Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-11-21
HOUSTON RELATES
PLAIN FACTS ABOUT
RURAL CONDITIONS
Federal Secretary of Agriculture
Reviews Farming Situation
in Nation.
COOPERATION IS NEEDED.
Only IL Per Cent. of Agricultural
Area Produces Maximum Re-
turns, He Says.

"The story that comes from every
section is substantially the same. 1t
is story of increasing tenancy and
absentee ownership, of soils depleted
and exploited, of inadequate business
methods, of chaotic marketing and
distribution, of inferior roads, of lack
of supervision of public health and
sanitation, of isolated and Ill organ
lied social activities, and of inferior
intellectual provision"
So spoke David F. Houston, secretary
of the United States department Of
agriculture, during the course Of an
address recently before the 47th an
nual session Of the National Grange at
Manchester. N. H. In 1t he summar-
ized conditions on the farms Of this
country. summary that does not
speak any too highly of conditions in
the rural communities but one which,
because of the lack Of bombast, ap-
pears to hug close to the truth. The
6CAooOA o-iihC I'LL Va iCNAOW VI
the situation is disclosed in his state
ment that New England has solved
the rural school problem largely by
eliminating the rural population"
During his address the secretary dis
cussed the cost Of living, rural credits
and marketing, declared some agricul-
tural colleges were not doing their full
duty, pointed out the handicap of the
country child, insisted that the farmer
should not be treated as a mendicant
and outlined program of investiga-
tion into the marketing and distribut-
ing problems by his department. The
feature of his address, however, was
his striking review of rural condi-
tions.
with population of less than 95,-
100000 of people living on more than
three millions of square miles, 1t Is
ridiculous to speak as If our territory
had been more than pioneered" he
said In one place. "The population per
square mile in the Union does not ex-
coed 81, and ranges from seven-tenths
OF l per cent. in Nevada to sos in
Rhode Island.
According to the best statistics
available 1t appears that the total ara.
BILE land in the Union is approximately
S35,000.000 acres. that only about 40O,-
100000 of this is included In farms
and improved, that over 1O0,000,000 is
unimproved and not included in farms,
and the remainder is unimproved
lands included in farms. According to
the best guesses l can secure 1t ap'
pears that less than 40 per cent. of
the land is reasonably we'll cultivated
and less than IL per cent. Of 1t is
yielding maximum returns.
THAT we have practically reached
the stage where we have ceased to be
an exporting nation of food products
and are becoming dependent on for
eign nations for the necessaries of life
Is sad commentary upon our use OF
the opportunities bountifully bestowed
upon us. We had better frankly face
the fact that we are relatively inefh
cient, take stock of our shortcomings
and earnestly seek the remedy.
This problem of the development
OF agriculture and of rural life is one
which requires the most serious
thought of the best agencies in the ma
tion. 1t is one primarily for the far
mers themselves. and l clearly recog
nlze that they have done most ant
VIII continue to do most to solve it
But they need, deserve, and demand
assistance and will have It,
THE nation has created certain re
sponsible instruments for their assist
CONTINUED on page 81