The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-12-23
RECOVERY FROM
BUSINESS SLUMP
STRENGTH OF FARMS GIVES
PROMISE PROSPERITY WILL
RETURN, EDUCATOR SAYS.
BY E. G. PETERSON
president of the Agricultural Co
fao.n of Trtob \

panic, as surely as flame and powder
produce explosion. We cannot es-
cape being burned or blown to pieces
when flame and powder come together
if we are near. Neither can we es-
cape an era of stringency, lack of con-
fidecne, unemployment, financial de-
preston, accompanied by numerous
commercial failures, bankruptcy, fore
ed liquidation at ruinous prices, and
all the other incidents of hard times,
when, and Immediately after, con-
siderable portion of society becomes
inefficient, with accompanying i'm
morality (or immoral with accompa-
nying inefficiency, as the case may
be.)
A definite chemical law is put into
effect when we unite flame and
powder. An equally definite, though
less understood, economic law is put
into effect when we unite inefficency
and immortality with business and
industry. The results in both cases
are unavoidable.
Immortality Defined.
/ use the word immortality in its
broader sense referring to loose
business methods, doubtful specula-
ton, which amounts to gambling, vic
iousness and hatred as between capital
and labor operating both ways, prof
iteering, dishonest attitude toward
employer and employee, intemperence
in dress and food, extravaganza in
homes and automobiles, and wasteful-
ness of time, money and other
wealth" All these acts are acts of
immortality.
Farming has gone the way of man
ufacturing, business, mining and
transportation because farming has
been the victim of the law of econom-
les which | have mentioned. Speak
ing as one interested directly in farm
ing and livestock raising, farmers
cannot escape blame entirely for the
results. / do, however, believe that
the sin was greatest in SO called labor
and capital relations and in the mer-
camille and manufacturing pursuits.
Here inefficiency and the immortality
which l have described ran rampant.
Organized labor ceased to be inter-
ested so much in the labor output and
in the quality of work; laborers in
lamentably large number of cases
cared little how much they did or
how well they did it. They fought
for higher wages, shorter hours, and
U6tdIie, W d large cAtGII, Noluliy III
efficient. Many, with money invested
in business, tried to extract eXtortion-
ate profits. They charged prices be-
yond reason. Everybody clamored
for more profits, more wages. The
farmer, not entirely blameless, sin
ned least and suffered most, or at
least as much as any other unit in
society.
Revival IS Certain.
All this is past history. 1t is in
teresting, bat the question is; How
soon will agriculture and business re-
vive? In the first place, it will re-
vive. Let no one have any doubts
about that. America is based upon
q strong, intelligent and prosperous
agriculture. America, to greater
extent than any of the larger nations,
and agreeing in this respect with a
few OF the greater little nations such
as Denmark, is dedicated to agricul-
ture.
In this America expresses prob
ably its most fundamental democracy
Our whole structure of government
is built upon the thoughts of a sound
agriculture. An intelligent and
prosperous agriculture, as opposed to
an agriculture based upon peasantry
or serfdom (either political or eco
nomic, 1t matters little which,, is the
strongest assurance of democracy.
Farmers vote honestly and without
class interest or hatred.
We will continue, therefore, to have
the best blood: the best brains, the
best characters, the highest ideals on
the farm in generous measure if our
craftsmanship does not fail us. The
farm will share with business and the
professions IN this regard. With this
foundation of genuine citizenship we
shall produce, efficiently, superior and
standardized products, increasing in
value as the years go on. The
American west, think (an1 Utah and
Idaho in particular, | believed, is
specially blessed in having a high
type citizenship on the farms. We
have no problem of rundown farm
ers." We have the native good
blood, intelligence and character al
ready on our farms.
Education Is Vital.
We will strengthen our education
in agriculture in the common and
high schools and in colleges. A
prime need in the west is strong train
ing in the science and art of agricul-
ture. This Is second only to strong
elementary schools and liberal, broad
ly disseminated training for the duties
of citizenship. We nee1 direction ed
ucationally, also, in our training of
teachers, in mining, in our business
and other industrial activities. in
eluding trades, engineering. and in
home economics
If we have the wealth, we should,
after we attend to these things. do
what We can in the so-calied learned
professions and in liberal arts; hut
education must be strong in agricul-
ture if we are to succeed in agricul-