Licking Valley courier., 1922-02-02

The whole rural world Is In a fer
ment Of unrest, and there Is san un-
paralleled volume nnd Intensity Of de-
termined, II not angry, protest, and an
ominous swarming Of oecupatlonal con-
ferences, interest groupings, political
movements and propaganda. Such
turmoil cannot but arrest our atten-
tion. Indeed, II demands our careful
study and examination. II Is not like
" that six million aloof and ruggedly
Independent men have come together
and banded. themselves, into active
unions. societies, farm bureaus, and SO
forth, for no sufficient cause.
Investigation Of the subject conclu-
sively proves that, While there is much
overstatement of grievances and mis-
conception Of remedies, the farmers
are right In complaining Of wrongs
long endured. and right in holding that
II Is feasible to relieve their Ills with
benefit to the rest of the community.
This being the case of an industry
that contributes, in the raw material
form alone, about one-third Of the ma
tional annual wealth production and
is the means of livelihood Of about 40
per cent Of the. population, 1t is OBJ
vious thal the subject is one of grave
concern. Not only do the farmers
make up one.ialf Of the nation, but
the well.beIng<Of the other half de-
pends upon them.
SO long as we have nations, a wise
: POLITICAL economy viii aim at a large
degree Of national .self-suificIency and
self-contalnment. Rome fell when the
food supply was too far removed from
the belly. Like her, we shall destroy
our own agriculture and extend our
sources Of food dIstantly and precarl-
ously. II we do mob see 10 II that our
farmers ars> s@eli and. fairly paid for
their services. Tie farm gives the
nation men rs weli as food. Cities
derive their vitality and are forever
renewed ffoms the tcuntry. but an Inn
ppverlsbeif tcountryslde exports lntelli
eence. sapd Sretaihs unlntelllgence.
Only the lower grndes Of mentality
and character. remain on, or seek,
thef6rn, unless agriculture is capable
ofbelng pursued with contentment and
adequate compensation. Hence, to EN-.
bitter and Impoyerish the farmer Is to
dry gps and cohiamlnate the vital
sources Of the nation, ~
The war showed eonylnclngly how
dependent the nation is on the full
= Productivity of the farms. Despite
herculean efforts, agricultural produc:
tIon kept only few weeks Or months
ahead OF consumption and that only
by Increasing the acreage Of certain
staple crops at the cost Of reducing
that OF others. We ought not to for
get that lesson when we ponder on
the farmers problems. They are truly
common problems, and there should
be no attempt to deal with them as
II they were purely selfish demands
sof a clear-cut group, antagonistlc ia
s-tlt reet. of the -eonnunlty. Rather
SHOULD we consider agriculture In the
light Of broad national policy, just
as we consider oil, coal, steel, dye
stuffs, and SO forth, as slnews of ma.
tlonal strengths. Our growing popula
tlpn andcn hlNhef standard OF living
demand Increasing food supplies, and
more yools pytton, hides, and the rest
WITH the disappearance OF free or
cheap fertile land, additional acreag,
and Increased Yields can come only
from costly effort. This we need moi
expect from an impoverished or un
happy rural population.
II will not do to take narrow view
OF the rural dlscontsnt, or to apprais'
II from the standpoint Of yesterday
This is peculiarly an age Of aux ant
change and new deals. Because I
thing always has been so no Longer
means that II Is righteous, or always
? shall be so. More, perhaps, than eve
before, there Is II widespread feeling
that epl husaaF relations can be I'm
proved by taking thought, and that |
is not becoming for the reasoning nnl
NAL to leave his destiny largely L
chance and natural incidence,
Prudent and orderly adjustment o
production and distribution In accord
ance with consumption Is recognize,
as wise management In every business
but that OF farming Yet, ventur
10 say, there is no other Industry II
lch II Is so important to the pub
Ilc-tofthe city-dweller--thnt produC
tIon should be. suresftteldy, and In
creaslng, and ,hrlt. ~ Nhutlon shoul,
be in proportion TO fhe'heed, The I'm
organized farmers naturally act blind
~ and lmpulslvely and In conse
quence, surfelt and dearth, accompa
MED by dlsconcerting price.ynrlatlons
harass the consumer one year pota
toes rot in the fields because Of exces
production, aud there Is a scarcity o
the things that have been dlsplace
to make way for the expansion Of tn
potato acreage next year the punish
ed farmers mass their fields on som
other crop. aud, nbtatoes enter tn
class Of luxurles and SO on.
Agriculture Is the greatest and fur
damentally the most Important OF ou
American Industries. The cities al
but the -Urenches Of tie tree of nj
tIonal life. the roots Of which 20 deel
ly into the laud, Nofall flourish {
decline with the farmer So, when "