Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-04-17
q CENTS GOES
To M|ODLEMAN,
DAVIS REVEALS
Financing of Present
Crop Main Worry;
Alien Grain Pours in.
Wallace Issues Warning
Against High Rail
Rates; Cites Example.
BY RALPH BARTON,
Special Correspondent of The Tribune.

~ ssV@s ONIbSONg
Special Cores pondent Of The Tribune.
Copyright, 1921, by The Tribune.)
Washington, April 16.-Mar-
keting Of their products is the
great problem now confronting
the farmers of the nation.
A few months ago the cry was still
produce, produce!" but now, faced
with the difficult job OF disposing of
large surplus of almost every variety
of crop, the farmer is wondering, first,
how he can finance his operations for
the present year, and second, assuming
the matter of financing to be satisfac-
torily provided for, how far he dares
commit himself to production in the
current season.
MiddIeman Is Blamed.
Figures issued by James J. Davis,
secretary Of labor, indicating that the
middlemen Of the country get 21 cents
out of every dollar paid by the con-
surner for his household and other
expenses, have revealed to the farmer
one reason for the trouble he is ex-
periencing in marketing his goods.
High transportation rates is another.
As an example of this, it may be men
toned that a ton of farm products can
be shipped 1fUm Texas
to Holland than from Texas to Kansas
City. The influx of grain and other
and elsewhere, in anticipation of tariff
restrictions in this country offers
third.
Henry G. Wallace, the new secretary
Of agriculture. man who, through
long experience in farm journalism, is
closely in touch with the problems af-
fecting agriculture sounded this week
q warning that the continued arrival
without restriction of foreign products
would seriously endanger farming in
the United States. A glance at the
census figures shows that farming is
at best in none too healthy situation.
In New Hampshire, which is perhaps
an extreme example, yet nevertheless,
throughout the country, the number of
farms, acreage cultivated, number of
persons engaged in agriculture amount
Of cHops, number of cattle and draft
animals, all decreased during the de-
cade from 1910 to 1920. In fact, about
the only recorded increases in the en-
tire field of farming were in the num-
Der and amount of mortgages.
Farm Population Symptom.
The reduction of farm population in
all parts of the country is another
symptom of the prospective, if not
actual, unhealthy state of the industry.
Mr., Wallace did not refer spacifi-
cally to these things, but he made it
clear that he considers farming de-
serving Of special assistance at this
time On Thursday he went, with
group Of men interested in the good
roads movemept-of vital Importance
to farmers-to take up their cause
directly with President Harding. I'm
provement in highway facilities is es-
sential, if relief cannot come through
lower railroad rates. Possibly large
development Of motor trucking be-
tween farm and city such as was advo-
Gated by Benton Mackaye following
long study of the farm market situa-
ton for the postoffice department and
the department of labor may result be-
fore the agricultural sections are made
more accessible. 1t is, therefore, high
ly important there not be the repeti-
ton of the example of Arkansas,
where excessive bond issues entered
into for road construction are aprar-
emily going to necessitate practically
q capital levy on all farm machinery
OF the state.
Labor Supply Improves.
In one respect the farmers situa
ton is improved.
Statistics gathered by the bureau of
crop estimates indicate that whereas
only Y per cent Of the required supply
Of farms was available in 1913, S3 per
cent in 1919 and SO last year the
supply now considerably exceeds the
demand, the ratio now being 1OS per
cent.
Reports from almost every state are
to the effect that the supply of farm
labor is abundant and that wages have
greatly reduced. There is apparently
a recrudescense of negro immigration
from certain southern states because
oE L. ar of an rlnrr, ant thora