Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-28
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
BY DR. ANDREW NJ SOULE ~@=e

about the marketing game, and how
much not only our merchants but
our consumers as well need to be
educated.
In this respect, I wish to say
that cooperation in the matter OF
marketing will be a very great help
and we should institute and encour-
age cooperative marketing societies
and organizations. If they can be
instituted on a community basis, well
and good. They no doubt could do
more effective work on county
wide basis, or a statewide basis, or
even a nationwide basis, but 1t Will
take time to build them up and We
should not become weary in well do
ing. Neither should we permit those
who join organizations Of this kind
to conclude that cooperation is a
cure-all for the troubles which now
afflict us. Cooperation is help, an
agency, a medium, and that is all.
It is evident that a good many
economic readjustments must take
place at an early date. The prices
Of many farm crops are below pre-
war prices, whereas the materials
which the farmer is asked to pur-
chase are still far above the basis
indicated. There is something radi-
cally wrong about such a condition.
It is unfair to the farmer, who just
ly feels that he has been victimized.
It has brought about buyers strike
which has almost -paralyzed trade
and industry. Many have declared
that this is unfortunate, but the
farmer could not well change his
attitude in the face Of such, condi-
ton because it took more of his prod
ucts at the prices he was offered to
purchase the thing he needed than he
was in position to expend. 1t is
not right to ask one class Of society
to sacrifice and give up all while
others, through organization, at
tempt to retain and perpetuate their
own specialized interests.
There has been a theory in the
minds Of some people in our country
that labor and the farmer could
cooperate advantageously. This
hardly seems practicable, because
the farmer is himself in the So
called capitalistic class. He is an
employer Of labor in many respects.
The desire of labor is naturally to
live cheaply, and to secure the larg-
est possible return for the commod-
the farmer is to secure the largest
profit for the crop he raises and to
sell on high or rising market. The
interests of these two classes of
society would appear, therefore, to
be in direct opposition to each other
and it will be a very difficult mat
ter to coordinate them successfully.
Transportation costs represent a
heavy burden to the farmer at this
time and seem to be quite out of
line. 1t is evident that there ought
to be an adjustment in this direc-
ton. That can only be accomplished
by material reduction in the cast
of operating our railroads. There is
only one means by which this can be
accomplished. 1t is familiar to most
of our people because it has been so
generally considered and discussed.
The sooner the contemplated action
along this line is contaminated the
better it will be for all the inter-
ests concerned.
1t is necessary and desirable that
credits be extended to farmers as
completely as possible in 1922. Just
how this is to be accomplished con-
stitutes one Of the most vexing and
difficult questions requiring solution
at this time. A great expansion of
credit can still be secured by coun-
try banks through proper rela-
Will Ll1O 1CoSl oil ISSSIN0 SyS-
tenn. We should then utilize the fed
eral land banks to the fullest advan-
tage. In this way many burdensome
land loans could be transferred to
Uncle Sans broad shoulders andI
longtime easy payments of the same
by our farmers made through the
plan which these banks 1
follow. Objection will no doubt be
made to the slowness with which
these banks handle loans. There is
no good reason, in so far as I can
see, why their operation should not
be materially expedited. The funds
which the war finance committee is
now in position to place at the dis
posal of the rural banks should be
taken up Immediately and to the
fullest practicable extent. We have
not exhausted all the avenues of
credit yet, and possibly other means
or aiding the farmer may be worked
out at an early date. The urgency
OF the situation makes immediate &C
ton essential Farmers need help
today, not tomorrow. Congress and
other agencies should make due note
OF the fact and act accordinel
Throwing a life preserver overheard
after the man is drowned does not
help any.
A summary of the situation would
appear to indicate that we have a
relatively long period of recovery be-
fore us, that we may expect the De-
Rod of slowed-up business activities
to continue about as long as the era
OF super-prosperity through which
we recently passed. I feel satisfied
that we have reached the bottom and
that we are on the upgrade. I be-
lleVe that 1922 will be a much bet
ter year than 1921. We have al
ready passed through the "Valley of
the Shadow" and we are emerging
into the clear light of the rising
sun of prosperity. This means that
we will think more nationally, that
we will act with more circumspec-
ton, that we will realize and appreci-
at the necessity of being more eco.
nomical, more Industrious, more So
ber-minded, more God.fearing, We
must all now participate in fighting
the battle of prosperity to a success.
Iul issue. Let bygones be bygones.
II IS the future that holds the key
TO happiness and success. Let MS
concentrate our energies upon I'M
locking the door to progress and
world rehabilitation along all lines.
This is time when we need to EN-.
ulate the fine spirit that character.
lzed the lighting men Of our armies
on the heids of France towards the
contamination of the struggle which
resulted in the dethroning of Ger
many as military power. It was
no uncommon sight to see an army