Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-05
EMBREE POINTS The
REAL FARM PROBLEM
(Ry C. E. Embree.)

Eastern States Agricultural ana In,
! dustrial Exposition" These men VIII
gather from all over the New Enelahu
states anG among them Will De gov
ernors. commissioners of agriculture
and such we'll known men as Ho"aro
Elliott. James H. Hustis, Theodore n.
Vail. K. 1. Butterfield and others. The
cause for the gathering of these sue
cessful men. in,their lines is because Of
the decline Of agriculture" in the New
England states.
In the invitations sent out by MI
J. l.. Brooks, president of the EXPOSE
ton some startling facts are mention
ed, such as the following:
1.-THE decline in agriculture IN
New England states has be-
come the greatest menace to manu-
featuring in these six states. we
need not fear outside competition
so much as the internal decadence
of food producing ability. In 60 years
the acreage under cultivation In
New England has shrunk from H.
215,777 to 7,112,69S. The population
has increased from 3,11O,572 to g.
$50, 6S1 in the same time"
some of whom have accomplished big
things in successfully financing great
CORPORATIONS for the benefit of the peo-
pie, will make an honest endeaVor TO
stem the tide that has been steadily
flowing against agricultural advance
in New England.
And scme of us who are actively en-
gagged in solving some of the problems
of the farm have lost confidence in our
great financiers and men of big bust
ness. Others of us believe they are
sincere in their desire to be of assist
ance agriculturally, but they persist in
working along the same lines our col
leges have been following for years
The colleSe is mighty force and has
accomplished wonders along scientific
growing, but outside of this they have
never solved one of the great problems
that confronts the farmer today. What
these men must do. if they desire to be
of assistance is to make farming a
really profitable occupation and make
it possible for the farmer to be sur
rounded with the comforts and con-
| veniences Of modern life. When this
has been accomplished there will be no
| further decadence in agriculture in
New England. Education along scion
| tific lines will never accomplish this,
| for it has been tried again and again
| without bringing about the desired re-
! suits.
| Boards Of Trade, Chambers of Com
merce, state and national agricultural
| societies have in turn and are now
working conscfentiouSly and earnestly
| to bring about reforms. They meet and
read valuable papers having to do with
| the culture of the potato and other
crops and in fact the burden of their
deliberations has always been, how to
make two blades of grass grow where
only one grew before BY their acts
one would think that there was moth
ing to farming except to grow the
| crops.
From business point Of view. what
i is the difference between conducting
farm, and the conduct of a factory.
The same business principal applies
| to both. This being the case let us lose
sight of the methods we have employ
ed in the past and turn our attention
to the big successes that have been
demonstrated right in plain sight.
| what is 1t that has made America the
greatest manufacturing country in the
world: What is it that has made mil
lionaires by the thousands in our coun-
try: What was the principle unon
which Theodore NJ Vail founded tho
New England Telegraph & Telephone
Company
/ II Theodore Vail will give the farm
er the same opportunity that was give
en- MN the farmer will build up a. bus
mess that will leave all others far be-
hlnd- The farmers of America produce
s1o'oo","0o,oU of wealth every year bi,t
owing to lack of organization. this
great wealth flows in a steady strea nm
INTO the pockets of Just such men &C
Mr.. Vail.
i FOR 9o years the manufacturer has
heen an object of special interest ia the
| congress. The wise policy of protec-
'lon joined with American skill has
iilaue America the greatest manufac-
| turing country in the world.
FOR DO years the banks have receiv-
Cd from our government exclusive and
extraordinary privileges The result
has been wonderful growth of bank
4 80 SO NV mas never
concerned itself about giving the farm
er a banking system. They appear to
say: Here is the land what more do
you want?" Forgetting or ignoring the
PLAIN truth that no business undertake
ing can reach its highest DEVELOPMENT
without capital. We have exemnted
manufacturers from taxation for a
number Of years; we have erected
buildings and given them rent free
that new industries might he establish
co. and we have granted unlimited
credit that the number of factory
chlmneys might be increased. When
the American farmer asks for money
II IS the complaint Of the banker that
no security he can offer is a lioud =, g
set' MS mortgage is not capable of
ready conversion into cash and is not
marketable paper Thus the farmer is
| ueprlVed Of the cheap money endowed
oy the manufacturer. although there
| can pc no better security than produc-
1--WE land which is increasing in vaI,,a
In some parts of Maine thew do mot
let money to the farmer, they sell if tn