
not be said with any show Of reason
that the growth of tenant class indl-
Gates a stable or desirable economic
condition.
Marketing Crops Important.
without minimizing in any degree
the importance Of efforts to increase
production and to conserve the fertil-
ity of the soil, 1t may safely be affirm
ed that American agriculture will new
er be permanently established until 1t
Is made possible for it to become per
manently profitable for the farmer Of
average ability.
"While the man OF exceptional abil-
ity or exceptionally favorable circum-
stances may become wealthy by reason
of increase In land values or good for
tune In the yields Of good crops, the
stability of agriculture and the ulti-
mate prosperity Of our entire citizen
ship depend chiefly on the measure of
prosperity which attends the labors Of
the average farmer In the average
| farm home. These conditions are with
us, and while we strive continually
to remedy them wherein they are ad-
verse, we must in common justice to
all men strive to make it reasonably
possible for all men TO attain the ideal
state Of the home owners.
| Therefore this congress should give
due weight in its deliberations to such
measures or policies ms tend to relieve
the producer Of the handicap of this
economic burden and establish equita-
BILE relations between producer, con-
sumer and the distributor of products.
"If the agricultural millennium does
not arrive In the near future it will not
be for the lack of agitation In behalf
of plans to bring 1t about. Scarcely
day elapses but some new scheme is
proposed having for its object greater
yields, higher prices for products of
the soil, lower prices for what the
farmer buys, cheaper money or some
other thing calculated TO amellorate
unsatisfactory conditions. This makes
for progress. whether 1t brings prog
ress through these agencies or not, for
the farmer is thereby stimulated to
think for himself and to work out his
own salvation.
Vital to the Nation.
Comfort and prosperity on the farm
lie at the base of our national well
being. But sometimes we think there
is tendency to overdo the matter OF
attempted relief through the medium
of mere mankind To his hands and
to his intelligence are intrusted the
solution of problems of national con
Germ which affect our entire citizen
ship"
Mr.. Sanford said the point has now
been reached in the evolution Of tn,
"show farmer" movement when som,
broad, comprehensive plan for centra
and responsible control and co-ordlna
ton Of effort should be agreed upon
He said that successful movemen
TOR the advancement of agrlcultur,
must depend in the last analysis upoI
the farmer himself and that the grea
army of husbandmen are already ol
the right track,
Farm credits, betterment of countr.
schools, good roads and the parcel pos
were among other subjects also dis
cussed.