The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-11

crop ever before harvested. To
bacco production OF 1.476S 00O,0 600
pounds, the sugar beet crop Of 1885,
600 900 bushels and the potato crop
Of 421. 000,0 900 bushels stand out as
high marks while the apple produc-
tion Of 236, 900 900 bushels has been
exceeded only once.
1T ought to be fact" Mr.. Mere
dith continued, that when the
farms Of the country produce
abundantly, the consuming public
will be literally supplied with food
at reasonable prices, the farmer
taking his profit because OF large
production and the consumer re-
ceiving his increment of benefit
from having an adequate supply
at a reasonable cost.
I'm general, we should expect It
to be true that the farmers cond1-
ton Is improved in direct proper
ton to the number OF bushels of
wheat or corn or the number OF
bales Of cotton he produces. It
frequently happens, however, that
when all farmers have extraordt-
narily good crops during the same
year low prices leave him worse on
than he has been in other years
with short crops and high prices.
This year, Mr. Meredith said,
high prices for farm products con-
tinued until they were ready to
sell, when the price reduction set
in, covering everything the farm
ers had to sell and materially al
fecting nothing they were compeu-
ed to buy.
THE years output. produced at
an abnormally high cost" the Sec
rotary added, "is worth at current
prices $4,000, 100000 less than the
smaller crop OF 1919 and $780,
100000 less than the still smaller
crop of 1918. The best estimate
that can now be made indicates
that the total value OF animal prod
ucts in 1920 is $S,757, 100000 or
about 100000, 900 less than in 1919.
There is probably no other in
dustry or business that could suf'
fer similar experience and avoid
insolvency"
Farm finance, he said, has be-
come more and more involved until
1t ranks in Importance with the
financial problems OF industry. In
this, as in marketing, Mr.. Meredith
suggested expansion OF the cooper
ative idea as likely to bring defi-
mite and tangible results of benefit
to the farmer. The department Is
making q study with a view to APP
plying the cooperative plan 10
farm mortgage and personal credit
and farm insurance, the report add
ed.
National thought will be directed
to the problem Of land ownership
during the years Immediately
ahead, Mr.. Meredith predicted.
Causes and results OF farm ten
ancy, he said, must be placed
"squhrely before the American peo-
pie so that their importance may
be recognized" since on the ques-
tion Of soil depletion and the seri-
GUS effect it has on production de-
ponds largely the food supply of
the future. He urged Congress to
make available funds for exhaus-
tive studies in this connection.
A governmental study also
should be made OF the farm labca
situation, Mr.. Meredith said.
Failure to recognize its COM
plexity," he added, has resulted in
many unwise attempts to solve
It."
The movement from the farm to
the city constitutes "a real con-
Germ" in America, the report said.
II the increasing population Is
to be fed from available farm lands,
efforts to reduce agricultural haz-
ards must so forward vigorously,
Mr.. Meredith said. Among these