Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-29
If You're Going to Do It, Do Il Now

tells the farmers how they can help
directly and powerfully to bring about
return of general prosperity. Mr..
Meredith claims for his paper a cir
culation in more than 100000 families
and he is. therefore, making sugges-
tons to great many farmers of the
country. To us, his idea seems a good
one. as he is asking only that those
who are intending to make repairs
or purchases for the farm or home,
make them now, and get the money
into circulation at the same time they
are encouraging other branches of
business, and starting the wheels of
industry grinding. He suggests that
the awful conflict in Europe is Great
ing an extraordinary demand for the
products Of the farmer, but at the
same time, it is closing the market
for the products Of countless city
factories, and closing the door of op-
portunity to thousands Of honest
working men. These idle men cannot
buy food-the product of the farm
as busy men can. They must have
work now, if they are to continue as
good customers of the farm.
We are in the habit Of saying that
the people of the towns and cities
would starve to death if it were not
for the people on the farms, and it is
true. We are in the habit of saying
that the people on the farms could
live if they were entirely cut off from
all the cities and towns-and that is
true; but the merchants and man.
ufacturers and Office men of the cities
and towns, on the one hand, and the
farmers on the other, are partners
in the gigantic enterprise of modern
civilization, declares Mr. Meredith.
ANY injury to one partner. hurts both
Short crops on the farm cause hard
times in the cities and towns. Poor
business in the cities and towns re-
duces the prices for the products on
the farm.
II every person living on a farm in
this country, would spend an extra
ten dollars with the merchants and
manufacturers and in the cities and
towns during the next 80 days, says
Mr.. Meredith, it would put thousands
of idle men to work, and bring JOY
to thousands of homes.
You are planning to spend some
of your extra profits from your grain
and live stock. You are going to buy
new clothes or build an addition to
your house, or buy new rugs or build
new barn or new fence or buy
new machinery. You will keep the
money moving and it will soon come
back to you in better prices for farm
products.
If each of the 100000 subscribers to
Successful Farming spend only S1VO
in the next sc days instead of wait
ing 80 days, it will put $50, coo in
circulation. That means prosperity
to your partners, the merchant and
the manufacturer and the laboring
men of our cities and towns and their
prosperity means continued prosperity
for you.
Mr.. Meredith's idea, If carried out,
by all the agricultural papers in the
country. appealing to their readers.
and if the heads of farm homes. should
act upon his suggestion, it would prob
ably move at least s100,00o,0OO. within
a few days or weeks. Such lift
for business would have a wonderful
effect upon the state Of mind" Of
the American public. There is no
question as to the seriousness Of tho
business depression. Millions Of men
and women are idle, largely because
the demand is abnormally small for
the product of their labors: because
various businesses Of the country have
fallen off in their output at home and
abroad. and because the confidence
Of the business world has been de-
sSroyed by these inevitable causes
and effects which are directly due to
the act of Congress which interfered
with the balance Of trade between
this country and other countries. But
also there Is throughout the country
a general holding up of activities in
construction and improvement. pend
ing a time when the expenditure Of
the funds will promise more immediate
returns. So far as this last pertains
to the business world, President Will
sons declaration that the depression
is "psychologicar' is true. 1t can be
relieved by following out Mr.. Me-
redith's suggestions that few mill
lion farmers act together for their
own and the country's interests. We
wish it were possible that this might
appeal to every farm home, as it
appeals to us, and We congratulate
the editor OF Successful Farming"
upon his idea and his determination
to appeal directly and powerfully to
an element which holds a potent grasp
on the country's affairs.
Trust Bangor to be strong for the
CHI vrhc<hnr tee Sro- Uyn