The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-17
MEETING THE FARMER.
Government Shows What Steps Have
Been Taken Toward That.

| A review OF the most significant steps
that have been taken in the last few
years to benefit the economic condition
of the farmer is contained in an article
by Carl Vrooman, assistant secretary of
agriculture, published in the Forthcoming
| year book of the department. In this
article Mr. Vrooman points out that for
30 years the u. s, department of agri-
culture has been studying how to in
crease production on the farms, but that
it is only very recently that stress has
been laid on study OF the problem OF
making that production profitable. In
the past, he says, there has been mis-
taken theory that everybody is interest
ed in increasing agricultural production,
but that nobody but the farmer is inter
ested in making that production profit
able.
That this theory has at last been rec
ognizeds as fallacious is indicated by i'm
portant legislation enacted in the last
few years. Prominent in this legislation
was the creation, in 1913, of the Office of
markets and rural organization. The
creation of this office, says Mr.. Vrooman,
was an innovation of epoch making sig
niicance." This office represents the first
attempt on the part of the government
TO remedy through scientific investiga-
ton the waste and extravaganza in our
present methods of distributing and dis
posing of farm products. Long before
there was any official recognition of the
need for this step, the farmers them
selves realized the necessity for it. The
grange movement, the farmers alliance
movement, and the populist movement
were all inspired by the conviction on
the part of the producers that organiza
tion on their part was essential to i'm
provement in their economic condition
The assistant secretary points out that
while many of the specific remedies de-
manded by the leaders OF these move
ments were impracticable, their basic de-
mands were just, and he emphasizes the
necessity of applying to these problems
much the same methods of scientific
study which have made possible such ex-
advances in the production
of crops.
In addition to the creation of the Of |
flee of markets and rural organization, a
number of laws have been passed which |
are characterized as being of immense |
economic Importance to the farmer. Per-
haps the most important one OF these is
that financial magma eharta of the !
farmer" the farm loan act. This" de- !
cares the assistant secretary, lis the /
first great financial measure ever passed /
by Congress primarily in the interest OF
the farmer. have no doubt that in the
future it will be strengthened by amend
l. nFA 10 .f afVNfnf
Details as was the federal reserve bill,
but in all fairness it must be admitted
hat this bill will do for the farmer very
much what the federal reserve act is do
ng for the business man. 1t will furnish
he farmer with those fundamental ne
,essities that he has been asking for,
foting for, and praying for, during the
asst half century,
These fundamental necessities are de-
ined as:
First Available capital in sufficient
quantities for the farmers legitimate
reeds
Second. Loans on longer time and
asier terms of payment.
Third. Lower rates of interest. .
Another measure cited in this connee-
ion is the bonded warehouse act of Aug.
l, 1916. This legislation was passed in
esponse to demand on the part of the
armers for a mechanism that would en-
BILE them to borrow money more easily,
nd at lower rate of interest, on stored
rops. 1t permits farmer to place prod
zee in a bonded warehouse and secure a
eceipt for it. On this receipt he can :
asily borrow money, for il represents /
ilt-edged security. The risk which in
he old days the banker took in lending
loney, even to farmers with good credit,
eliminated by this method and the
ates of interest therefore lowered. In
EDITION, the farmer now has a much
trger field in which to negotiate his
'ans than in the days when he was prac-
cally limited to those bankers who
new him personally.
The cotton futures act and the United
tates grain standards act are cited as
Irther examples of recent progressive
yrarian legislation. "The latter of
lese," Mr.. Vrooman says, SIS step in
lie direction of national efficiency and