The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-24

Schools should be established, II or
more, In every county in the State.
Farming must be made more prom
table and farm life more livable. Edu-
cation of the right kind will enable
the farmers to make il so. This Will
save the rural SOrth.
The Rural Problem
The rural problem: hat Is the
rural problem? 1t is to keep the
lands occupied by an intelligent, eff
ficient, home owning citlzensnip.
Everybody is concerned in reaching
a correct solution Of this problem.
The supply of food and clothing for
the nation is jeopardized. Population
increased 21 per cent the last ten
years; farm productsS increased only
10 per cent. Urban population III
North Carolina increased 35 per cent.
rural population increased only ~
per cent. Tenant farming in North
Carolina increased IL per cent with
in the last 20 years, until 0 43 per
| cent of our farmers are tenanets. The
white farmers OF North Carolina W
nearly A million acres less land h
they did ten years ago: the negro
farmers own a quarter Of a million
acres more land than they did ten
years ago. One very good reason
why the Farmers Union has endorsed
segregation Of the races in and owner
ship.
~ eau OH
rural citizenship will find a solution
Of this problem. It will be in better
farming, cooperative buying and sell
ing, cooperative ownership OF pure
blooded live stock and farm machi-
merry, more labor saving appliances on
the farm, and especially in the farm
home: telephones, good roads, good
schools and churches, and better paid
teachers and preachers.
Invoke legislative Power
And an educated citizenship would
invoke the legislative power OF the
State in solving the problem. Cor
porations would be prohibited from
owning more land than actually need
ed for their business, and not at all
for farming purposes. The large in
dividual land holdings would be taxed
at a higher rate than the small estates,
SO lat rich men could not afford to
buy up land AND hold it for specu1a-
ton. This is a graduated land tax
and is just and equitable. An absent
landlord tax would be imposed upon
the lands of non-residents
The unearned increment Of vacant
lands held for the increase in value
that comes from community develop
ment Would~be taxed for the benefit
Of the community. And thus the spe-
culative price Of land would be cut
down and prices would be determined
by productive value. The greater part
of the wealth increase Of the Southern
farmer, as indicated by the census
reports, is due to this speculative in
crease in price OF his land. He must
sell n become a tenan in order to
realize his increased wealth.
Other Problems.
But there are other problems than
the oft mentioned rural problem that
IN intelligent citizenship will tackle
and solve. (Just now we may feel a
| 1ff1c 6iCnOI1TS God in tool o. q INV D,,h-
lie question since the constitutional
amendments seem to have been de-
feated. But this only proves the need
Of more information on the part Of
the people. If all the voters had full
) ly understood the amendments, be-
lieve ali Of them would have been
/, adopted. The campaign was too short
} in which to educate the peop1e.)
A Program of Things Needed.
!, / would suggest briefly. other cues
f ions for you consideration. A State
wid legalized primary for all parties
or the same day and for all officers
from presiding to constable, is abso-
| lutely essential to the best govern
e ment Of and for and by the people.
: This should be backed by a corrupt
: practice act with teeth in it. The
elimination of unnecessary officers and
employees wherever possibel in State
and counties. The budget system OF
appropriations for all State institutions
This would tend to efficiency and eco
nomy and do away with lobbying in
= the General Assembly. To study the
l. commission form of with
Y a view of its adoption in county and
State. To study the question of fire
insurance by the State government
n A system of State warehouses euuipp-
ed for the handling of all kind OF
e crops; the same to be paid for by the
farmers over a term of years, and tc
- no cvurn6 NV thu pt,o ,I~~ -.
for.
An enlargement of the force and ar
extension Of the work, by the De
g partment Of Agriculture, in practical
d cooperative marketing Of all farm
j. products. It would be of Immense
l. benefit to both producer and consumer
y and q greatly to the wealth of The
State. if economic marketing and dis.