The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-12-13
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THE SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE MAKES
His ANNUAL REPORT

WASHINGTON, December ll.-l
Freely and frankly discussing tho pres.
Ont plight of The American farmer
Secretary WALLACE tells the president
in his first annual report today that
there "sccms - bee good reasons fo1
bclicying that tho worst is ovor and
that we may reasonably hope rcr
gradual Improvement from now on
He adds that "a clear recognition of
the conditions as they exist should
help us to realize this hope"
In large part the troubles Of the
farmer today arc due to worldwide
g nditions and the inevitable result
Of the world war the Secretary OF
Agriculture says adding that il is
not to be expected that by some mi
raculous transformation the period
OF adversely may be turned over
night nto a period Of prosperity
High freight rates, big crops pro-
duced in the face Of high costs, up-
employment in other industries in
The country with AN attendant less
ening in buying If foodsturs and
the lack Of foreign markets for the
farm surplus are given ny The Sec
retary as the more immediate causes
fog present conditions in agriculture.
He lays particular stress upon the
lack OF foreign markets and high
freight rates.
"lt is "a terrible Indictment o., mod
ern civilization he asserts, "that
with such abundance here there are
millions of people overseas suffer
ing for the bare necessities and other
millions starving To death And sure
ly We Gre sadly lacking in our un,
derstanding of economic laws or n our
adjustment TO them when the produc.
tion d hountoous crops grown by
hard labor of l5ooo,ooo farms and
farm workers and their families is
permitted TO play such a large part
i'm paralyzirg our industries aud bus
mess at home"
Large advances in freight rates
| while heawblc IN time of high prices,
Mr Wallace says. &c continued are
! bound 10 involve rfmaNne of the
American agricultural map.
The simple process of marking
up the transportation st few
cents hundred pounds" the Sec
reiary writes, has the same effect
ON The surpluSproducing state as pick
ing it up and setting it down 100 to
| 500 miles farther from the market.
| Agriculture is depressed until the
rates are lowered or until population
and industry shift 10 meet this new
condition.
With the heavy consuming popu'
lation of the country massed near
the eastern coast Ions distances from
the producing areas, Mr.. Wallace
| says substantial advances In the
transportation costs have the effect
of imposing diffcrcutial against
| American producers in favor of thcil
competitors in foreign lands, partic'
ululy those TO the nth az this coun
! try who have the advantage Of chear
water transportation.
The agriculture secretary thinks
that when the country finally emcrge'
from the present condition it vii
find itself at the beginning of
new agricultural era. pointing t'
the large increase IN the couniry''
population ana the fact that most OF
the easily cultivated land has beer
taken up, he says the time is moi
far distant when home needs viii 70
quire practically all that American
farms produce in the average years
This means he adds "a more
intensive agriculture, with larger pro