The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-05-01


commercial necessity, and as have
Shown' was created especially to take
care of the merchant. Later on he di.
vided his patronage with the manufac-
tured' and kindred industries, but un-
I'll recent years it seems never to
nave occurred to him to form an alli-
ance with the great agricultural class.
The primitive farmer found little
need for the banker. Tx very nature
d his business made it hard to organ
lze and capitalize, therefore both were
content for the trader 10 act as a 90
between, according to the original
plan.
Only in recent years has the farmer
broken away from the old method of
getting his supplies from the mer-
chant. allowing him to fix the price
on what he consumed. as we'll as
what he produced. for when the farm
er's note fell due it was not profitable
for the merchant to carry it until the
PAAtC VI phOuuCc itupTON6u.
The farmer is learning many things
as the years go by. He is learning
that education along scientific lines
is as necessary in farming as in any
other profession. and that money ex-
pended in the education of his chill
dren Is as bread cast upon the waters,
which in due time will return ten
fold.
He is learning that the brains In
his head mean more than the sweat
of his brow, and that by combining
the two much better results are OBJ
tanned.
He is learning that disc pillow is
more effective than a forked stick
tied to the horn of an OK, and that a
power reaper and binder beats the
old hand scyth.
He is learning that capital can be
employed as profitably in farming as
in any other business, and with ready
cash he has better control over labor,
and can buy his supplies to much bet
ter advantage.
He is learning. to be a business
man. and as such has as much right
TO banking accommodations as the
merchant or manufacturer, and that
it is a disadvantage to the banker, as
well as to himself, to force the pay
ment of his obligations when the
price of his produce is low, for the
prosperity of the banker depends up
on the prosperity of the community
IL serves.
The farmer and banker are both
learning more every day the neces-
sity of a closer alliance; one produc
ing, the other conserving the wealth
of the country-each is accessory L.
the other.
In speaking OF the trader or mer-
chant, do not refer to the merchant
of today, but to the country. Shylock
of 25 or 80 years ago, who exacted his
pound of flesh each year, and grew
fat by keeping the farmer poor. He
furnished them as scantily as posi-
bic, and regardless of what they
made, he managed to get it all. The
merchant of today is satisfied for the
farmer to borrow from the banker and
pay cash for what he gets.
believe the banker, and especially
the country banker, has done more TO
aid in agricultural development in the
last % years than all other agencies
put together.
Being more familiar with condi-
tons in Georgia, recall, off-hand,
that twelve years ago there we're less
than $50 banks in the state, and
those were confined mostly to the
larger cities. Today there are over
500, and others organizing as fast as
one road crosses another. / recall
one on the r. F. d. Dun gave the
population as 35, the business houses
consisted of one general store, one
cotton gin, one blacksmith shop aud
bank. No mention was made of
the usual town well and hitcaing
post; perhaps the town had not
reached that proportion.
They have gone to the other ex-
IRENE, would think; yet the statis-
tics show that there is great activity
in agricultural development than was
ever known before, and | attribute 1t
largely to the better understanding
and cooperation between the farmer
and banker All over the country
banks are springihg up in the rural
districts, and must of necessity de-
pend upon the farmer for existence.
I admit that some of these banks
should be operating under a three
hall" sign. nevertheless they are