The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1921-01-06

cd that the stability Of agriculture in
the United States is threatened unless
farmers receive an adequate return for
their products.
"The very foundation Of our nation
the stability of our agriculture-is
threatened" declares the secretary.
1.-THE farmer must have, under ordi-
nary conditions, a reasonable prospect
of fair return for his labor and the
use of his capital. The science, the
art, and the business of agriculture
can not thrive unless he Is suitably and
profitably paid for the products of his
farm-unless he receives compensation
sufficient to enable him to continue to
produce and to maintain for himself
and his family satisfactory standards
of living"
The secretary laid emphasis upon
tho Importance and necessity for a
sustained agriculture in this country.
Everything possible, he said, must be
done "to prevent or at least lessen the
effect of the recurrence of conditions
under which large numbers Of farmers
conduct their operations at loss.
The matter is of such tremendous i'm
portance to our entire population that
lit should be recognized everywhere as
national problem and dealt with as
SUCH"
While expressing doubt that there is
any single solution for the situation
now facing the farmers, Mr.. Meredith
declared that there are many steps
which should be taken to place agri-
culture on more satisfactory basis
and to stabilize the business of farm
ing, not in the interest of farmers
alone, but in the interest of the nation
as whole. eve must see to it," he
said, "that the road between the pro-
Queer and the consumer is open and
direct, and that the farmers have a
free and competitive market in which
to dispose of their products. We must
omit no effort to improve our market
ing machinery and practices and to
furnish necessary market information
so that farmers may take full advan-
tage of modern business methods in
the distribution Of their commodities.
1--WE must adopt every feasible
means to enable the farmer to adjust
himself to changes in economic condi.
lions, such as have recently occurred
It ought to be a fact that when the
farmers of the country produce
abundantly the consuming public will
be literally supplied with food al
reasonable prices, the farmer taking
his profit because Of large production
and the consumer receiving his incre
ment of benefit from having available
an adequate supply at a reasonable
cost. In general, we should expect il
to be true that the farmers condition
is improved in direct proportion to the
number Of bushels of wheat or corr
and the number of bales of cotton he
produces. 1t frequently happens, how.
ever, that when all farmers have ex
traordinarily good crops during thu
same year low prices leave him worse
off than he has been in other year.
with short crops and high prices
One thing that would help to remedy
this is some means, wherever feast
BILE, Of carrying over to periods of low
production the surplus from years 0!
high production. More attention t.
marketing and the development of {
latent consumption demand in year!
of large supply will also be helpful"
| Important recommendations con
tanned in the report are:
! Studies in the cost of marketing s,
that the proportion of the consumer.
price received by the producer ant
the proportion received by various
marketing agencies can be ascer
Itained.
Extension and development of CO
operative marketing work.
| Establishing Of world market-re