The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-20
A Chasm That Needs To Be
Bridged.

Between the producer and consum-
er a great gulf is fixed,
We have It on authority from the
secretary OF agriculture, Meredith,
that the shrinkage in the value Of
farm products so far this season will
result in American farmers receiv-
ing $500, oo0, 900 less than they would
have made on the 1919 price basis,
with the present price OF cotton
less than the cost OF production we
find the price Of cotton goods still
high. with no market for hides, the
price of shoes makes II safe to pre-
dict a continuation of big business
for the repair shop. With the price
of wool abnormally low, the prevail
ing price of clothing is a bad omen
for the rag man.
Somewhere between the producer
and consumer there is serious fail
ure of economic laws to properly
function. 1t is no fault OF the farmer
that he can not sell his products at
more than the prevailing price. 1t
is not altogether the fault of the
retailer that he IS obliged to demand
more for his goots than the cost OF
production warrants.
Secretary Meredith no doubt was
sincere and serious when he urged
the American Bankers association in
convention in Washington Tuesday
TO give the situation the best thought
and sympathetic consideration pos
sible. But 1t Is not altogether the
bankers problem. II Is hardly fair
for q cabinet officer OF the admins
tration to glibly announce that the
farmers will receive $2,500,OO0. 900
less than they would have obtained
on the 1919 price basis when 1t is
well known that the 1920 crop was
produced on a basis OF 1919 cost, and
then admonish the bankers that "the
American people must see to II that
the farmers secure credit sufficient
for their needs. Only thus can they
continue TO supply the nations need
for food" o.
II the farmers should resign them
selves to a loss of $2,500,000,000 on
this years crop. how can they ex-
pect TO secure credit which will en-
able them to produce another crop,
the loss upon which may be as much
or more than the present loss? In
stead of placing the entire burden OF
shrinkage upon the farmer and ad-
Vocating credit for his future needs,
the fair thing would be a distribu-
ton OF the loss, II there is to be one,
without the necessity for future
credit to supply the nations needs
for food.
This thing of feeding and clothing
the world is quite a serious under
taking and a big responsibility. II
the farmer finds that he must feed
the nation without realizing enough
from his labor to clothe himself. the
inevitable result is that he will en-
gage In some other form of enter
prise. Men engage in farming as
they do in other occupations, for
what they can make out Of II. The
suggestion that the farmer should
sacrifice himself and the product OF
his labor does not appeal more forci-
bly, TO him than it does to the manu-
facturer or merchant.
During the time the products Of
the farm sold at a price that enabled
the farmer to earn a decent living,
1t was generally believed that the
back to the farm" movement had
found a solution, with conditions
reversed, and the farmer obliged to
sell his products for less than the
cost OF production and required 10
pay exhorbitant prices for articles
that he consumes we might as we'll
prepare TO witness further dcsertion
from the farm
More than half Of the American
people are now living IN the cities.
The 1920 census viii show that the
city population is at least 100000
greater than the rura. populations
This is striking contrast with the
situation that existed Nd Washing
toms time, wheN 90 per cent " the
people lived in the country. II the
present trend confines We MAY see
at the end OF the preset century the