Smyrna times., 1921-12-21
BETTER OUTLOOK FOR FARMERS
DECLARES FEDERAL HEADS
AFTER A PERIOD OF DEPRES-
SION THERE is PROSPERITY
Freight Rates Soon to be Lower and
Labor and Farm Implements and
Other Articles are Drnnninn

Other Articles are Dropping
Freely and frankly discussing the
present plight of the American farm
er, Secretary Wallace tells the Presi
dent in his first annual report TODAY
that there "seems to be good reasons
Tor believing that the worst is over
and that we may reasonably hope for
gradual improvement from now on"
lie 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 todav
are due to worldwide conditions and
the Inevitable result of the world war,
the Secretary of Agriculture SAYS, adj
ding that it is not to be expected that
| by some miraculous transformation"
the period of adversity may be turn
! ed over night into period of prosper
ity.
High freight rates, big crops pro-
duced in the face of high costs, unem-
ployment in other industries in the
country with attendant lessening in
buying of foodstuffs, and the lack Of
foreign markets for the farm surplus
are given by the secretary as the more
Immediate causes for present condi-
tions in agriculture. He lays particu-
lar stress on the lack of foreign mar
kets and high freight rates.
1T is terrible indictment of mod
ern civilization" he asserts, "that with
such abundance here there are millions
OF people overseas suffering for the
bare necessities and other millions
starving to death. And surely we are
sadly lacking in our understanding of
economic laws or in our adjustment to
them when the production of bounte-
Gus crops grown by the hard labor of
13,00O,OOO farmers and farm workers
and their families is permitted to play
such a large part paralyzing our in
dustries and business at home"
Freight Rates Too High
Large advances in freight rates,
while bearable in time of high prices,
Mr.. Wallace says, if continued are
bound to involve a remaking of the
American agricultural map.
"The simple process of marking up
the transportation cost a few cents
hundred pounds" the secretary writes,
"has the same effect on the surplus
producing state as picking it up and
setting it down to 300 miles farther
from the market. Agriculture is de-
pressed until the rates are lowered or
until population and industry shift to
meet this new condition"
With the heavy consuming popula-
tion of the country massed near the
eastern coast, long distances from the
producing acres, Mr.. Wallace says,
substantial advances in the transpor-
tation costs have the effect of impos-
ing differential against American
producers in favor of their competitors
!. to foreign lands, particularly those to
the south of this country, who have
the advantage of cheap water trans
portation.
The agriculture secretary thinks
that when the country finally emerges
from the present condition it will find
itself at the beginning of a new agri-
l. NAASNA0A NAoJ POihSAnS W bllC lcA &c LII
crease in the country's population and
the fact that most of the easily accu-
mulated land has been taken up, he
said the time is not far distant when
home needs will require practically all
that American farms produce in the
average years.
"This means," he adds, "a more in
tensive agriculture, with larger pro-
duction per acre and lessened cost; if
we are to meet foreign competition
and still maintain our standard of liv-
ing"
The department is planning to meet
these new conditions, Mr.. Wallace con-
tinues by strengthening certain phases
of its work, more especially the scien-
tific research to farm practice, more
extended studies of marketing farm
crops with a view to reducing costs, in
vestigation of both reduction and con-
sumption at home and abroad for the
purpose of better adjusting American
production to market needs,and studies
looking toward making available to the
farmer those devices of modern busi-
ness which provide needed credit on
easy terms and which may help to dis
tribute production risks more equit-
ably.
The amounts asked for this work in
the coming fiscal year have been ere
duced to minimum" the secretary says
adding that in the future the appro-
priations should be increased just as
rapidly as needed.