Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1922-05-24
RURAL POPULATION DECREASE
AND PROPER ORGANIZATION
No Law Can Remedy Troubles Farmer
Has to Face Unless He
Organizes.

| While the population OF tennessee
as whole increased from 1900 10 1920
3I7,26z. For the same period the rur-
al population decreased 26,583. A por-
ton of this rural population was en-
gagged in mining, lumber cutting, e.c.
which would greatly change the figures
APPLYING to those actually engaged in
agriculture.
Government statistics show that for
the past several years, those engaged
in agriculture have been receiving less
for their capital and labor invested
than any other class of our citizenship.
As natural consequence, ambitious
young men have been leaving the
farms for other lines of activity.
Thev will continue to do so until
they can see in agriculture opportunl-
ties at least equal to those found IN
other lines of activity. The writer
has realized the handicaps to success
ful agricultural efforts for many years.
Indifference to marketing methods and
to cooperative effort on the part OF
the farmers and indifference on the
part OF the lawmakers Tor needed
LEGISLATION for the farmers that would
encourage cooperative effort For
twelve years | have been pointing out
the handicaps and urging cooperative
effort.
The crisis following the world war
when the fall in prices with high
freight rates crippled the farmers pur-
chasing power SO that industry and
our lawmakers are aroused. A JOINT
Congressional Committee on Agricul7
tural Injury has been named and mas
been doing good work. The real sit
uation and its needs are beng de-
veloped and good will result.
In his address before the Agrielp;
tural Conference called by President
Harding at Washington, y. q, IN jan
nary. Honorable Sydney anderson
Chairman Of the joint Congressional
Committee of Agricultural inquiry, SAID
s'The restoration of conditions OF nor
man operation and prosperity OF the
farmer of the country is dependent
first, upon the completion OF the cycle
of readiustment of commodity prices
and of costs and profits OF manufac-
t,re and distribution, and, second, up.
an the establishment of menas OF
stabilizing agricultural prices upon d
profitable level. ,..
"When | consider the desperate
character of the situation, could WISH
that there was some means OF Drlhg-
mo about this condition by govern
mental action. | am sure there is no
governmental panacea,. there is no
magic word of legislation and no mag
ic wand of administrative action that
can bring about these results. l am
persuaded that they can only be ac-
complished through a more ehicieh'
organization of the producers.
"The farmer is essentially an IN
dividualist; he sells his product IN
small quantities, interposng ms n'ul-
vidual selling power against the or
oanized buying power OF industry. he
viii continue to be the main sufferer
from price Quotations SO long as ie
continues TO do so. .. -
"The merchant in selling MS Sooos
NOT only offers them at price pul
offers with them a varying degree oi
service which includes credit. quah.y
deDendability, convenience, dehVery' ei
vironment, and all of the othere ele-
ments for which the consumer pays
TTnon the cost of all of these clemens
the merchant expects a proht, ne
tanner on the other hand sells ms
nrodrct very much in job lots as Il
Zones form the farm without mucf
a.d ~ bis customers requirements
in The matter of credit, quality, depen'
dab;litv. convenience, delivery, or or
~ elements of service. AS resui
there have grown up along the g: llne:
Of distribution a long chain OF peoPl.
performing all of these services lWol W
which the farmer pays in a reouce'
nrice for his product.
The individual farmer cannot WEI
make the initial outlay required 1o'
The machinery and organization nee
essarv for the performance OF these
services. Many of them could be per
formed by organizations controilea U.
tanners which would at the same time
combine the farmers selling poWe'
and influence. The method OF sellins
farm products in individual Job lou
increases the opportunity tor specula
ton and for the addition OF unneces
sary charges for storage, transporta,
ton and handling. e.,
It is possible by organizations foi
forners to standardize the quality o.
the product of many farms within Z
Gwen locality, and by such standard
;say;on to increase the price per UNI
for the entire crop. f
"I admit that the formation OF larii