Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-12
Editors Letter Box
Let Uncle Sam Take Farms
r kenneDec Journal:

Editor kenneDec Journal:
Planting time is here, but the farmer
has been able to get neither seed nor fer
tilezr. What has been done about 1t?
We hear that some Of that $751; 900,
partly raised by taxing the farmers,
surely as our taxes are higher again this
year, is to be deposited in the banks of
Maine by the government. These banks
will then let just $500 of the governments
money, raised to encourage agriculture,
to about every Goth farmer in the State.
That is, If the farmer can give good Sc
curity to the bank and will agree to pay
the rate of 4aTo interest to the banks, on
practically his own money, he can get the
loan.
The Journal says that fertilizer Is to be
furnished at cost to Southern farmers.
Are they in such helpless condition that
they at last get what they want? Muss
the northern farmers be put in the same
position by those Spectators before the
government sees that we get our rights,
We think we send our representatives to
Congress to make laws to protect US;
not to allow pack Of merciless specula-
tors to fleece US.
We see that the government has as
sured the big food exchanges that they
| will not fix the price of food at present.
Why not at present? Those storehouses
are food exchanges in name only. Will
| our government wait until the spectators
| have gathered every available ounce OF
! food stuffs into their storehouses before
| fixing any reasonable food prices. Food
scarcity at large would then make the
prices Of food higher than at present,
Those trusts are powerful, and having
gotten all the food will not sell at reason
able prices unless our government com
pels them to.
| The farmers can not get seed to raise
more He takes all of the chances on his
productions If he has any but is not as
sured any fair price for his products by
the government. He knows he will have
to take less from the spectators than it
| costs him to raise his crops this year If
he is so lucky as to have one He Will
then have bills and interest to meet which
will finish him. Encouraging prospect for
the poorer farmers as the $500 loan can
only be secured by the already independ-
ent farmers.
| WHY does not the government loan that
| money to US free, also a billion OF our
first war loan. Surely we could help the
Allies more by raising enough food to
feed them and ourselves. than to aid them
! to build more ships to be torpedoed. 1t
would be more humane to loan US that
money to enable us to raise enough food
to prevent a world famine, than to send
It to the bottom OF the sea.
We must obtain seed and fertilizer at
cost and not at the spectators extortion-
ate prices. The Western farmers think
they are getting a good price for their
oats at 4oc. per bushel but we pay sl.oo
for them here, and s. per bu for wheat
We know that neither transportation anu
storing charges, nor scarcity OF seed can
advance the price in that manner. VINO
is TO blame? Spectators. Need enough
Of a farmers exchange operated by farm
ers, isn't there?
Let the government loan US, without
interest enough money to purchase our
seed and fertilizer this spring. Let them
guarantee us a price for our products
which will pay US for our labor ana leave
enough to meet other bills incurred by
raising our crops. We in turn will guar
anteee. with Natures help. to raise
bumper crop which will ably prevent the
coming world famine. Those back yard
and lawn gardens cannot prevent the
| crisis without the farmers help
II the government does not wish to help
thu farmers in this way then let them buy
al the farmers farms. who cannot raise
a crop this year without failing. or who
wish to sell, at reasonable prices Give
the farmers and others employment on
those farms at a living wage. This would
be humane treatment Of the government
to It's soil brothers. The government
could then raise food and ship the sur
plus, (the American people expect to be
fed frst) TO our Allies across the pond.
The spectators, with either plan car
ried out. could not soak the city people.
and Allies extortionate prices. They
would then not be allowed to enrich
themselves as much as they wish to with
this worlds war.
There. are about 4,oo0,o coo farms by last