Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-11-27
SECRETARY HOUSTON.
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Department and The State colleges; it
will make both of hem think and plan;
it will stop haphszard enterprises; it
viii give each all the facts about the
activities ofthe other; it will guarantee
that nothing shsIl be undert ken Until
it has cen carefully thought out in al
vance. 1t will prevent duplication of
effort aud will remove friction. 1t will
insure the expenditure of the Federal
funds for the purpose for which they ;
were intended; it will provide an auto
matte check against the footing of the
Federal treasury and by fixing an ulti-
mate limit to the Federal contribution;
and finally. it will prevent the building
up in Washington of great centralized
bureau, intimately reaching into every
farm Of the nation.
THE RURAL CREDIT PROBLEM.
We shall leave nothing undone to
stimulate production directly, and to
convey information to the farmer, but
we have suddenly been brought face to
face with the fact that in many direct
ions further increased production waits
on better distribution.
There is a general impression that
farmers need letter credit .arrsngo-
ments. The slightest reflection will
convince onc that all farmers DO not
equally need it; that all sections are not
similarly circumstaaced.
FARMEa DOES NOT DEMAND CLASS
CREDIT LEGISLATION.
One thing il clear, the schemes that
are multiplying which conceive the far
mer to- be subject for unique a. d
special legislation may be at once CON
demnec. The American faimer does
not need,or desire to be cIassed With
those foreign, Pc, PIE Vito ;t.t ist
emerging from u coudi III Vi 8 ,,i,.,,lll
and tut.'lege. He a-kosi.v Up oitu3, y
i that is not afforded To every n ,;ajil..I
citiz n; he asks for no gi,llion Whi:h
shall give him credit Oh easier terms
| than his brother mechanic or his pro-
fessional friend or his merchant may
secure it. But he does ask to be AS
sisted in creating conditions and machi-
merry which shall enable HIM on SINH
lar credit foundation to secure his
| money at the same rates as any other
class in the community. This. and this
alone, itseems to me, is all that he asks
and is nothing less than he deserves.
am not impressed with he wisdom ard
the justice of proposals that would take
the money of all the people through
bonds or other devices ard lend il to
the farmers or to ahy other class al. a
rate of interest," lower than the ecenom:
ic conditions would normally require
| and at a rate of interest lower than
that at which other classes are securing
their capital. This-WouId- he special
legislation of a particularly odious type,
and 30 new excursions in this direction
would be palatahle when We are en-
gagged in the gigantic ask Of restoring
the simple rule of equity.
A failure in either direction involves
clear inju tice ard greatly hampers
production and crop Improvement Let
me illustrate by reference to two vitality
important crops-cotton and corn
Uniform standards throughout the
cotton belt would result In the rapid
building up of a body of common know
ledge on the part of the farmers. stu
dents in agricultural colleges and 9th.
ers interested in the universal set of
grades
Practically the same results would
follow and the same evils would be re-
moved if standard grades for corn were
universally adopted. Definite stand
ards for the grading of commercial
corn and the uniform application of
such standards in all markets under
suitable Government supervision would
be OF direct value to our corn growers,
in that such etandardiz ,tion would en-
courage the marketing of dry corn of
better quality Heretofore it has been
the common practice to pay practically
the same price for all corn delivered at
country stations regardless of its wafer
content or of its soundness. Farmers
have not been slow to grasp the situa-
tiun, and under such a system have
naturally made but little effort to mar
ket corn in dry and sound condition.
The system has placed premium on
poor and careless farming at the ex-
pense of farm methods and practices.
Under definite system of grading
and the elimination of such terms as
reasonably dry, and reasonably
clean" the farmer as well as the grain
dealer will be able to know and fully
understand the requirements for the
different grades With knowledge of
the grade requirements the farmer who
markets dry corn of good quality will
be in position to demand a premium
for such corn. It will not be necessary
for him to accept No. 1 price for
corr which he sells under a grade
designation of No. 8. He will then
have some encouragement to exercise
greater care in the harvesting, storing,
and marketing of his corn; he can like
wise ascertain in advance of sale with
fair degree of accuracy the grade of
his corn while in the crib and thus not
market it until it is sufficiently dry to