The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-06-11

Unless farm problems are considered
with more sympathy by the pubic gen
orally and especially by congress con-
siderable part Of our country may 10
hungry before many years.
Farmers have been Sandoagged oy the
disgraceful agricultural economic sys-
tenn until the camets back Is orokeh'
they are leaving the farms by 'he tens
Of thousands. Already me annorn'H a
congestion OF the huge centers or popu-
lation is such that We arc naNlnE
trouble in feeding the city popu iation.
Unless We about-face quickly IN the
treatment of the agricultural interests
OF America. a real food shortage Will DC
encountered.
One-third the population Of the United
States Is engaged in agriculture, more
than one-quarter OF the national wealth
is invested in farm enterprises.
The chairman OF the appropriations
committee is Of the opinion that the m
sncial needs OF the government lot tne
ncxt fiscal year may exceed SS.OOV.oen.
900 for all purposes Yet the agricul-
tural bill Rppronristcs only SS-.0no:ooo:
which means that out Of every 1855 OF
the public funds only 81 Will be spent
on the nations most vital lnousNy-
tho one on which every other INDUSTRY
denends And yet We find senator's VINO
would reduce even this small approprla-
ton, which is a reduction or SlSUo"-
600 from the Appropriation Oh 1919 LOT
agricultural purposes.
We favor the utmost economy in gov
ernmental expenditures and n substan-
t:al reduction in appropriations Sener-
ally. but at time when Increased pro-
duCtion Is OF supreme importance We
must do the fair thing by the farmer;
We can better anord 70 Guy OUT soiIe ~
the river and harbor. pubic nullalhs,
and other pork barrel appropriations
than to cripple Agricultural actFities'
Some indication Of the way IN ~hiLh
| the farmers are getting away from the
country is crippled by the nlteu S'ates
Department OF Agriculture from re-
cent survey Of 3,7i5 farms in New YORK
| II was disclosed as result or TINS IN
IyestiEation-which covered SO man.
farms that It certainly is typlcaI-'ha'
| there had been a decrease In 'ne nun.
| her Of neople on the farms in the last
Ssar ~ 4 per cent. and that the num-
| her OF hired men decreased II per cent
~ This ratio hold good for the states
and there is every reason 70 oeLeNr va"
| II does-it means that 3'.hon men haEc
| left the farms in this single state "'o"e
10 go to the cities. ,
They are getting out OF the ouSihtsS
-,hich has been the goat OF lawmakers
middlemen and profit hogs In the as.
three years, and going toward the eree.
| "uhi,C way to add stu more huhsr!
49,. 70 a population the farms must
| feed. us,,,o,s nre.
vail in the great middle ~eskLLp me
| food center Of the world inFwhat -
generally considered TO be IN" prospcr
GUS agricultural state Of Iowa, the d.
r rector Of the state free employment h pa;
reau says that not more than ONE h,ru ,
| ~ tho farm boys who were IN INC army
~ ,ro roinr back TO the farms He further
say SAYS that that most Of them want ely Jobs,
Or course they want city Jobs oor.S can IAN
you blame them: When theS cons,Ic h h
nnt the price far below the cost OF pro-
Igucttnn,and the silly and senseless al,
vance in the price Of lumber needed sSios 10
build farm homes. and me "hoIe $50, 49,
demonstration we have seen toward INC
srriculturai interests OF the country IN
&c last year. it Is no wonder they leave,
!rhe astonishing thing is that more nave
ANY system Of account such as COM
nercial concerns employ will show con-
clusivfly that the farmers arc ny n"
means receiving adequate remuneration