Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-22

down, and it is all duplicated by num-
berless dictators and agents. dollar-a-
year men. and Observation-Disclosures eX-
perts. 1t is showered en- agricultural
sections and their newspapers. daily.
and county, and their farm papers are
showed under with ~'education."
What TO plant, how to plant it; when
to plant. and where; what to eat and
what to can; when to eat and how to
eat it.
Farmers don't know any of these
things, but Secretary Houston does; he
has been shown in Missouri politics.
Like Devery Of Gotham, "he IS the best
chief of police New York ever had"
President Schurman CT Cornell uni
yersity said, in substance, that price
fixing and fear of p~rice-fxing hangs 4
pail of starvation over this country.
| What might we not expect when such
as the poultry order are inflicted On the
people. and we have, to stand it? But
no government can continue to make
one class of people the goat and get
away with it.
Seed is high this spring, fertilizer IS
out Of sight" and poisons promise 10
be largely understandable at any price,
when needed. Contracts are being
Cancelled because of unforeseen condi-
. tons over which dealers have 10 con-
troll.
Fertilizer makers tell MS that orders
| are likely to be from 20 to 80 per cent.
less iii Maine this year than last. One
! business man who has been dealing
directly with farmers in every county
and every town for many years, says
nearly 80, 800 acres less viii be planted
and sown in this State in 1918 than in
! 1917. Does Mr.. Houston realize ii
I when he says:
Notwithstanding an increased produc-
ton Of staple crops in the United :tate@
in 1917. there is neal for more fool inc
program states. Taking into arcouAt
our own needs. the needs 6 stl" nations
associated with us IN this war. AMI tie
needs OF friendly neutral nations, our De3t
efforts will be required TO proNid> fnoUg Il
food in 1918. Whether the war CONTINUES
or not. the demands on this country, he
cause of the increasing population and
the needs Of Europe. will be great. An
especially strong demand will ne made or
this country for meats and live stock.
in 1917, notwithstanding the many diff.
,1lstH- naG , ~ D,Gs} tho O. 11snrc ll nfNf
the largest acreagcS i'll the history of the
Nation, harvested record crops OF most
things except wheat, and succeeded n
greatly increasing the number o. 1--we
stock. The record OF the farmers last
year, made IN the face of obstacles, Is
ground for confidence on their part tina
with equal application ana Organization,
they can overcome the difficulties thi-
year but the program? especially points
ont. il does not afford Justification 70,
any let-up this year III production actlvl-
ties OF In conservation efforts.
Constructive criticism has been re
peatedly made. Measures of relief
that are sane, practicable and en-
couraging, have been offered to the
Department OF Agriculture, and to the
President direct. And these rec
concentrations are used for mo
flage for "education' of farmers. If
the administration comes to life be-
fore June something constructive may
be done, but there is no evidence Of it
yet. in the complacent attitude OF
Secretary Houston and others.
Meantime. feed your hens four-dol-
lar-a-hundred grain and save the cold
! storage men.