Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-20
Thursday. December 20, 1917.
Letters from Farmers.

farm from the hands of a holder who
re,A ed to permit him to cut wood or
timber for sale until the mortgage
WAS paid. We made personal reply to
this man and suggested the Federal
Farm Loan Board. and from him have
received in turn a letter in which he
says.
From all that can make out of
this Federal Loan proposition it wa,
mot intended 10 help the poor devil
who is paving zig interest on a mort
ga, q. a lower rate, but TO help the
man that owns his farm to money to
extend his operations by making i'm
provcments. buying machinery, etc.
such farmer can secure money to
one half the value of his farm; or, in
other words. the plan is to help those
who can help themselves. If l am
wrong. | am willing to he shown. For
instance there was our stare appro-
priation Of $500 900 TO help the farmer
If had wanted any of that money, 1
could not get it because I could not
give the iron clad security demanded
so that the State should share no part
OF the farmers risk. The State was
ready TO give all kinds of assistance
10 the chap that was amply able to
help himself.
THE way I was fixed last spring,
could not get any fertilizer because l
owed a fertilizer bill for the previous
year. II | could have raised the
money 70 pay that fertilizer bill, |
wanted, for patriotic planting. AS it
was. ! had to do without it and, in
stead OF raising something to help feed
the world, l shall have to go short my
self OF much of the product that I
could have raised. | know of many
other farmers in a similar box and as
Vet. have never heard of a case
where the government has actually
helped the poor farmer, deserving or
N'A|
help he was unable TO secure from the
regular established sources. That is
why | am interested in this Federal
Farm Loan proposition. If 1t will give
me a lower rate Of interest, and adj
lust conditions SO that | may be able
TO cut fuel for the needy, at prevailing
lI Lob ,.rt, 9th ia
my farm so as to secure returns from
II with which to buy fertilizer and ma
chinery and to pay interest and
principal on my debts. then | shall be
glad TO embrace it."
Another farmer writes: Last year
complied with government request
and worked myself and family almost
10 death besides hiring to the extent
~ between two and three hundred dol
lars to pay which | borrowed money
and am coming out of the little end
OF the horn. To pay for all my work
. and that of my family. the use of the
Land machinery and team, the seed
/: planted and fertilizer used, hired
labor. and the poison used, have
about $500 worth OF product at pre-
vailng prices. In other words, l am
several hundred dollars in tho hole
ON my last years operations. after
throwing in my labor and the use of
, my machinery and team.
.
, This year. I presume the demand
, for the farmers TO do their bit for the
, country ana for our allies, Will be re-
; newcd with increased force. but l
I, shall he unable to enter the contest
! because OF last Years failure. / have
neither fertilizer nor the seed neces-
sary To plant and SOW as | did last
, year. nor have the money with which
To huy. My farm is no longer secur-
ity on which | can obtain a loan for
! IT is mortgaged to the limit that any
. bank would r,skI cannot obtain the
, aid for farmers so much talked
about. for that same reason-the gov
eminent is not helping farmers who
are not so situated as to secure as
, sistance from the local banks or
money lenders.
This is not n refusal to do my
: patriotic bit. but have gone the
limit. / am a soldier without legs, an
officer without a head. a train without
an engine. and so am going to do the
next best. / am going into the land
renting business. | have good soil
under a good state Of cultivation, and
am ready to rent that by the acre to
some OF these all-wise business men
who are ever ready to urge the farmer
on. and TO advise him, and to tell him
what fool he is. Why is that not a
fair proposition-let some Of the bank
ers and other business men lease land
OF me or other farmers and try their
hand at farming? They can hire
labor as cheaply as we can. They can
buy fertilizer more cheaply than we
c.p for thew can take advantage of