The Harrison times., 1914-03-28

ApNAllHI pbl PbhiN VI ~
rubes are laughing a little at the
bankers" said a successful farmer to
us before we left the states, I'VE
have actually farmed successfully for
years, have studied farming In agri'
cultural colleges, We think we know
our business fairly well. It's certain
ly funny to read speeches by bank
ers telling us how to farm, | have
como to the conclusion that the bank
ers know 80 little about farm loans
that they would do better to study
and discuss their own business than
TO try TO teach us ours" And we
have concluded that there 10 some
force In what the farmer says,
The American Bankers associa-
tion and thirty state bank assocla'
tons are actively promoting agricul'
tural advancement. The work under
taken by them includes soil surveys,
experiments with fertilizers, hiring ex-
perts TO make practical demonstration
upon the farm, education In road mat
ters, and 30 on indefinitely, The bank
ers are duplicating what the federal
agricultural department Is doing,
what every agricultural college ls do
fng, and what every farmers Institute
la doing They are going into the
Gold OF production which IL important
nut which after all ls one In which
tho farmer remarked, "one IL led to
think that the bankers OF the country
have unanimously concluded that they
know their own business 30 thor
oughly that their elevatng oduca'
tlonal Instincts can get opportunity
for expression only by doing mission
ary work among us lowly farmers and
olevating this ignorant class to their
own high plano OF intelligence"
Worst Banking for Farmers.
We have been going through Eur
opo accompanied by agricultural ex'
perts. We have talked with leaders
In agriculture In several countries
Wa have read bulletins and books ga
loro on agricultural methoda abroad,
We consulted government specialists
We have seen and heard and studied
about all tho most scientific upto'
date farming methods But neither
tho experts with IN nor we ourselves
have been able 10 recall single Idea
on agricultural production that Is not
being moro or less widely worked out
IN America by these lowly farmers
whom the bankers are no bonoyolont'
ly and condceoondlngly inatructing
On the other hand no far ~ we can
discover the United States II the only
country In the civilized world where
banding methods have not been In
any degree adjusted 90 the needs of
the farmer Sometimes over here In
Europe the Joint stock bank does the
work, More often II IN u cooperative
credit bank that loana 20 farmers,
Hut some bank stands ready TO
meet the farmers needs everywhere,
except IN the United States In
America, aB nowhere else the banker
tRltos the terms calculated 70 accom-
MEDIATE the city merchant and tnan'
ciore and lnnlota thom upon tho pro-
testing farmer sixty aud ninety day
loans are lust what are needed IN the
city, but they are Of no possible uno TO
Tho farmer, A merchant or commits
eion man gets his returns promptly
and can meet ninety day paper NJ
maturity, But the farmer cannot buy
calves or pigs and fatten them, mar
ket them and get returns short OF a
much longer period Tho rural Dor
rover who invests tho borrowed
money In seeds or fertlliEere cannot
hope 20 realize upon his Investment
short Of sik or eight months, II is
not 30 much question or interest
as Of terms and methods, In many
localities interest rates ARE fair In
some places interest on farm loans IN
too high nut II II true everywhere
IN America that the bankers stub
bofnly refuse 10 the farmer tho sort
OF loans which he needs And tho
banker who sits behind tho cashiers
deak writing speeches about better
farming drops hin taolle pen lone
enough 10 crowd down the throat OF
some farmer patron who should have
an eight months loan, h three months
loar which is as apt TO cripple aa
20