Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1922-02-02

Inc whole rural World ID IN q ter'
ment Of unrest, and there Is an un'
paralieled volume and intensity Of de-
termined, II not angry, protest. and an
ominous swarming Of occupatlonal CON
ferances, interest groupings. political
movements and propaganda. Such
turmoil cannot but arrest our atten.
tion. Indeed, 1t demands our careful
study and examination. It Is not like
ly that six million aloOf and ruggedly
Independent men have come together
and banded themselves into active
unions, societies, farm bureaus. and 20
forth, for NO sufficient cause.
Investigation Of the subject conclu.
sively proves that, while there Is much
overstatement of grievances and nils
conception of remedies, the farmers
are right In complaining Of wrongs
long endured, and right in holding that
It 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 that the subject Is one Of grave
concern. Not only do the farmers
make up one-half Of the nation, but
the well-being of the other half de-
pends upon them.
So long as we have nations, wise
POLITICAL economy will aim at large
degree Of national self-suficlency and
self-cOntainment. 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 dlstantly and precari.
ously, II we do not see to 1t that our
farmers are we'll and fairly paid for
their services, The farm gives the
nation men as well as food. Cities
derive their vitality and are forever
renewed from the country, but an i'm.
poverished countryside exports intelli.
gence and retains tnlntelligence.
Only the lower grades Of mentality
and character will remain on, or seek,
the farm. unless agriculture Is capable
Of being pursued with contentment anil
adequate compensation. Hence. to em.
bitter and impoverish the farmer Is to
dry up and contaminate the vital
sources Of the nation.
The war showed convincingly how
dependent the nation is on the full
productivity of the farms. Despite
herculean efforts, agricultural produc.
ton kept only a 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
he no attempt to deal with them as
II they were purely selfish demands
Of q clear-cut group, antagonistic tt
the rest of the community. Rather
should we consider agriculture In thu
light Of broad national policy, Just
ss we consider oil, coal, steel, dye
stuffs, and so forth, as sinews Of ma
tional strength. Our growing pOpula
tion and q higher standard Of llvlns
demand increasing food supplies, ant
more wool, cotton, hides, and the rest
With the disappearance Of free OF
cheap fertile land, additional acreage
and increased yields can come onl!
from costly effort. This we need no
expect from an impoverished or un
Happy rural population.
It will not do to take a narrow view
y the rural discomfort, or to apprais'
It from the standpoint of yesterday
This Is peculiarly an age Of flux ant
change and new deals. Because
hing always has been SO no longe
means that It is righteous, or Away
shall be 90. More, perhaps, than eve
before, there Is q widespread feellnl
that all human relations can be I'm
lroved by taking thought, and that |
ls not becoming for the reasoning ami
mal to leave his destiny largely t
thance and natural incidence.
: Prudent and orderly adjustment
production and distribution in accord
, snce with consumption Is recognizes
40 wise management In every busines
but that of farming. Yet, I ventur
to say, there Is No other industry Il
which, It is 80 important to the pub
3 lic-to the city-dweller-that produ(
: ton should be sure, steady, and II
3 creasing, and that distribution shoul
q be In proportion to the need. The ur
l organized farmers naturally act blind
ly and impulsively and, In const
, quence, surfeit and dearth, accOmps
MED by disconcerting price-variatiop'
: narass the consumer. One year pots
toes rot In the fields because Of exces
3 production, and there II q scarcity Q
II ~