The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-25
The Farm and Farmer
BY WILLIAM r. sANsoRN -
PASSING OF COL. TOM COMMIT

I
! PASSING OF COL. TOM COMMIT
The passing of Col. Thomas Commit,
the widely known farm sale auctioneer
in the prime of his nfe and at the apex
of his usefulness, marks the closing of
noteworthy career.
Col. Commit was more than q local
celebrity; he was known to ruralists
| throughout several counties and was
recognized as a loyal friend, consellor
and friend by thousands of farmers.
Many of these had the habit of setting
/ their sales dates according to his ad-
vice, or to suit his convenience and
! also of booking his months in advance
of such occasions. AS a farm sales
| auctioneer, he had very large follow
/ ing. His presence at sale insured
! that many of his friends, who might
! otherwise have been among the abSen-
tees would be present as bidders. This
was a large factor in his success and
| popularity among sales holders. Col.
| Tom was a conscientious and persis,
tent salesman. He had the faculty
| of hanging on. and the gift of get
| ting the best possible prices for his
| wares, according 10 the character and
| quality of the offering, and in view of
| his crowd and all the attending cir
cumstances. He was on the block
to do his best possible for his pat
, rons and to prevent under sacrifices
| of values, because of rain, snow mud
dy roads or zero weather.
Farmers Appreciate Him
And it was because of this that the
farmers liked and hunted Tom Coniff.
They were impressed that he would
do his level best to make their sale
a success and that it was his ambi-
tion to make every Commit sale a
good one. A sale that would work
obtainance of fair values for the goods
and chattels on the days bill.
Should market or financial condi-
tons prevent the realization of such
! hopes the farmers was assured that
| Tom Commit had done his best for
| them and that he had the sympathy
| of the auctioneer when his goods were
sold underly cheap.
Apart from his operations as a farm
sales auctioneer. for which he was
most noted Tom Commit conducted
many auction sale of farm land and
city reality at the instance of owners
, administrators. and bankers. He was
popular in banking circles for nearly
| every farm sale touches one or more
| banks at some angle. and there is u.s.
in the case of all important farm or
live stock auctions.
Tom Commit will be a widely mis-
sed and also sincerely mourned by
host of lifelong friends. His sudden
and entirely unlocked for transition
came as shock to thousands. who
| feel that they have indeed lost a
friend of admirable personality, and of
man who invites their confidence
and who has won and retained their
respect. 81.
After life's fitful fever, he sleeps
we'll"
THE RAISE IN PRICE
Just why it falls to the lot of the
Department of Labor to furnish us
statistics on the changes in the cost
of goods is past finding out. But
such being the fact, we should like
an explanation of the statement just
issued, setting forth that the price of
raisins increased &c per cent. rolled
oats Is per cent and macaroni. cream
of wheat and storage eggs per cent
last December. II will be hard to con-
vince grain growers that there was
any reason except greed" for advan-
cling the prices of any grain product
whatsoever. in the face of falling mar
ketS for all cereals.
AS to rooled oats and most of our
breakfast cereals, their manufacture
has become concentrated. A few mon
opolistic concerns are nov our prin-
cipal source of supply and if the few
advertised brands were doubled in
price these would still find enormous
market.
The Fruitful Soy
Indiana has the honor of having two
Of the national officers of the soy bean
growers association.
The soy bean enthusiastics are Tay.
Tor Fouts of Anderson, vice-president
and Prof. w. A. Ostrander, of LaFay-
cite, secretary. The national associa
ton was recently organized at Chi.
cago with w. E. Riegel of Tolona
ILL.,. as president.
The soy bean IS most prolific
producer. is a wonderful soil builder.
and also an almost unvalua BILE hog
ration, both as to beans and hay Ar
thur Collins of Fountain City recently
paid eloquent tribute to his experiment
tai crop OF soys. These were planted
in one of his cornfelds for the express
purpose Of being 'hogged down" The
writer inspected that field early last
fall and noted the tons of succulent
feed the soy beans added: without
cutting the output of corn. Mr.. Col
Inns states that his hogs ate the soys
with great relish and put on weight
ropidly during their cleanup of the
acreage.
A few Wayne county farmers plant