The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-07-08
Points Out Benefits To
Be Derived By Small
Farmer
SPEECH ATTRACTS
MUCH ATTENTION
Bill Provides System Enabling Ma
tional Banks To Furnish
Money at Low Rate
Of Interest

preparation bill was being considered
Representative Wyatt Aiken made a
strong speech IN SUPPORT 6f his Din
to provide federal AID for teIauts who
want to buy small farms. His re-
marks on the subject attracted a great
deal Of attention.
Mr.. Aiken said in part:
l heartily approve Of the item of
: $40, 900 inserted in this conference re-
port for the study and investigation
of rural-credit societies, and l regret
exceedingly that the President and the
Democratic leader (Mr. Underworld
have expressed their purpose to defer
consideration of any and all rural
credit measures until the mex session
OF Congress, even though the rery
important question of antitrust leg
islation is the question to which those
gentlemen would give precedence.
Important as it may be to protect
the individual citizen against combin-
atoms of capital that will force from
him an excessive price for what he
buys and an inadequate price for what
he sells, it does seem to me the ques-
ton of feeding and clothing this ma
ton from the substance of our own
soil is of still more vital Importance;
and the necessity for improved rural
credits lies at the very base of tbs
great economic question.
The population of the United States
is increasing SO rapidly by natural
growth and by foreign influx that
consumption, even now, in this COM
paratively virgin country is far great
er than production and in ten years
food products have doubled in price to
the consumer. If the agriculturist of
the United States alone proiiteG by
this high cost of food products, the
burden would be more willingly horne
by the consumers but when it is re-
called that we are already bringing
corn and meat in. great quantities
from South America and Canada it is
time for US to pause md consider
ways and means for building up az
riculture at home.
Too Many Immigrants.
A. cause which may explain cur in
adequate supply of food-stuffs is the
fact that the hundreds of thousands Of
immigrants who come annually to our
shores are not agriculturists, except
for a small per cent. and the Ameri-
can farmer who has been blowing
for a top-heayy consuming class al
ready must rise earlier, go later and
drive harder to feed and clothe the
non-producing immigrant. tIampered
as he has been by lack of farm credit.
he can not expand and intensity and
diversity in such way as to keep pace
with demand. and so food products
have scared higher and higher.
for the lack of balance between sup
ply and demand and that is the fact
that farm tenacy is on the increase
in the United States.
1t makes no difference how industri-
Gus, how honest, or how intelligent a
man may be, if he has nothing more
than a tenants interest in the soil he
%cutivates, feeling that he may SOW
where another may reap, he will new
er bring that soil up to a high state
Of productiveness.
1t makes no difference how public
spirited a man may be, IF he Is Inly
a tenants interest In the community
In which be lives he cah ~ fulfli the
highest duty Of a citizen N the school,
in the church, and in the state, be-
cause he never knows VIII n the ,tnex-
orable hand Of necessity will drag
him from his surroundings and set
him down in a community of unsym-
pathetic strangers.
Not Class Legislation.
We have heard it objected that leg
isation in the interest Of agriculture
is class legislation and smacks of pa
ternalism; as if every vocation and
every industry that make up the world
of business was not rooted in sgricui-
ture. Just as fertilizer placed at the
roots of a tree noIrishes the tiniesy
leaf, just so stimulated agriculture
carries strength and growth and nour-
ishment to the smallest. enterprise
and to the humblest citizen. The
United States has already recognized
this principle in watering the dry
ands Of the west and in cleaning riv.
ers and harbors to cheaper freight
rates on farm products retween ex-
changing consumers. Germany
France, Italy, Switzerland and many
other European countries recognized
this urinciple-Some Of them moro
than a hundred years ago~-wheI
either by legislative concessions to ag,
riculturists, by government loans. CT
as in the case of France, by direct sub.
sidy, they established land-lOan banks
with exceedingly low rates of inter
est. AS a result, agriculture in the
countries named is in its highest state
and wealth is distributed in thai
healthy proportion between country
and town that makes for the highest
citizenship.
Taking Switzerland as an example
it will perhaps emphasize the conten-
ton we are trying to bring out to tel
something Of the wonderful develop.
ment Of that country, due entirely to
the establishment OF rural-credit
banks.
Less than half a century ago so per
cent Of the lands of Switzerland were
titled by tenants. Except for the few
land holders, who were themselves
land poor, the people were poor, un-
progressive and apathetic. The pub
lie treasury was at lowHtide. Men OF
public spirit, realizing that there was