The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-04-15

| .~SN neArIV
so sick as he is scared. In these criti-
cal times there is no place for the pessi-
mist. This great country of ours is not
headed in the direction of the "dimni
| ton of bow-wows." A nation which can
mobilize within two years thirty billions
of wealth, arm and equip five millions
of boys and send two millions of these
across the water to fight on foreign
shores is not going to fail to arise to
this emergency and to meet it and over
come it. The one big immediate need
/ of this hour is the restoration of conf
dence in all classes of people in the fu-
ture of our country, coupled with a res
oIutlon that we are going to think and
act in the light of the sun and not in
the gloom of the darkness The situa-
ton may be ikened to flock of wild
geese that has been disturbed unexpect-
edly by the hunter. They are fying
pell nell in every direction, each in
dividual. looking out for itself But this
will not continue long because pretty
soon you will see the flock lining out
IN proper formation under the leader
ship of one who knows his business and
his destination. We need only some
leadership, some stepping out as it
were, in the direction of a return to
normal, in order that the whole flock
of US may begin to set ourselves in the
same direction. And when this happens
manufacturing will begin, the jobber and
the wholesaler will set their machinery
in motion, retailers will take. on new
oil oE
things will reflect themselves in a bet
ter agricultural situation. In the
meantime, it is to be hoped that for
eign markets will begin to right them
selves with the aid of credit corpora
tons formed in this country under the
provisions of the Edge Act and with the |
help of the recently restored War FL |
nance Corporation.
Out of the GIoom-Learned Wholesome |
Lessons.
But from the viewpoint of agriculture |
the mere restoration of confidence is |
not going to furnish a permanent solu-
ton of it's problems. There are diff
culties that require for their remedy
ing the concerted action of the states
and the nation as well as the farmers
The Facts.
When it is demonstrated by the facts
that the country teacher, the country
and the farmer receive the
lowest scale of wages of any class of
DUR population, it must be admitted that
there is something fundamentally weak
IN the system under which agriculture
IS operating. The existing system has
not only. eventuated in the fact just
mentioned, but it is responsible for the
:act-
(a) That, more than one-third of our
arm population is tenants. This means
,bsentee landlordism, or to express it
more accurately, inefficient farming and
rural conditions.
(b) That, not over twenty per cent of
,ur farm homes have in them either
unning water-the burden litter of the
artificial lights; the av
rage daily labor of the average farm
yoman is from II to Is hours.
The isolated life of the average farm
voman presents the amazing and indie
ensible tragedy of American life. The
arm woman is the crux of. the rural
,roblem. When she is happy and con-
ented with her surroundings, you will
md her boys and girls likewise to be
Apply and contented, but it is the re- ,
oft of these boys and girls against the ,
fe of drudgery which their parents lead :
hat has resulted in the increasing drift
f the population from country to town, ,
esulting, sas disclosed by the present '
ensus for the first time in our history, '
1 their being a larger per cent OF peo- :
lie in towns and cities than there are n
l the country. It may sound rldlcu-
,us. and by the unthinking, be called
polish, to venture the assertion that
[enry Ford in supplying the world with h
cheap, quick method of transportation, q
exerting upon rural life more pro- !,
,und influence than has ever been ex- Il
rted upon it by any man living or dead. o
(c) That, the farmer is without eff =
.ctiye voice in the determining of the r
rice of his products. n
Cd That, as a result of this condl- o
on, the average farmer of Missouri +,
i'll not realize from his 1920 crop
ore than sufficient to pay his taxes
I'd the interest upon his capital invest
ent.
That Causes Have Led to Such Sit
uation.
What have been the underlying causes
sulting in such an unwholesome con-
ton?
(a) The farmer has been taught to
ak the furrow and produce and per
pita he is the best producer in the
orld. We have taught him to become
expert with his hands and have left
m as a child in the use of his head
the management of his affairs other
an production.
(b) The farmer has never regarded
mself, nor have the people, anything
t producer. He is more than that.
3 is manufacturer and merchant
well. It would not be wise in my ss
dgment for him to undertake in him