The diamond drill., 1921-10-08

cles OF our times.
Two statements at this point are
pertinent. First that money values
are only secondary; many a pauper in
dollars has lived an aristrocrat In soul
And secnd. that We shuld have an
abiding respect fr the present oredr
OF things until We can offer something
better in its place.
In our own country. individual sci.
ling with attendant competition has
been followed by monopoly and CO.
operative selling In quick succession.
Each step In this perfectly natural
evolution has carried with II attendant
evils and because OF these evils, each
has been condemmed-but. without
very much effort al careful analysis
or constructive suggestion Socialism
offers as somewhat ideal solution OF
this problem but its theories have not
been sufficiently tested nor its pro
gram sufficiently outlined and under
stood TO warrant a conclusion at this
time as TO it's merits.
What Part Farmer Plays
Now, Just where does the farmer
At into this economic cycle? What
part has he played. what part is he
playing? He has been a generous
producer. He has toiled early and late
through all seasons in the hope OF ac-
cumulating his little share by increas-
ing his production. Through length
OF years, he has been taught TO pro-
duce, and to produce more abundant
ly. He has been ded TO believe that
his one hope of getting ahead is by
continued and increased production.
For this reason, he has fed and cloth
ed the world in luxury While others
idled he todled. He built the roads
over which they drove. He furnished
the wealth capital which they exploit
ed He paid without protest the price
asked for what he had TO buy and
accepted with equal grace whatever
the traffic would bear in the way OF
n price for what he had To sell. He
accepted the last economic squeeze
after all other industries had pressed
out their overhead. wastage and pro-
fits Such had been his position in the
past, and such IL is today. So much
for where we are now, whittier are
we tending2
To answer this question involves
an explanation OF the past and why
the tendency has not developed soon
er. Farmers have necessarily been
separated from each other by long
distance and bad roads They have
been shut off from close touch with |
their city neighbors and from the
great industrial groups, and in a
measure have been kept in ignorance
OF the doings Of the inner circle
They have not known their own posi-
tion or power, nor have they realized ,
their Importance in the social struc-
ture. They have been busy conquer
ing and subduing the frontier wilder
ness until IL has blossomed forth in
fruitage and abundant harvests; and I
they have been concerned with build
ing homes and schools and churches
and roads and those things immediate
tual life But the day of the automo-
bile and OF good roads has come. Dis
tance has been shortened. time econo-
mized, and organized effort made pos
sible. Country boys and girls have al
tended city schools and have brought
back TO the old home the lessons OF
city and industrial life and this has
awakened the farmer TO the vision OF
a new day for himself
And what is this vision? Not OF
opuence and ease and idleness and
luxury, but OF fair play and fair prices
and OF the opportunity to place his
business on the same plane as that OF
other industries. He sees in coop
erative marketing chance to get
fair share OF the products OF his toll
in legislation an oportunity to pro-
tect his own interests and his own in
dustries: and in education the oppor-
tunity for enlightenment along his
chosen line. He asks only justice and
he proposes to move conseryatieyly,
intelligently, but resolutely toward
this goal
Purpose OF Farm Bureau
The American Farm Bureau FEEDER
alton IS the champion OF this program,
II makes no apologies for the past
offers no critisms OF sister organiza-
tions. and admits that IL will make
mistakes as every humanity conceived
institution has, But rs march Is for
ward. II will never look back except
as the surveyor looks back TO get his
bearings for fixing the advanced line.
IL is organized upon sound principles
Nnd for right purposes, education, leg
islation, marketing IL Is non-political
and non-sectarian. and therefore can
call on all parties and all organized
groups 70 support its cause. II aims
10 make farming a better business,
free from unsteady and uncertain
markets and with selling power that
~ f..,wn a v,rnNtahta coot ~ prOduC-