The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-08

consequence. many stock producers
and feeders have suffered heavy and,
In some cases, ruinous losses. IL this
condition should continue, we are In
danger. In the near future. OF having
to pay very high prices for our meats,
For two outstanding reasons the
maintenance OF normal balance be-
tween live stock and grain production
Is matter OF national concern. One
Is that We are intoxicating people
and should have a fairly uniform sup
ply at reasonable price. Conditions
which either greatly stimulate or
greatly discourage live stock produc-
ton result In prices altogether TOO high
altogether too low for the producer
The other is that the over stimulation
OF grain production depletes the Ter
tility OF our land, which Is our greatest
national asset and results In a greater
supply than can be consumed AT
price profitable to the producer. ana
finally 10 widespread agricultural dis
tress from which all of our people sur
fer. As reconstruction measure,
therefore, our government should DO
everything in Its power 10 restore the
normal balance between live stock and
grain production, and thus encourage
the prompt return to that system OF
diversified farming by which alone we
can maintain our soil fertility. This
is matter OF immediate Importance
to all OF our people.
Hard to Forecast.
No one can forecast with. certainty the
trend Of prices of farm products during
the next two or three years. Recovery
from world crisis such as We have
experienced is slow, inevitably. 1t is
like the human convalescence from
long and dangerous illness. Our relations
with the world-at- large are such that
important happenings In other lands
have n marked effect upon conditions
here at home. Order must be restored,
industries rebuilt, devastated lands re-
claimed, transportation established,
the vast armies absorbed into the occu-
pations of normal life. The near future
promises to be period of uncertainty
for the farmer as well as for men en-
gagged in industrial Enterprises Amer
lea has no greater problem than return
ing securely to the normal onward
road again, This isn't looking back
ward--it is a forward look to stability
and security,
IL must be evident, however, to any
one who has ever given the matter even
superficial consideration, that we have
now come to the end of the long period
of agricultural exploitation In the Uni
ted States. No longer are there great
and easy and awaiting areas of fertile
land awaiting the land hungry. we
have now under the pillow practically al
Of our easily tillable land, though idle
areas await TeCldTldlloil anu uoNSioP-
ment by that genius and determination
which ever have made nature respond
to human needs Additions OF conse-
quence, which we may make 10 our
farming area. from this time on. must
come by putting water on the dry lands
of the arid and semi-arid country, or
by taking water off the swamp lands,
of which we have large areas in some
sections, or by digging the stumps out
of the cutover timber lands of the
North and South. There are, OF course,
large possibilities in intensive farm
ing, in that land thrift which admits
of neither waste nor neglect. and in
ever improving methods. Which must be
as inspiring to agricultural life as to
the professions or to commercial lead
ership. want soul in farming. to set
aglow the most Independent and self
respecting activity in the world.
A Definite Policy.
The time has come when as ma
ton, we must determine upon definite
agricultural policy We must decide
whether we shall undertake to make
the United States self sustaining ma