The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-09-24

general way prices Of farm products
must go up or down, according tc
whether there is plentiful crop or 9
short one. The farmers raw materials
are the fertility Of the soil, the sun
shine and the rain, and the size of his
crops is measured by the supply Of
these raw materials and the skill with
which he makes use Of them. He can
not control his production and adjust
1t to the demand as can the manufac-
turer. But he can see no good reason
why the prices Of his products should
nuctuate 30 violently frsm week to
week and sometimes from day to day.
To Stop Price Fixing.
Fourth.-Ws promise to put an end
to unnecessary price fixing Of farm
products and TO III considered efforts
arbitrarily TO reduce farm product
prices.
Government drives against food
prices such as we have experienced
during the past two years are vain and
useless. The ostensible purpose Of
such drives is to reduce the price the
consumer pays for food. The actual
result Is unjustly to depress for a time
the prices the farmer receives fer his
grain and live stock, but with no ap-
preciable reduction In the price the
consumer pays. Such drives simply
give the speculater and the profteer
additional opportunities to add to
their exactions.
Flfth.-Ws favor the administration
Of the farm loan act 90 az to help men
who farm TO secure farms Of their own
and to give to them long time credits,
needed to practice the best methods OF
diversified farming.
We also favor the authorization of
associations to provide the necessary
machinery to furnish personal credit
to the man, whether land owner or
tenant, who Is hampered for lack of
working capital. Unfortunately as
land increases In value tenancy also
Increases.
An Increasing Evii.
This has been true throughout his
tory. At the present time probably
one-half Of the high priced land In the
corn belt states is farmed by men who,
because Of lack Of capital, find 1t nee
essary to rent. This increase In ten
ancy brings with It evils which are
real menace to national welfare. The
tenant who lacks sufficient working
capital and who too often is working
under a short time lease Is forced to
farm the land TO the limit and rob It of
its fertility In order to pay the rent
Amid such conditions we have ineffi-
cient schools, broken down churches
and a sadly limited social life. We
should therefore concern ourselves not
only In helping men to secure farms
Of their swn and In helping the tenant
secure the working capital he needs to
carry on the best methods Of diversi-
fed farming, but we should work out
a system Of land leasing which, while
doing full justice to both landlord and
tenant, will at the same time conserve
the fertility Of the soil
Transpertatisn Systems.
eixth.-Ws Do not longer recognize
the right to speculative profit In the
operation Of cur transportation sys-
tems, but we are pledged to restore
them to the highest state Of efficiency
AZ quickly AZ possible. Agriculture has
suffered more severely than any other
industry through the inefficient rail
road service Of the last two years
Many farmers have incurred disas
trous losses through inability to mar
ket their grain and live stock. Such
condition must not be permitted to
continue. We must bring about con
ditions which VIII give us prompt serv-
Ice at the lowest possible rates.
seventh.-We are pledged to the re-
vision Of the tariff AZ soon ~ condi-
lions shall make II necessary for the
preservation Of me home market for
American labor, American agriculture
and American industry. II we are to
build up a self sustaining agriculture
here at home the farmer must be pro-
tected from unfair competition from
those countries where agriculture is
still being exploited and where the
standards Of living on the farm are
much lower than here. We have asked
for higher American standards; let us
maintain them.
So long as America can produce the
foods we need am In favor of buying
from America frst
Fewer Land Hegs.
Under q sound system Of agricul-
ture, fostered and safeguarded by wise
and fair administration Of state and
federal government, the farmers Of the
United States can feed our people for
many enturies-perhaps indefinitely
Farming Is not an auxiliary; II is the
main plant, and geared with II, insep
arably. is every wheel Of transporta-
ton and industry. America could not
20 on with a dissatisfied farming PEG
pie, and no nation Is secure where land
hunger abides. We need fewer land
hogs. who menace our future, and
more fat hogs for ham and bacon. We
need less Requirement In cultivating a
quadrennial crop Of votes and more
consideration for farming as our basic
industry. We need less appeal to class
consciousness and more resolute intel
ligence in promptly solving our prob
lens. We need rest and recuperation
for a soil which has been worked out
In agitation and more and better har-
vests In the inviting fields Of mutual
understanding. We need less Of grief
about the Ills which we may charge TO
the neglect of eur citizenship and more
confidence In Just government, along
with determination to make and hold