The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-07-18
BEHOLD, THE FARMER

| LluCOlu JOu1Ad1. <AUOuC tAC lIAAlO
when potatoes and wheat passed the
SO wire neck and neck and dashed up
the home stretch toward 81, new
fad. accompanied by sinking feel
ing, encroached upon the American
mind That was the fact that the
American consumer is more depen-
dent upon the Aemrican farmer than
is the farmer upon the consumer.
We had always assumed the con-
trary. The farmer, struggling to pay
his interest, had poured his products
upon us in an ample flood at the mod
est prices which 90 with ample floods,
and we complacently assumed that
this would go on forever. Many of US
left the farms, taking for granted that
plenty of farmers would be left to
get up at sunrise and wear the over
alls while we slept till in the city
and luXuriated in white collars for
eight-hour days. From that dream the
war, So wheat and 81 potatoes awak-
j ened us. zs The farmer Was4- thriving
on short crop while we were near
starving. Then we realized the pre-.
cariousness of our position. We were
dependent for life upon food pro-
ducers to whom it was matter Of
considerable indifference whether
they produced much or little. Their
short crops would exchange for about
as much of the products of our labor
as their large crops. Why should they
hustle? The thought was terrifying.
Thereupon began the great invoca-
/ - 90 nv tol, h~o ,uIS
last March, April and May we be-
sought him to grow more food that
we and the world might not starve.
The farmer is an obliging fellow, and
he has heard our prayer But he is
mighty independent about it. He will
plant wheat this fall-provided we
see that there is seed at reasonable
prices. Since it is more important to
us than to him that he grow wheat,
the responsibility for seeing to the
seed is upon us. He will vouchsafe
| to plant other crops also-oats, corn
potatoes-provided we see that labor
is Forthcoming to harvest the crop
and that he is provided with satis-
factory market facilities and guaran.
teed attractive minimum prices for his
product. So it is the commercial
clubs, not the farmers, that are
sweating over the harvest hand prob.
lem. ..a Shes st.. ...
The steel trust and the coal kings
and the railroad men and the oil mag
mates are equally in control of living
necessities. But they, fortunately, are
trusts. We can get at them and we
Tissue edicts giving them choice be-
tween supplying us with their prod
ucts at reasonable prices and being
swallowed alive by the government.
The farmer, scattered, individualistic,
competing, is subject to no such
dragooning. He can no more be COM
PEELED than the sands Of the sea. In
metropolitan centers they are getting
so fearful of farmers strike that
plans are under way to organize mu-
nicipal armies for farming purposes.
Agricultural Pattsburgs are being pro-
posed where young men from the cit
les may be taught the rudiments OF
milking and weed exterminating, in
order that conscript farming may in
sure defense against starvation such
as it is feared the volunteer system
no longer assures.
| Meanwhile the farmer sits back
and views with complacency. OF old
and for we know not how many cen
! turies back we have glorified the
farmers life in song and story, per-
haps in half conscious eagerness to
keep him satisfied to go on supplying
us with food His is the most inde-
pendent life,-we said, as We packed
our coats and collars preparatory
to fleeing from this independence to
the slavery of the cities. But behold,
what we said then really seems to be
true now. Behold at last the farmer.
no longer "rube," but the one we
are all coaXing and cOurting