The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-09-10

cordins to whether there IL plentiful
crop or a short one. The farmers raw
materials are the fertility Of the soil. the
sunshine and the RAIN. and the size OF
his ss. crop, !, asss and q the the sdRD WITH
which he makes use Of them. He can.
not control his production and adjust 1t
to the demand a. can the manufacturer.
But he can 'ss 40 should M
violently from week to week. ana some-
times from day to day. We must get .
better understanding Of the factors which
influence agricultural prices, Win 3,oa view lew
bring about average prices, which shall
bear a reasonable relation to the cost Of
production. We do not offer any quack
e osmsi,ss Y to make : thorough study Of
the disease. ind out what causes II, and
then apply the remedy which promises a
cure.
Fourth, we promise to put an end TO
ucts and to ili-considered efforts arhtrar-
fly to reduce farm product prices. In
times Of national crisis, when there Is q
known scarcity Of any Necessary product.
fair distribution OF the stores on hand
may be both necessary and wise. But
we know that there can be no repeal OF
natural laws-ths eternal fundamentals;
years records the folly Of such efforts. II
tho price Of any farm product, for exam
pie, 10 arbitrarily fixed at q. point which
does not soy:r ns SS;t 3, rsSacs Ss
production Of that particular Drop. This
results in a shortage which In turn brings
about higher prices than before, and thus
intensdhes the danger nom which II was
s soass to S.ss :d q hos down vn
costs by arbitrarily fixing prices OF farm
products. An such efforts have failed,
and have usually brought national disas-
ter.
Government drives against food prices.
such as we have experienced during the
past two years, are equally vain and use
less. The ostensible purpose OF such
er pays for food The actual result is
unjustly to depress for time the prices
the farmer receives for his grains and
live stock, but with no appreciate res
such drives siripiy give the Speculation
and the profteerer additional opportuni-
ties to add to their exactions, while they
add to the uncertainty and encouragement
this period Of read3ustment.
Fifth, we favor the administration Of
the farm loan act 70 az to help men who
farm to secure farms OF their own. and
to practice the best methods Of DIVERSE
We also favor the authorization of as
sociations to provide the necessary ma
chinery to furnish personal credit to the
man, whether Land owner or tenant who
10 hampered for lack Of working capital.
The highest type Of rural civilization Is
that in which the land IL farmed by the
men who own Il. Unfortunately. as land
An Increasing Evil.
This has bssn true throughout his
tory. At the fresent time probably one
s ss Ct ss h a DsSfd b land In r the
cause Of lack Of capital. ind 1t neoessar,
to rent. This increase In tenancy brings
with II evils which are real menace to
a oss s Ss S. ras %so !:
ING for q profit through an advance in
value. IL concerned chiefly In securing
the highest possible rent. The tenant who
too too often IL working under a short time
lease 10 forced to farm the land to the
limit and rob it OF fits fertility In order
to pay the rent. Thus We nave 2 sort OF
ant to rob the son upon which our ma
tionai we'll being and indeed our very exc
istsnoe depend. Amid such conditions.
we have inefficient schools. broksn.dcwn
We should. thsrefora. concern ourselves
not only In helping men 70 secure farms
Of their own. and IN helping the tenant
secure the wc-king capital he needs 70
farming, but we should work out sys,
tenn Of land leasing which. while doing
full Justice 10 both landlord and tenant.
win at the same time conserve the fer
Transport system Important
Sixth. we do not longer recognise the
right to speculative profit In the opera
ton OF our transportation systems. but
highest state Of eRicisncy as quickly as
possible. Agriculture has suffered more
severely than any other industry through
two years. Many farmers have incurred
disastrous losses through inability to
market their grain and hve stock. Such
a condition must not be permitted to con-
tinue. We must bring about conditions
lowest possible rates.
seventh.-ye are pledged to the revision
Of the tarin a. soon a. conditions shall
make It necessary for the preservation Of
American agriculture and American In
dustry. For permanent good fortune
all must have q common interest. II we
aTs to 4 build " self Is sustaining nSr,cy I.
protected from unfair competition from
those countries who're Agriculture IL stil1
being exploited and where the standards
than Ii here. We have asked i for higher sr
American standards. let us maintain
them.
To Protect An.
The farmers Of the corn belt, for ex-
ample, are already threatened with unfair
competition from the Argentine whose
rich soil II being exploited In needless
fashion, and whore the renters who farm
II are living under conditions more mis-
cradle than the poorest tenants In the
United States. In times past. duties on
agricultural products were largely In the
nature of paper tariffs. for we were q
great surplus producing nation. Now
that consumption at home Is 50 nearly
reaching normal production, the Ameri-
can farmer has q right to insist that in
our trade relations with other countries
he shall have the same consideration that
Is accorded 10 other industries and we
mean to protect them all.
So long as America oan produce the
foods we need. am In favor of buying
from America frst It Is this very pref
ersnce which impels DEVELOPMENT and inn
provenent. Whenever America can man.
ufactufe to meet American nseds--and
there II almost no limit to our genius and
resources-I favor producing In America
first. I commend American preference to
American productive activities, because
material good fortune IL essential to our
higher attainment. and linked indissolub-
ly are farm and factory In the great eco
nomio fabric Of American life.
Our Agricultural Possibilities.
Under O sound system Of Agriculture
fostered and safeguarded by wise and
fair administration Of state and federal
government the farxnerS ~ thA YIni$aA