Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-12

Farmers Learning TO Curfa't.
Editor Kennebec Journal:
For the last few weeks 1 have read
with considerable interest the editorials
and letters in your paper in regard to the
food supply and urging farmers to in
crease their acreage this year. If you
will grant space. 1 would like to say a
few words from farmers views as he
sees il.
First, l would compare the farmer with
oru mills or other manufacturing estab-
lishments. When the products of any of
our mills exceed the demand there Is a
curtailment or even, in some cases, the
mill is shut down until the market de-
mands 6he product at a paying price,
Now that is just what the farmers have
been doing for the last few years, simply
because the market would not take his
produce at paying price. Had the farm
ers held their crops last year until the ad-
vance in prices they would have made a
fair thing but in the majority of cases
| they sold before the rise, or through
crop failure did not have much to sell: sc
on the whole had but little left to pay on
the amount he went behind the years he
sold his produce far below cost of pro-
duction.
Our government through its officials
say we must have food and munitions to
successfully carry US through the present
crisis
On good authority we learn that this
government is contracting for large
amounts of munitions at prices that are
sure to yield good profit to the manufac.
turer. At the same time what encourage.
nnent do they give the farmer? They are
encouraging the raising of gardens ir
the city in competition with the farmer
asking the poor laboring class who are al
ready working EIGHT long hours" for 8
day to care for them. OF course the
farmer would not mind the long hours fol
he is and always has worked u to II
hours for day in the busy season ant
amounts to as much as the mill opera
! tives get in eight.
| Yet they are drawing seed from an al
ready short supply. l have my doubts Il
| they can make a given amount Of sect
yield any more than if placed in thu
hands of any experienced farmer
| We are told our governor has none,
available to loan one farmer in 50 no
over 5000 ON GOOD SECURITY. I doub
If there is a much larger percentage wht
cannot get it any time on those terms, a
home or where he is known.
| 1t is the man who has no security t.
offer that wants help.
What the farmer wants is a guarantee
that he will receive enough to repay thu
loan. In years past it has proven yer,
disastrous to Maine farmers hiring none,
to plant on; some years there is a crol
failure and he is out. ~Other years wher
there is a bountful crop he is obliged t
sell at a price that will not pay the loaI
with the labor thrown in.
! I submit that if the government or an.
one who wants a large increase In farm
produce will guarantee the farmel
enough so he can pay his help as much
as the mill operatives get for the same
number Of hours work, and leave hin
one-half the profit on his labor and in
vestment that was consumed between tn.
producer and consumer last year. tina,
the help problem will be solved withou
robbing school children Of their education
and the farmers with favorable weathe
produce the largest crops ever known.
Until we have some such guarantee
urge the Maine farmer not to increas
his crops of perishable goods but q
heavy on field corn. grain and fodder TO
home consumption to be converted int
pork, beef and dairy products as the de
mand will probably be good unless Their
is a move to furnish the city people witt
COW to keep the front lawn trimmed.
F. OTIS ABBOTT.
North Vassalboro. May s.