The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-20
BY WILLIAM r. SANBORN

Shall we grow less corn and more
thetical question. but one which prom
ises to become a vital issue in 1922. 1t
is mater of national importance mas
much as it affects the profitable use of
land and the ability of farmers to buy
and consume, to the benefit of every
| industry, to the profit of the merchant,
and to their own comfort.
Have we been raising too much
corn? Have we a larger supply than
our feeding operations warrant, or that
world demand necessitates? Will an
other banner corn crop so far depress
prices that growers will be compelled
! to take less than the cost of produc
ton? Can our exports of corn be en-
| larged sufficiently to warrant our pro-
ducing three billion bushel crops, and
! if SO, when or how soon?
Planning a Campaign
| At conference held in Chicago on
| December it was decided to launch
campaign of information to farmers,
pointing out the necessity of replac-
ing a part of the usual corn acreage
with such legumes as clover, alfalfa,
soy beans, etc. The conference was
made up chiefly of presidents and sec
retaries of the farm bureaus represent
ed, and the following statement was
| the result of the meeting:
Since there was on hand in the
United States on November /. 1921,
a total of approximately 100000, 900
bushels of corn in excess of the aver
age disappearance of corn for the last
10 years; and since there was a total
I1FO hy1c 1,a1 /~cr hnro
on November l, 1921, in excess of the
record disappearance of 3,0S2, 600, 900
bushels which occurred during the
twelve month period prior to Novem
Der 1st; and since the price for the
portion of this crop which has thus
far been placed on the market has
been reduced to a point which results
in economic injustice to corn growers
= and since these excuses have effected
an unnecessary drain upon the fertility
of our corn belt soils, and since the
lacreage of corn is altogether, in many
sections, in excess of the acreage
: which good farm management war
/ rants, and since 1t is good business
practice to produce in accordance will
demand
2 Text of Resolution
D, Therefore. the representatives o
5 the farm bureau declarations of Kan
sas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and lndi
: ana, meeting In Chicago, Illinois, De
cember Z. 1921 wish to emphasize Il
= the farmers of our respective state:
0 That permanent, profitable agriculture
in the United States be encouraged b!
p reasonably reducing corn acreage b.
o increaS sing the acreage of legum'
i crops, alfalfa, clover, soy beans, etc.
/ such as will improve our soils, o
s which will not compete on the market
S of the world with corn, so that thu
/ acreage of all our crops may be sucl
:, as will assure production only in &C
g cordance with needs as indicated b.
world conditions.
It ITO this end we pledge the effort
:, of our Farm Bureau Federations to &C
r, operate with all farmers, farmers or
), CARNATIONS, agricultural colleges, eS
}. pertinent stations, eXtention forces
g chambers of commerce, bankers assC
a Citations, civic declarations, agriculture
q and general press, and all the peOpl
l. of the United States, so that agricu
n ture may prosper and continue as tn
e foundation Of national prosperity
e Mr.. Towards Opinion
President Howard, of the America
| farm bureau. in a recent letter
Wallaces Farmer among other things
said:
= at would be blessing, not only
j farmers. but to the general public a
IN well. if the 1922 corn production coul
be reduced to rs per cent of norm;
10 or virtually to two billion bushels
d must be done by every element of til
10 country pulling together. | PERSONAL
If consider it an economic necessity tn;
e. every Corn Belt farmer should do h
#, individual part to bring it about"
r. We are indebted to the Prairie Fa
mer, of Chicago. for the above quot
ton, and for a number of common
by correspondents of that paper wi
agree with Mr.. Howard 1t is notahl
too, that Secretary Wallace advocate
a reduction in corn acreage and Il
substitution of soil-building legum
and grasses for soil rest and improv
~ ment. Mr. Wallace, as is general
II known, is the principal owner of Wa
1ltg aces Farmer, and we deduce the for
VI going from the stand taken by tn
~ paper regarding this rather absorbiI
vi problem.
ho What Frank Mann Says
Frank Mann, of Illinois, says: "V
RS should reduce corn acreage next We
IN because there is a world surplus