Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-01
PROFITABLE PRODUCTION
Farm Economic Conditions Sub.
ject of Much Legislation
MiAtaken Theory to Devote All Energy
-. to Increasing Farm Production
without Considering Qucstfoa
of Profit.

a review Of the most significant steos
that have been taken in the last few
years to benefit the economic condition
Of the farmer Is contained i'm an article
by Carl Vrooman, assistant secretary OF
agriculture, published in the forthcoming
yearbook of the department In this ar
ticle Mr.. Vrooman points out that for 30
years the United States department of ag-
riculture has been studying how to in
crease production on the farms, but that
1t is only very recently that stress has
been laid on a study of the problem of
making that production profitable. In the
past. he says. there has been mis-
taken theory that everybody is Interested
in increasing agricultural production. but
that nobody but the farmer is interested
in making that production profitable.
That this theory has at last been rec
ognized as fallacious is indicated by i'm
portant legislation enacted in the last
few years. Prominent in this legislation
was the creation, in 1913. of the Office of
markets and rural organization. The Gre
alton OF this office, says Mr.. Vrooman,
was an innovation of epoch-making sig
nificance." This office represents the first
attempt on the part of the government
to remedy through scientific investigation
the waste and extravaganza in our pres
Of farm products. Long before there was
any official recognition of the need for
this step. the farmers themselves realized
the necessity for it. The Grange move
ment, the Farmers Alliance movement,
and the POpulist movement were all in
spired by the conviction on the part Of
the producers that organization on their
part was essential to improvement in their
economic condition. The assistant secre-
tary points out that while many of the
specific remedies demanded by the lead
ers of these movements were impracti-
cable. their basic demands were just and
he emphasizes the necessity Of applying
to these problems much the same meth
DDS of scientific study which have made
possible such extraordinary advances in
the production of crops.
In summing up the effect of these and
other laws. Mr.. Vrooman says: 1T is
clear. / think, that as a result of this
splendid program Of constructive legis-
lation. n new agricultural epoch has be-
gun. At last what for so long was mere
ly the hope, the aspiration. the dream Of
the widely scattered, imperfectly organ
ICED tllers of our soil has become the
avowed policy of the federal department
OF agriculture. and has been written by
Congress into the law of the land"
In conclusion the assistant secretary
SAYS: There is indeed still need for or
ganized effort on the part of farmers,
still need for educational campaigns in
behalf Of measures to meet those require
ments of the farmer which still remain I'M
satisfied. But it is a great thing that the
government of the nation that leads the
world in agricultural production at las;
il meeting the farmer at least half way
and has manifested willingness. and a
| friendly desire, to cooperate with him
| in the future in any constructive worl;
that looks to the building up OF our ma
tional prosperity on the basis Of a per-
manently prosperous agriculture"