New-York tribune., 1917-05-03
How F armers May Get Helm
Arrangements in This State for Labor
Seed and Loans
To the Editor of The Tribune.

Sir: AFTER readlnE your eoltOrldl OF tnis
morning entitled Getting Aid 10 the Fsrr.
ers" il seems due 20 the farmers % this stat.
10 inform your readers OF the efforts N.,,
York farmers are making 70 increase our food
supplies A complete organization Of s....
and private enterprise in cooperation now s,.
lists TO cover the securing and distribution q,
seed. the engagement Of the necessary labo.
and the furnishing Of the funds required "a,
additional planting to those whose private r..
sources will not permit them to enlarge ,ks,
crops without aid. This organization is rox
actively at work.
The state has established By special act II.
New York State Food Supply Commission. a
which Commissioner OF Agriculture c.
Wilson Is chairman, with an approprstior a,
100000. This sum is TO cover general o..
penses, but the commission also has powe, a
purchase seed and distribute the SANE 4,
ecessary. This commission has subcomni,.
tees on labor. the chairman being +. W s..
sions. president Of the New York State F,r--
ers Association, Utica, y. l., and seed. n.
chairman being r. d. Cooper president q.
the State Dairymen's League. Il has alr.ady
completed farm census Of the state 70 ss,,.
tain the needs Of seed and labor and The A.
dtional acreage to be planted a summary
Of the results Of this census appears in your
news columns Of this morning, from which
take as follows:
The Farm Census
"The census shows that farmers have as.
iustcd their cropping plan to meet the emer.
gency situation IN a sound and intelliceu.
manner There is proposed increase Of q
per cent in the acreage devoted TO con-.
Other grain crops show proposed increases
of 10 10 20 per cent. The wheat sereerc IS
50 per cent more than it was seven years 20
and II per cent more than last year. m.
preliminary figures show an increase Of from
10 to so per cent in the proposed acreage 0.
beans, vegetables and cabbage
New York already I believe stands eighth
among the agricultural states Of the Union,
and this statement shows that the farmers
Of this state are making every effort this
year which the calls Of patriotism and The
incentive Of high prices demand. Your Ad.
toria suggests that local committees should
be formed Of bankers, farmers and business
men to learn the financial and labor needs
through the state. beg to call your stten.
tion to the fact that this work has slreadJ
been done by the New York State Grange and
the Federation of Jewish Farmers, co.
operating with the Patriotic Farmers Fund.
These organizations have over 900 grange,
taf ina fof.
farmer members. The Grange is the strong.
est and best established OF the farmers Of.
carnations of the state and il has, through
the action of its worthy master, S. J. Lowell,
established local loan committees through
out the state to cooperate generally, bgt
more particularly TO act as the agents Of as
Patriotic Farmers Fund in passing on loans
to farmers of character and known ability
to raise crops. who may be in need of loans
for seed and fertilizer, and later for labor.
Loans from the Banks
over two hundred banks in tho state as
now prepared to make such loans. Thes
committees, acquainted with the local cond-
tions and people, are now engaged activey
in the work of securing and approving az
plications for small loans to farmers Dr
the purchase of seed and fertilizer for he
crops suitable for human food. The re,uns
are now coming in very rapidly to the Chass
and Hanover national banks in this city.
which are handling the principal fund Upon
the approval Of the local loan committee,
the farmer deposits his note at the rate Ol
in I., md 80
money. The notes so far received rur "a
amounts from s14.04 to $3.50. This fund was
made available on the 21st inst, and are'dy
very large activities indicate that IL will be
called on TO meet practically all Of n;
financial needs of the smaller farmers o.
this state for seed and fertilizer. This class
of farmers supply their own land and iaboi
but need help for buying seed and fertililsi
The stronger farmers usually have their oIi
banking arrangements. The principal OF ~
Patriotic Farmers Fund will thus be secrrel
by very large number of short-term, single
name notes given by farmers Of the stat,
for additional planting purposes. The de-
mand may exceed the fund now on hand. ou,
if any further financial aid is required, i
should, in my judgment, he given throaga
this organization or through the local banks
In addition to this work, ! would call yo1r
attention to the work being done by Presl-
dent Peters and others on Long Island y
r. II. Hotter, in Westchester County. n
Archibald Rogers in Duchess County. BY
Stephen Clarke in Otsego County. with t,sr
associates, and b. many others throughout
the state on the same lines.
Many Are Helping
have received correspondence from near
ly two hundred banks in the state, and they
uniformly express their desire to give ne
local farmers every proper aid. For y.
stance, the Erie County Trust Company OF
East Aurora, n. Y, writes:
1--WE have publicly offered to loan any
person known to US to be industrious ana
of good habits and character funds to os
used for the purpose of increasing 'nef
crop output at the rate Of per cent per
annum"
Those desiring to obtain additional seeu
should apply to the nearest couny farm ou-
reau representative in their district OF y
the local railroad agent or the local loan