Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-14

dJ HIS ulbpOSdlJ lHSultS clllClcuSyt
and eliminates waste and friction.
/ yield to no man my appreciation
of the value of scientific investiga-
ton and research, but 1 am con-
vinced that the great task confront
ing us now for the betterment OF
agriculture is to bring to the aver
age farmer what the experts and the
best farmers know and to induce
them to apply it. If we could Sc
cure this we should revolutlonize
agriculture; and this is the object
of the Smith-Lever Bill. 1t aims to
reach the farmer by personal con-
tact, and above all, to bring assist
ance to the farm woman who has
been too long neglected as factor
in the agricultural life of the ma
tion.
But vital as are these problems
OF production, even more urgent are
the problems Of marketing and dis
trlbution. It has become clear to
students Of agriculture that further
production in many directions waits
on better distribution, and that in
this field fundamental problems Of
justice and injustice are involved
which demand solution, The time
has come to conceive agriculture in
all It's relations, to conceive 1t as a
unit and not to attend to merely
one or a few Of Its phases, The
Government has been quick to sea
these things. Urgent problems have
been pressing upon 1t for solution,
problems Of marketing, Of distribu-
tion, Of good roads, of rural finance
and Of rural sanitation and health,
and the Department Of Agriculture
has rapidly tended to become, as 1t
should, great Department Of rural
economics and Of rural life.
Work of Congress.
The Congress now sitting has ap-
proprlated two hundred thousand
dollars for the study Of marketing,
passed the Cotton Futures Act, made
increased provision for the inyestiga-
tion and promotion Of good roads,
and has pushed nearly to the point
Of completion measures for the
Standardization Of grain and for the
supervision OF Its sale in interstate
commerce, for the Standardization of
cotton and for permissiye ware
house system for the leading staple
crops, The Office Of Markets, al
though only recently created and
necessarily requiring time for the
consideration Of It's projects and
especially for the securing Of an ef-
ilclent staff Of experts, has con-
Quoted Investigations in great var
lety OF directions, furnished much
information to those seeking II; and
Il will at no distant day extend aid
through bulletins and as rapidly as
possible through demonstration.
It Is investigating the proper
methods Of grading and Standard
zation, packing and shipping, the
marketing Of special products, trans
portatlon and storage problems, city
marketing and distribution, includ-
ing farmers municipal wholesale
and retail market houses, the direct
dealings between producers and con.
sumers, and cooperative production
and handling Of products.
It Is giving special attention to
such details as dockage in the sale
Of grains, and to tho methods and
practices Of large terminal markets
in the practice Of mixing. II would
unduly detaln you II were to at
tempt even TO outline the other
great measures to which have
made reference, such as the Grain
and Cotton Standards Acts, the
Cotton Futures and the Warehouse
Bills, ! shall have to dismiss these
measures with the intlmatlon that
their object is to do justice as be-
tween producer and consumer, to
guarantee that the producer shall
get just price for the specific
product which he offers for sale,
and to the consumer that ho shall
get the specific product for which
he pays his price, that normal and
orderly processes shall prevail In tho
distribution Of farm products, and
that there shall be added incentive
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