The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-11-18
HELPING THE FARMER TO
DEVELOP.

/ have a letter from farmer who
has been reading what ] have writ
ten about community cooperative eff
fort among farmers. He concurs in
the views expressed by me, but says
that the banks discriminate against
the farmers and do not furnish them
the same accoumodations accorded
other business activities. Personally /
have not had cause to complain of
treatment received from the banks.
their business is to lend money, and
naturally they must safeguard their
loans. And it is equally natural that
they accommodate those who are
prompt in meeting their obligations.
Farmers are often at disadvantage
in this respect, because of the fact that
returns from their crops are available
only about once a year, unless they
practice Investigation of crops, or
engage in the farming sidelines of da-
rying or poultry raising. This condi-
tion is in itself a fine argument for
money coming in at different periods
of the year, and would be on the same
footing as men in other businesses, and
could ask and receive similar accomo-
dations.
/ do not know anything about the
banks where this farmer lives, but /
do know of banks in different Sec
lions of the State whose officers are
active in developing the agricultural
activities of their sections, who furnish
the money at low rate of interest to
farmers who want to buy thorough
bred breeding stock, or to buy labor
saving machinery, or to enable the
farmer to hold his product for more
favorable market.
Bankers, as careful business men,
must know that the farmers are going
to do their part in carrying out a def
finite, practical program in live stock
and crop production, and marketing
same. While have so far been urging
cooperation among farmers because
the value of cooperative effort has
long since been recognized and prac-
tieed among men in other activities,
it is equally important that there
should be cooperation between the
farmers and the financial institutions,
because they are interdependent for
the broadcast measure of success of
each, and neither can attain the full
measure of prosperity without the CO.
operation of the other.
Our individual prosperity is depen-
Il a.,f IN, irs do hn
prosperity of the section in which we
live, and we cannot have general pros
perity without proportionalte prosper
ity of the individual. Cooperation
should be encountered between the
towns and the rural sections. Because
their activities are along different
lines does not mean that they do not
have interests in common. Each is
interested in good roads, good schools,
good churches, good social conditions.
Both are alike interested in the Off
Gals who serve them. Those living
in the towns are dependent on those
living in the country for materials for
food and clothing, and in turn the
farmers are dependent on the non pro-
ducers for market for their surplus
products.
/ have tried to discuss every advan-
tage of cooperative effort, during the
past few weeks, because of our need
for understanding the advantages to
be gained, and at this particular time,
because the winter months are Just
ahead of US, when farmers have more
time for meeting and studying the
questions vital to them. / am hoping
to see in the plans for 1922 activities
more evidences of Roadway in working
out the program for cooperation. We
are confronted by conditions that can
only be successfully met by such action