The Monte Vista journal., 1915-12-18
A SOUND LAND POLICY
NECESSARY.
(By Carl B. Stow.)

(By Carl b. Stow.)
There never has been time in
the history of this country when
better agriculture. better markets and
better financing received the consid-
eration from our government and
the people, than is given these three
things at the present time. The sue
cess of the farmer depends absolute
ly upon the improvement of these
conditions. and now that this fact is
realized by the United States gov
eminent as well as every business
interest, sound land policy is sure
to be established.
Increased yields of farm products
and the growing of improved quail
tiles have been given much thought
and study for the past years, and
wonderful progress has been made
in this line, but the questions of bet
ter markets and better financing,
have been neglected, and many crops
have been sold at improbable prices
for the farmer
1t has been advocated that a law
be created empowering a marketing
commission to define and enforce
reasonable standards of farm pro-
ducts. BY such plan it would per-
nit producers meeting certain re-
quirements and by carrying out GER
tain standards to use label or
brand issued by the state, thus in
dcating to the consumer that the
state had inspected the products and
found them to be within the require
ments Of the rules of the marketing
commission.
Standardization of the products |
will have a tendency to reduce the |
margin between the price paid by
consumers and the price received by |
producers. and will do more to bring |
about changed condition in estab-
lshing the prices of farm products
than any plan so far suggested.
The grower of farm products is
the only person with merchandise
10 sell who does not put price on
bis own goods, and just as long as
this custom exists the farmer will
often market crop without profit
TO himself. He is at the mercy of
The buyer and the buyer uses his
utmost efforts to purchase at low
prices regardless of the cost of pro-
ducton.
This competitive buying which
naturally weakens the markets for
arm products 10 condition that
exists in every farming district in
me United States, and now that a
united movement is on foot in every
part of the country to better these
Methods a profitable and improved
financial readjustment is sure to
ake place in every agricultural dis
trct.
Increased Profits For Farmers.
Profitable prices for all crops
raised by our farmers, and loans to
"e farmers at the very lowest rates
interest will make such an i'm
proved condition in the agricultural
0stricts that wonderful movement
population from "cities to land"
VIII result. This needed and very
Important change is sure to come and
.i'h 1t Will come the demand for
afming lands.
Price Initiation.
IN every agricultural and horti-
.u"ural section of the United
s'ates where farm products have
0'eh grown, period of price infla.
.on mas taken place during times
"en lands were being colonized.
AS mas been especially true in|
"''rlcts OF the west and south where
ne lands are unusually productive
'Ae san Luis Valley has not been
), exception to this rule, and al
AVueh this great agricultural dis
n'' mas had it's boom days and dur
,e mat period nearly every train
ousht number of land buyers
'u ,' settlers to our towns. yet 1t is
ue that today the good irrigated
'"~ lands In this Valley are the