The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-10-28
THE MILITANT FARMER

! ne MILL AN ENn"GH
In a recent issue of the Breeders
Gazette we find a timely article on
farm psychology and prevailing condi-
tions among farmers, that is worth
reporting. It makes a contrasting pic
ture as to the farm poor and the city
poor, which shows the essential differ
ence between poverty in the tene-
ments and out in the open, where there
are cows and chickens and gardens.
Says the editor:
unlike the city poor the farm poor
rarely ever really suffer for lack CT
the essential creature comforts neces-
sary TO physical existence. The farm
poor may be in a bad way financially,
but they seldom ask for charity AID,
as rule, never become public charg-
es. With the help of the hen, the COW,
the garden and the SOW, they get by
in some way, through even the worst
periods of depression. The farm
poor we have always with us-just
as there are always poverty stricken
families in and about the great indus
trial centers of population. But just
now there is throughout agricultural
America a vast body of farmers not
to be classed with the element above
mentioned, who are complaining so bit
terly at the existing economic situa-
tion that the impression has spread
far and wide that farmers as class
are in acute distress, virtually bank
rupt, and therefore practically void OF
buying power.
The militant farmer is everywhere
in evidence, not because he is act
ually down and out, but because he
does not propose to be altogether
submerged if the inequalities he is
called upon to face can be ironed out
by the application of proper remedial
measures, and the Introduction of
practical reforms, not only in the mat
ter of marketing and distribution,
but in the fundamental problems OF
production as well. The militant
farmer accuses labor of holding him
up both coming and going. In his
freight bills he recognizes the heavy
hand of organized labor. In the price
of everything he has to buy, he sees
again the great part played by the
labor bill in the production costs Of
all his machinery and other needed
merchandise.
Along with this he hears constant
lv the complaint of the laboring man
at the high cost of food. and all this
naturally does not sit well on the
farmers stomach. 1t makes him sick
He contrasts his own long hours and
uncertain reward with the short hours
and the sure generous pay envelope
received every weekend by those
who work in shops, mines and fac
tories or in the building trades, and
| it makes him sore"
Not Down and Out
| The idea that farmers as a class
are down and out has been spread
over the country to the detriment o.
/ the millions of -agriculturists who art
/ getting by in excellent shape. True
4 even these men could have made
more money under more favorable
commodity price condition, but the!
are far from suffering for any of th'
essentials of life and comfort. Farm
ers are by no means all broke ant
I helpIess toilers, although they havt
been badly hit by circumstances be
vond their individual control; som
worse tha mothers, depending on lc
cation and chief crop or product
The man VINO dlVerSltleS, ana WI
does the kind of general farmin
his location and climate warrants, !
in no dancer of going either cold o
hungry. That the farmer will agai
come into his own" is now indicat
ed more clearly from day-to-day.
Good Duroc-Jersey Sale
The Charles Wenger Duroc-Jerse
sale of Waits Top Colonel gifts an
boars on Wednesday, at Clayton, Ohit
drew fanciers of the red hog from nea
and far The Wenger farm lies min
miles north of Dayton on the Dayto