The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1920-10-01
PROMISES FAIR DEAL
Harding Tells Views On Farm
Problems.

determine upon definite agricultural
policy. We must decide whether we
shall undertake to make Of the United
States self-sustaining nation-which
means that we shall grow within our
own boundaries all Of the staple food
products needed to maintain the high
est type Of civilization-or whether
we shall continue to exploit our agri-
cultural resources for the benefit of
our industrial and commercial life, and
TO leave to posterity the task of finding
food enough, by strong-arm methods.
if necessary, to support the coming
hundreds of millions.
al believe In the seIf-sustaInlnu, In.
dependent, seIf-reliant nation, aaricuI.
turally, industriaIly and politically.
We are then the guarantors of our own
security and are equal to the task"
So declared Senator Harding in a
masterly address before the Minnesota
State Fair here, in which he revealed
a most profound understanding of
agriculture, its problems and its rela-
ton to the farmer and the consumer in
the cities. This speech has been de-
scribed as the greatest speech on agri-
culture which has ever been made by
Presidential candidate.
Among other things he said:
"A good many years ago a Chinese
philosopher uttered a profound truth
when he said: The well-being of a
people is like tree; agriculture is its
root manufacture and commerce are
Its branches and its life; If the root
Is injured the leaves fall, the branches
break and the tree Dies
Cause for Concern.
ut may seem strange to many good
people that at this particular time any
one should quote this saying of wise
old Chinese. Never in all our history
have prices of farm products ruled
so high. measured in dollars. as during
the past four years. Farm land in the
great surplus-producing states has ad-
Eanced to unheard of prices, with
every indication that, but for the tight
money conditions, it would go still
higher. Apparently the farmers of the
land are enjoying unprecedented pros
perity Why then, even by implica-
u0n, suggest that something may be
wrong with our agriculture, and that
the trouble may be communicated to
our manufactures and commerce? Peo-
Pile in the cities are disposed to think
That II there is anything wrong It is
In the cities where food is selling at
kuch high prices, and not In the coun-
Try where the food is produced. But
10th farm and city students of national
problems see in the present agricul-
iural situation certain conditions
which give cause for real concern TO
every lover of his country"
lie then referred In most interest
ing way to the development of the
'reat central west and sketched briefly
me settlement of the great central val
leys. as follows:
Through the homestead law the
government gave farm of the richest
land In the world to every man who
wanted one. Railroads were built, the
prairies were plowed up, and almost
overnight the agricultural production
81 the United States increased by
"p per cent Grains were produced
and sold at the bare cost Of utilizing
The soil, and the farmers of the older
states to the east were smothered by
tiils food Of cLeap grain. The only
lining that could be done with this
of food was to build
cities out Of It, And great cities we
cid build, not only in the United
o'ates, but across the seas"
lie spoke Of the hard conditions
which came upon the farmers of the
central nexIIt Ah hnf
production, and then of the gradual
Improvement which began about 1908,
When the increased population in the
'aties began to catch up with farm pro-
onction, and how this increased de-
lhand for food was accelerated by the
great World War.
Speaking Of the part played by the
farmer during the war, he said:
Splendid Part of Farmers.
THE splendid part played by the
farmers Of the nation during the war
probably never will be understood or
1nlly appreciated by our people. More
laan 20 per cent Of all our fighting
ilen came from the farms, and after
sending their sons to the camps, the
fathers and mothers, with the help OF
re Younger children, turned to ana
produced more food than was ever be-
s9re produced in the history of the
world in the same time and from the
fame area Of land. Their working
lays were measured not by the CLOCK
nut by the number of daylight hours
they took to themselves the respon-
S'oility of feeding not only our own
PEOPLE, but also our allies across tne
yea. In more ways than one, our farm'
frs made the war their war, and count
ed no sacrifice too great to help fight IL