Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-02-27
AID FOR FARMERS
Can the Grange Help Solve A.
ricuIturists' Problems?

some Pertinent Questions Asked and
Some Suggestions Made-vocationaI
Education of the Most Liberal Kind
Demanded-co-o operation Necessary.
There is a movement In the north
west that is attracting attention, and
organizations are springing up in sew
eral places to solicit funds by private
subscription to employ experts and es-
tablish demonstration farms for the
purpose of teaching the farmers more
scientific and better methods Of farm
ing.
Complaints are made that In many
cases the farmers do not appreciate
this service and are not availing them
selves of it as they should 1t may be
well to inquire why the farmers as a
class do not welcome this innovation,
why they think that it will not solve
their problems Why select agricul-
ture as the one and only great indus
try in the nation requiring this special
those indirectly interested? What eff
feet will it have on the industry and
those engaged in it? Have they not
kept pace with other industries in i'm
proved methods of production?
Our competitors in the worlds mar
kets have had the advantage of state
owned and operated railroads for trans
| a. in in 10 90
state owned elevators, and yet we have
met them, paying all the traffic would
bear over our privately owned rail-
roads and through our privately owned
elevators. What other industry has or
could have done so well!
In all these external efforts to aid
the farmer, from Presidents Taft and
Wilson. the main object. as stated, is to
increase production so as to reduce the
high cost of living. indirectly placing
the whole blame for the high cost OF
living on the farmer. which Is not true
and Is not fair.
II increased production means lower
prices, and it does, how will 1t helI
the farmer to produce more and gel
increased in price as rapidly as othel
products. Under our present system
of uncontrolled marketing the farmer
does not receive as much for the bump
er crop as for the medium or average
crop. How does the price of farm
products compare with twenty year
ago? Can the farmer produce as cheap
| l., 4, M,
the farmer exchange the products o
his farm for as much of the thing
he needs as he could twenty year
ago? That is the true test
= In discussing this question | wish l
distinctly understood that ! am DOM
so from a general or national stand
point and any apparent criticisms ar
not intended to apply to the man
generous men who are locally tryin
) to assist the farmers believe Il
e better farming. in scientific farming
in bringing practical education as clos
to the farm as possible. 1t Is abst
lutely necessary so long as our com
petitors are doing so. Indeed. our CON
petitors are spending much more pc
capita for the encouragement and DE-
e velopment of agriculture than we are.
0 What | wish to emphasize is that
5 1t is better education the farmer need
It should be at public expense In
crease our public educational facilities
n not only for the farmer. but the me
e chanic, the manufacturer, the banker
d the railroad manager and the CONNER
q cial men and women. Treat all alike
Let Ii be vocational education of tn
most liberal kind, the best investmen
) that state and nation can make.
t The education the farmer now need
G the most is along the lines, of co-opers
d tive transportation. distribution an
/: marketing Every other great industr
g pays as much. If not more, attention
distribution and sale than to produ'
ton. many of them fixing the price th
customer must pay before the produ(
leaves the factory. The farmer alon
le on the advice of other interests, lin
e its his efforts to production and pc
20 mits those other interests to taxi
charge Of the more important fun
tons of distribution and sale. There
Il where the profits go. There is whei
4 the big margin is between what ii
IN farmer receives and the consume
n pays. The organized farmers hay
8. their eyes on that margin.-H.
N Loucks