The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-02-22
MEETING THE FARMER HALF WAY

few years to benefit the economic con-
dition of the farmer is contained in
an article by Carl Vrooman, assistant
secretary of agricultural, published in
the forthcoming yearbook Of the de-
partment. In this article Mr.. Vroo-
man points out that for so years the
U. S. department of agriculture has
been studying how to increase produc-
ton on the farms, but that it is only
very recently that stress has been laid
on sthdy of the problem of making
that production profitable. In the
past, he says, there has been mis-.
taken theory that everybody is inter-
ested in increasing agricultural pro-
duction, but that nobody but the far
mer is interested in making that pro-
duction profitable.
That this theory has at last been
recognized as fallacious is indicated
by important legislation enacted in the
last few years. Prominent in this
legislation was the creation, in 1913,
of the Office of markets and rural or
ganization. The creation of this
Office" says, Mr.. Vrooman, was an
innovation of epOch-making signifl.
| cance.' This Office represents the
first attempt on the part of the COY
eminent to remedy through scientific
investigation the waste and extrava-
gance in our present methods of dis
k4ributing and disposing Of farm pro-
mucts. Long before there was any
! official recognition of the need for this
step, the farmers themselves realized
the necessity for it. The Grange
movement, the Farmers Alliance
movement, and the Populist move
ment were allsinspired by the convic-
ton on the part of the producers that
organization on their part was essen
tial to improvement in their economic
points out that while many of the
specific remedies demanded by the
Headers of these movements were i'm
practicable, their basic demands were
just, and he emphasizes the necessity
of applying to these problems much
1.-THE same methods of scientific study
(which have made possible such extra
ordinary advances in the production of
crops.
In addition to the creation of the
Office of markets and rural organiza>
ton, number of laws have been pass
ed which are characterized as being of
immense economic Importance to the
farmer. Perhaps the most important
one of these is that financial magma
charta of the farmer" the farm loan
tact. This" declares the assistant
|secretary, lis the first great financial
measure ever passed by congress pri-
marily in the interest of the farmer.
have no doubt that in the future it will
be strengthened by amendments with
was the federal reserve bill, but in all
fairness it must be admitted that this
bill will do for the farmer very much
what the federal reserve act is doing
for the business man. 1t will furnish
1.-The farmer with those fundamental ne
|cessities that he has been asking for
voting for, and praying for, during
the past half century"
These fundamental necessities are
defined as.
First. Available capital in sufficient
quantities for the farmers legitimate
needs.
| Second. Loans on longer time and
|easier terms Of payment
AAAUs AO"CT AdIOo Va 1ASCl cSL.
Another measure cited in this con.
nection is the bonded warehouse act
Of Aug II, 1916. This legislation was
passed in response to demand on the
part of the farmers for a mechanism
THAT would enable them to borrow
money more easily and at lower rate
Of interest, on stored crops. It per.
mits farmer to place. produce in a
bonded warehouse and secure a receipt
for it. On this receipt he can easily
borrow money, for it represents gilt.
lodged security. The risk which in the
lold days the banker took in lending
money, even to farmers with good
1credit, is eliminated by this method
and the rates of interest therefore
lowered. In addition. the farmer now
has much larger field in which to ne
Igotiate his loans than in the days when
he was practically limited to those
bankers who knew him personally.
The cotton futures act and the Unit
ed grain standards act are cited as
further examples of recent progressive
|agrarian legislation. THE latter of
these" Mr.. Vrooman says, is a step
lin the direction Of national efficiency
and national economic preparedness. :"
It's effect will be markedly beneficial
on our foreign commerce in grain. OF
the cotton futures act it is said that
the net result already has been that
the prices Of cotton, which are now