The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-01-11
mARxErIno AND FINANCE
What the Government Is Doing to
Help the People Finance Their
Farm and market Produce


The measures adopted in the
last few years 10 assist the farm
or what may ID" called the bust
ness side Of his life ar" clnphas!z
cd in the new report Of the Sec
rotary Of Agriculture. On this
subject the Secretary says. in
part:
The half Of agriculture eInbrac
ing the marketing Of farm oro-
ducts. rural finance. and rural
organization ha, Strikinyly occu-
pied attention during the last
three and one-half years. Be
fore 1913 Iittl. systematic thot
had been devoted to it. and Their.
did NOT exist. either in the States
or i'm the Nation. effective inStru-
Ihentall'I"> to furnish assistance
and guidance 20 farmers in this
field. nor had the iaws necessary
TO remedy abuses and control un-
faN"rabl" conditions been formu-
lated or enacted. In view Of tn.
coInpl"xity and novelty Of the
problems, the rnpliSiIrneuts-
legislative and administrative
have been notable significant.
ms seems an opportune time t.
summarize them.
Early in 1913 a program for
the ensuing four years was de-
vcloped. This program in large
measure has been executed. Ia
the first place provision was made
promptly for the creation of the
Office of Market and Rural Organ
lzation. Beginning with a mol
est SUN. the appropriations for
this office, including those cnforc
ing new laws to promote better
marketing. have Incl uascd to ST.
242.OOo. Quickly an effective
organization was developed. but
today the Nation possesses i'm this
department The largest and best
trained and supported staff of ex-
perts dealing will, the distrub-
ton OF agricultural commodities
i'm the world. IT, is engaged in
investigating all tn" larger and
more difficult problems cnnfrnnt-
ing farmers in this new field.
The matter Of establishing
standards for staple AGRICULTURAL
product Of supervising the ia
spectIon of grains shipped i'm in
terstate and foreign commerce.
and the operation Of cotton flu
ur"s exchange, Of d"vising iinam-
cial machinery suited to the needs
of tn" rural population. of de-
Nelop" better system of ware
houses for agricultural products.
and ofF"dcral aid in highway con
structiOn. received arcful attcn-
ton. Tn" result was the enact
m"nt of a number Of highly impos
tant laws-the cotton futures cat
the United states grain-stand-
ards act. the United States waal.r-
house act, the Federal farm loan
act and the Federal aid road act.
Under the cotton futures act
standards for cotton have been
established, the operations of tn.
futures exchanges have been sup
eINlsed, and cotton trading has
been placed OH a soundcr basis.
Quotations for spots and futures
have maintained a steady relation
to each other. Future quota
lions now are better indications
to the farmer of the value of his
commodity than formerly. This
uniformity has demonstrated the
value of the future markets for
legitimate hedging purposes. 1t
is clear, therefore that the gen.
raj purposes of the act have been
and are being. accomplished.
The United States grain stand
ards act will bring about uniform
ity in grading, enable the farmer
to obtain faircr price for his
product and to improve it's quail
ity, and prevent or diminish mat
erially the shipment of adulter-
ated grain. Plans for its enforc-
ment have been developed as
rapidly as possibly. Official
standards for shelled corn have
been promulgated.
In order that the work of lie
ensed inspectors may be super
.vised properly and appeals and
disputes under the act dealt with
promptly, it has seemed advisable
for the present to divide the
country into 80 districts. This
number may be increased when
standards for other grains have
been established. The districting
has been made with view to
place all sections of the country