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

farming, in that land thrift which ad-
mits Of neither waste nor neglect. and
be as inspiring to agricultural life as to
the professions or to commercial leader
ship. want a soul in farming. to SET
aglow the most independent and self-re-
speeding activity In all the world.
A Definite Policy Needed.
The time has come when, as, a nation.
We must determine upon a definite agri-
cultural policy. We must decide whether
ed States self-sustaining nation-whtch
means that we shall grow within our
own boundaries all Of the staple food
products needed to maintain the highest
type of civilization-or whether we shall
continue to exploit our agricultural re-
sources for the benefit of our industrial
and commercial life. and leave to poster
ity the task Of finding food enough. by
strong arm methods. II necessary. to sup
port the coming hundreds Of millions.
believe In the self-sustaining. indepen-
dent. sem-reliant nation. aTiculturaiiy.
the guarantors Of our own security ana
are equal to the task.
Other Alternative Unhappy.
II we should unhappily choose the
course Of Industrial and commercial PRO-
molten at the expense Of sna srcs s
Of the rural community agriculture Win
Inevitably break down and finally destroy
the finest rural civilization, with the
ses sa'e'i bs S1s farm PRODUCTION viii
make dear food and we shall be Obliged
to send our ships to PARKWAY nations In
search Of cheap food-stuffs. the importa-
Sn of wnSh !: snss to ans distress =;
home. Ultimately there will come the
same fatal breakdown. and from the
same causes. which has DESTROYED the
II. on the other hand. we shall deter
mine to build up here sell.
nation-end what lover Of his country
oan make q different choice7 then we
Of system Of agriculture which van
enable US to feed our people abundantly,
with some to spare for export In years
Of plenty, and at prices which Will In
financial rewards and educational. socia,
and religious living conditions. fairly COM
parable to those offered by tho cities. A
sound system Of agriculture cannot be
short Of fair return upon invested capt.
tai. and fair wage for the labor which
goes into the crops, and enough in addf-
ton to enable the farmer to maintain the
nstars h q, nis w drive S Iarse
! of farmers to the cities.
Frank Recognition Necessary.
A frank recognition by all OF our peo-
sns aqe to work
this great national problem. It Is mat
ter Of even greater concern to the peo-
pie Of the cities than to the farmer and
p.instaking study and wise statesman
ship arrive at such understanding and
application Of economic laws, as will en-
able US to bring about q fair balance be-
bringing prosperity to both and permit
ting neither to fatten at the expense Of
the other. We cannot hope FOR concord
and without concord there rs no assur-
Heretofore the farmer has been an In.
dividualist. Living a somewhat isolated
life and being compelled to work Ions
hours, It has not been easy for him t.
a ready means Of defense against the
strong orea nisations Of both capital and
labor. which In their own interest have
~ tim"s i~nposed unfair conditions upon
him. It II true that at times. during the
past fifty years. there have been temper
AIRY farmer organizations brought together
to combat some unusually burdensome
coalition. but usually breaking down
when the emergency has passed.
Organization 10 Developing.
But of late years there have sprung Ut
farmer orFnnizs tons Of quite different
sort-organizations with q. very large
lieent leadership. and with q way Of rails
Ing whatever funds they may nnd nsoes-
sary to promote the interests OF their
tom are as ss # be-. r.
to their work the methods. which business
men and working men have found suo.
osssfcl In furthering their own interests
hsss become 80 strong that they are now
able. not only to do away with many OF
ths expenses heretofore paid to others
but also to influence the. price OF their
and northwest have become stfons
enough to bring about many changes
they des:red In the marketing Of their
crops. The farmers Of the corn bel,
powerful ORGANISATION Of farmers ever
known in this country. All OF these are
natural Developments 10 the evolving
change of reis tionship and the modern
It 10 more than conceivable, it Is sp-
parent that we are able to deal more
t wass than ana M e s.j js' Nth our a,SuI:
we do deal more fairly there may come
IN me EIrpius-prodtoing states and those
w n1x assiT on buying their crops below
the restrieted production Of manufacturer
and OF labor, but we have NOT YET expert
eneed the Intentionally restricted produc.
uon OF foodstuffs; Let US hope We never
conserve. not 70 deny. deprive or destroy.
have no thought of suggesting that
the government should work out an elab-
"otS ayStcIu Oh 6BrlcuNur0 ana then try
to imp6se II on the farmers Of the coun-
ny. That would be utterly repusnant to
american ideals. Government paternai-
ism. whether applied to agriculture or to
any other OF Our great national Industries
would stiie ambition. impair Efficiency,
lessen production and make US q nation
OF dependent Incompetence. The farmer
REQUIRES no special favors at the nands OF
me government. An he needs 10 a fair
chance and such just consideration ror
agriculture as we ought to give to a basic
industry. and ever seek to promote for
! Some Of the thinss which ought to be
done, II we are to put our agricuiture on
o sound foundation, have been mentioned
in the national platform of the party Id
whose pledges ] am committed
Want Farm Representation,
First the need Of farm repres entation
In larger governmental affairs Ia rscoe,
rizsd. During the past seven years the
right Of agriculture to a voice in govern !.
meat naturalization has been prscricaiIy
Ignored, and. at times, the farmer has
suffered grievously ~ q result The far
n1er has vital interest in our trade re-
lations with other countries, in the ad
ministration of our financial policies. and
in many Of the larger activities of tho
governunent. His interests must be safe
guarded by mon who understand MS
needs. he must be actually and practically
represented.
Second, the right Of farmers to form
cooperative sssocaations for the market
Ing OF their products must be granted.
Tho concert of agriculture Ia an essentiss
TO farna az q similar concert az aotio,, Is