Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-08-24
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
BY DR.. ANDREW M. SOULE

small profit, and about twenty-five
per cent of them were making a fair
profit because they were producing
cotton for less than ten cents in
1913 and less than twenty cents in
1918
The average man would probably
conclude that the public was not in
terested in this question. They are,
however, as vitality interested as a
public can be in any proposition. In
producers in. this country have not
been able to supply it's needs for
raw materials, and with the pres
ent inadequate supply of farm labor
and the high cost of fertilizers and
other conditions with which we have
to contend, it is certain that there is
not likely to be an oversupply of
cotton very soon. At times when
there Is a threatened deficiency in
raw materials it is always neces-
this end prices must inevitably go
upward so that there will be a
larger margin of profit available to
a greater per cent of the growers.
This has been properly termed by
the experts of the food administra-
ton the bulk line of production.
This line in the case of cotton farm
ers should represent the costs per-
tanning on about eighty-f1ve per cent
of all the growers.
LII " ldhS care Ol d. SIlud llOu
such as developed, therefore, in 1913
it would have been necessary for the
cotton grower to have received 16
cents a pound, and in 1918, 80 cents
pound. What the figures for 1919
will reveal no one can say just at
worked up and will soon be ready
for general distribution. Presumably
they will throw about the same aver
ages as the figures for 1913 and 1918.
In that event it is evident that the
cotton farmers as a whole are not
ing undue earnings from their opera
lions. AS a matter of fact, only
about fifty per cent of them are max
ing any money at all, and only twen-
ty-five per cent of them an appre-
ciable profit. These figures seem
to indicate that the time is at hand
when some sort of adequate surveys
of the cost of production of all farm
crops must be undertaken. When
the proper data has been secured
then there should be added to this
figure a sufficient margin to give the
of production Of six to ten per cent.
Every other line of business is try
ing to operate on this basis and the
public is bearing the burden as best
it may. Congress in turning the rail-
roads back to the people said that
their investment of 5.5 per cent.
What is sauce for the goose should
certainly be sauce for the gander.
The farmers of the south are not
profiteers and do not want anything
more than a fair living out of their
lands. To this they are surely enti-
tied as are the owners or worker in
any other industry. 1 for one believe
that the people of the United States
are willing to accord the growers of
raw material a fair profit over the
cost of production. 1t is only right
and proper that this should be done.
AS a matter of fact, it will have to
be done if we are to maintain ade
quate supplies of raw materials for
our industries. When this is done
there will be less complaint and dis
satisfaction on the part of the farm
err and it will not be SO necessary for
the urban residents to be so per-
sistently urging the young men and
women of the country to stay on the
farm. 1t is surprising in view of
the economic condition by which, our
agriculture has been confronted for
so many years past that such large
proportion of our people have been
able to live in the open country and
produce for the balance Of the folks
that which was essential on a basis
which did not enti+le them TO a just
and fair profit.