The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-02-08
Will SON URGES
GREATER CROPS
Address BY President, Read at
Urbana, Asks Supreme
Effort BY Farmers.
MARK MUST PASS 1917.
Crisis Has Come, Says Executive, and
War Will End This Year, but
Farmers Must Make Rec
ord Production.

Washington, Feb. 1.-The achieve.
ments of this year, on one side OF
the other must determine the issue
The eliminating crisis OF the strug
gle has come"
Thus President Wilson warned the
farmers Of the country. The MESSAGE
was delivered by President James OF
the University of Illinois in the alb
sence of Secretary of Agriculture n
f. Houston, who was TO have repre-
sented the preSioNnt at the farmers
conference at Urbana. The president
had expected to attend, but indisposi-
ton made it impossible and he dele
gated Mr. Houston, who was prevented
from participating by the railroad
tieup. Tie presidents message said ::
81 am sorry indeed that / cannot be
present in person at the Urbana con-
ference. | should like to enjoy the
benefit of the inspiration and eX-
change of counsel which l know
should obtain but in the circumstances
it has seemed impossible for me to
be present and therefore | only can
send you a very earnest message ex-
pressing my interest and the thoughts
2
prominently into every mind.
Facing Great Task.
Il need not tell you for l am sure
you realize as keenly as l do that we
are as a nation in the presence of
great task which demands supreme
sacrifice and endeavor of everyone of
us. We can give evrything that is
needed with the greater willingness
and even satisfaction because the OBJ
ject OF the war in watch we are en-
gagged is the greatest that free men
have ever undertaken.
War Cause Is Righteous.
You will not need to be convinced
that it was necessary for us as free
people to take part in the war 1t had
raised its evil hand against us. The
rulers of Germany had sought to eXer-
else their power in such way as to
shut off our economic life SO far as
our intercourse with Europe was con-
cerned and to confine our people with
III the Western hemisphere while they
accomplished purposes which would
have permanently impaired and i'm
peded every process of our national
life and have put the fortunes of
America at the mercy of the imperial
government Oh GeFHld1N-
Whole Future at Stake.
"We are fighting, therefore, as truly
FOR the liberty and self-government or
the United States as if the war OF our
own revolution had to be fought over
again, and every man jim every business
in the United States must know by
this time that his whole future for
tune lies in the balance. Our national
life and our whole economic develop
ment will pass under the sinister in
fuence of foreign control IL we DO not
win. We must win, therefore, ana we
shall yin. | need not aesk you 10
rledge your lives and fortunes with
tnose of the rest of the nation to the
accomplishment of that great war.
This Year Will Decide War.
"You will realize as ] think states
men on both sides of the water rea-
lie. that the eliminating crisis OF the
struggle mas come and that the
achievements of this year on the one
side or the other mast determine the
issue. 1t has turned out that the
forces that fight for freedom of men
over the world as well as our own de-
pend upon US in an extraordinary and
unexpected degree for sustenance for
the supply OF the materials by which
men are TO live and to fight and it will
be our glory when the war is over that
we have supplied those materials and
supplied them abundantly and it will
be all the more glory because in sup
plying them We have made our SUI
preme effort and sacrifice.
Farmers Paramount Factors.
''In the field Of agriculture we have
agencies and instrumentalities fOrtu-
nately, such as no other government
in the world can show The depart
ment of agriculture is undoubtedly
the greatest practical and scientific az
ricultural organization in the world.
The banking legislation of the last
two or three years has given the farm
ers access to the great lendable cap
ital of the country and it has become
the duty both of the men in charge
of the federal reserve banking system
and of the farm loan banking system
to see to it that tne farmers obtain
the credit, both short term and long
term, to which they are entitled not
only. but which it is imperatively nee
essary should be extended to them if
the present tasks of the country are TO
be adequately performed. Both direct
purchase of nitrates and by the estab-
lisnment of plants to produce nitratcs
the government is doing its utmost TO
assist in the problem of fertilization.
Giving Farmers Every Aid.
"The department of agriculture and
other agencies are actively assisting
the farmers to locate, safeguard and
secure at cost an adequate supply of
sound seed. The department has ST..
Seeks Fact of Teuton Uprising.