The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-06-30


Mo-: Samuel Resented, member
Board Of Freeholders. st. Louis. Mo-;
O. y. Jennings. president Central
Trades and Labor Assembly, Spring
field, Mo-; M. P. Moody, editor. War
rensburg, Mo-: John T. Fitzpatrick,
Commissioner Labor Bureau. Kansas
City, Mo-; Floyd Tuggle, farmer Gal
latin, Mo-; Fred A. Morris. merchant,
Mexico. Mo-; Charles Sumner, presi-
dent Industrial Council, Kansas City,
Mo-; s. d. Groner, professor rural eco
nomics. University of Missouri, Co
lumbia, Mo-; c. l.. Woods. editor. Roll
la. Mo; C. F. Enright, banker, St Jo-
seph, Mo-; G. A. Winfrey, president
jackson County Farm Bureau, Buck
ner, Mo-; R. t. Woods. president State
Federation Of Labor, Springfield, Mo-;
Almon Ing, lawyer, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
The statewide activities of the
Gardner Land Bank State Committee,
of the Initiative Petition Committee
and the Congressional District Com
mittee accomplished in due course the
first necessary step--that is, the Sc
curing Of sufficient signatures in each
congressional district to comply with
the law.
When it is considered that all these
men and committees were volunteers
and gave their time and labor and
ability TO the public service and inter
est, animated solely by the motive OF
lettering the agricultural conditions
Of the state and, consequently, the
higher development of the CONNER
cial interests of the state, 1t is not a
matter of marvel and wonder that SO
much was accomplished. The sacri-
tices made by these men will never
be fully appreciated and cannot be re-
paid. Their reward must always con
sist in the success of their efforts.
The farmers Of the state will be
the first and permanent benefic ARIES
of the labor of these public-sI trited
citizens. In the gradual develcAnsent
OF the Missouri State Land Banfj Plan
the whole state, in all its raLdGca-
vii! reap its benefits.
The plan and effect of the Missouri
State Land Bank is generally well
understood, but brief outline OF its
purpose and the relief TO farmers af
/ forded by it may be of interest to
those not familiar with the plan, Quo.
tations from the address OF Col. Fred
erick d. Gardner, author of the consti-
tutional amendment ard of the Gard
ner Land Bank Bill, enacted by the
last legislature, delivered before a
Joint conference of the agricultural
committee of the Forty-eighth Gen
eral Assembly, at Jefferson City, Mo.
Jan. 20, 1915. will best and most sim.
ply convey its import to the student
of the subject. In the course of his
address Col. Gardner said;
"our system of to 5 year loans is
discredited and archaic. 1t is inevita.
BILE that these loans must be renewed
with the usual commissions, or that
the farmer must sell part of his invest
ment. That is to say, his capital must
be reduced if the loans are to be paid
in bulk, according to our system.
Neither Is desirable nor should be nee
essary. All other nations of the world
have discredited this to year loan
plan that we use in America, and il
should have been discarded by u
many years ago, The maximum time
allowed for paying off loans for sucl
] t. f,, tnIa
years in Chile. S61a years in New Yea
land, AZ years in Australia, SO years
in Italy and Japan. 54h years in Aus.
tria, 55h years in Russia, 561a year;
! in Germany and Sweden, 81 years In
Switzerland, GO years in Denmark, GO
years in Hungary, 6Sh years in Ire
land and IS years in France.
1T Is stated on authority that there
IL total OF % billion dollars being
utilized By the farmer in the above
named countries ON this longtime
bond issue plan at an average of to
4 per cent interest. The necessity for
development. particularly here in Mis-
souri,, Immediately suggests the prin-
4 ClplG VI lllt IOAte1tAAit VI ANU tiH1liOh
| plan,
ri must be remembered that agri
cultural products are largely regulated
by international competition. Missouri
wheat, for instance, completes in Liv,
| erpool with. wheat from Russia,
France and Argentina. If farmers In
other nations are able to secure their
money at about half what our Ameri-
can farmer has to pay, considering
that our land will produce less and
less because the virgin qualities are
gradually being worn out, what will
be the result without rebuilding?
II had long talk with Herr Gwin.
ner, president of the Deutsche Bank
in Berlin. He is considered one of the
most astute financiers, business men
and farmers in the world, This is
what he said:
81 have Just finished an interview
with the president of one Of your rail
roads. told him American export Of
manufactured articles was not your
trouble. 1t is growing and will grow