The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-06-04
THE FARMER AND THE
BANKER.

Secretary Of Agriculture +. T.
Meredith, practical farmer, farm
paper publisher banker and for
mcr director of the Federal Re-
serve bank, Chicago district,
comments on the relation be-
tween farmers and bankers as
follows:
No class of business men have
more vital relation to the pros
pcrity or stability, Of the farming
industry than do the bankers
The foresight and sympathetic
interest of the bankers have
played an important part i'll the
advance Of agriculture in this
country, and they are in position
to render even more helpful co
operation in the future. So long
as the farmer must contend in
his business with the elements Of
chance, he must be supported by
the confidence that back of him
is his banker, ready. and willing
TO come to his aid in time of
drought food, storm, insect visi-
tation. or other misfortune.
Help from the banker in such
times of stress is seldom particu-
larly hazardous for the banker
Droughts may come III two or
more successive years and army
worms may follow cyclone, but
The land will always be there,
and continue to produce. There
IS no greater certainty Of perma-
ucncy or ultimate return in any I
industry. This is point that
should be more generally appre
ciatcd by bankers Bankers
should also have constantly in
mind that whatever is done for
better farming inevitably must
react to the benefit Of the bank
cr and all business. The banker
as we'll as the farmers will draw
dividends from good roads, bet
ter schools, more ample market
ing facilities, betetr rural living
and social conditions, more labor
saving machinery, better sup
plies of farm labor. These things
mean prosperous and contented
farmers, whose production year
after year is the basis of pros
perity in the individual commun
ily and in the nation at large.
"The farmers are ready to do
their part in what must be CO.
operative effort to reduce the
cost of getting farm products
from the producer to the consul =.
mer. No business men should :
realize better than the bankers
that any reduction that may oc-
eur in the farmers returns
should be preceded, or at least .
accompanied, by corresponding d
in the prices of the |
things the farmer must buy. II II
Bankers, and all other bust !
ness men, as well, should inter =
est themselves in the problems
of the farmer and aid him in Sc I, t.
curing facilities needed in his =
business. They should not coun v
Icnance the assault now being u
made on the farm loan bank sys- q
tenn. which enables the farmer to p
secure money on favorable terms ~ II
without commissions or renewal ID
charges. finances him to carry ON Ia
he fundamental activity of our III
and makes provision II
or long time payments that he -
nav plan ahead where necessary !"
NE Withdrawal Of this aid to W
would, in my judgment, III
e a blow to agriculture in Amer 4.
"a and be harmful to the coun-
nv as a whole. There is a COM
ION interest of bankers and .
armcrs in this system. Federal .
,rm loans encourage land NJ
wing. prosperous farm citizen
I in this country. That is the
md of farmers the banks. whose
lief business it is to provide the Hi,
.rsonal credit and working cap He
II. desire for their customers.
"The department of agrieul-
re is doing all in its power to /
Iprove agriculture, to make 1t tow
ofitable, and to bring about tho
more satisfactory rural life IN wit
lis phasse. In the prosecution ntt
-