Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-12
CHEERING WORD
Continued from PAGE One)

lean producers in favor of their COM
petitors in foreign lands. particularly
those to the South of this country,
who have the advantage of cheap
water transportation.
| The secretary thinks that when the
country finally energies from the
present condition it will find itself
| at the beginning of new agricultur-
al era. Pointing the the large in
crease in the country's population
and the fact that most of the easily
cultivated land has been taken up.
he said the time is not far distant
when home needs will require prac-
tically all that American farms pro-
duce in the average years
| This means."-he adds. "a more ex-
tensive agriculture, with larger pro-
! duction per acre and lessened cost. if
We are to meet foreign competition
and still maintain our standard of
! living"
! The department Is planning to meet
| these new conditions. Mr.. Wallace
continues. by strengthening certain
phases Ut it's work, more especially
the scientific research. the applica-
tons Of the result of research to farm
practice, more extended studies of
marketing farm crops with view to
, reducing costs. investigation of both
| production and consumption at home
and abroad for the purpose of better
adjusting American production to
| market needs, and studies looking
| toward making available to the far
mer those devices OF modern bust
| ness which provide needed credit on
easy terms and which may help to
distribute production risks more
equitab1v.
! The amounts asked for this work
in the coming fiscal year have heen
reduced to the minimum" the Sec
rotary says. adding that in the future
| the appropriations should be increas-
ed just as rapidly as needed.
! In this connection. Mr.. Wallace
draws attention to the adyisability OF
Congress granting permission for the
combining of the Bureaus OF Mar
kets and Crop Estimates and the Of
fee of Farm MANAGEMENT. into which
would be merged all the forces Of the
department that are engaged in agri-
cultural economic work
! In his discussion Of present condi-
tons. Mr.. Wallace declares that the
difficulties of the farmers are a mat
ter OF national concern and one that
| should be given attention by every
thoughtful citizen.
I'VE must accept the~cold fact" he
declares. that agricultural produc-
ton in adequate measure can not he
continued for any length Of time on
basis which does not give the pro-
Queer a fair price" and proceeds to
! show how Inadequate prices to the
, farmer lessons the nations buying
power. throwing men ont Of employ
ment and creating what he calls "a
vicious circle" that it is difficult to
break through.
Congress has aided in improving
the special session legislation of a
constructive character that "will he
more helpful than is now realized
He points to the extension of the
power of the War Finance Corpora
ton: the increase in the capital of
| the Federal farm land banks. and the
/ bringing Of the packers and market
! agencies and the grain exchanges I'M
! der government supervision.
! Reviewing the work Of the various
/ bureaus Of the department, Mr.. Wal
lace says that during the past year
more improved roads were built un-
der the federal aid road act than dur
ing any similar period the mileage
completed being more than three
times as great as the entire mileage
/ completed during the preceding years
| under the act. During the fiscal year
1859 miles OF highways were COM
pleted and 1877 miles were under
construction. .
Under a policy now being worked
out by the department. the secre-
tary says, 1t is estimated that the
two national forests in Alaska can
furnish perpetually 100000 cords of
pulp wood annually amounting to an
equivalent Of One-third OF the present