The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-18
new ERA TO
HELP FARMER
SAYS HARDING
President Sees Trend
Toward Prosperity
(Ry Associated Press1

CBy Associated Press1
WASHINGTON, Oct 1s.-B Beliei
that the farmer will be among the
first to get substantial recognition in
a new era of activities and prosperity
now on the way was expressed by
President Harding in letter written
to Secretary Wallace, of the agricul-
tural department. and made public to.
day at the. White House. 1t was for
warded to the secretary to be read
late today at meeting of Republi.
cans at Washington, Court House, 0.
Agricultural production is very
nearly restored, taking the world as 4
whole, but agricultural prices are so
low that it is apparent to all of us
that the farmer is not being compeE-
sated," the president said. "The
Washington administration has recog
nized this condition and has done
everything in its power to restore a
normal balance between prices and
costs of production"
Much Accomplished
The executive further declared n
great deal already has been accom-
plished toward that end, and added
that the trend was strongly toward
better conditions for the farmer"
The farmer was described by the
president as captain of industry, the
letter adding that elimination of COM
petition among farmers would be i'm
possible without sacrifice of the indi-
vidualism ''that still keeps the farm
the real reservoir from which the ma
tion draws SO many of the finest ele-
ments of its citizenship"
The president took occosion also to
deplore any movements by the farm
ers, looking toward decrease of pro-
duction and said the natural result
of such a movement would be famine
prices. He commended Mr.. Walacs
for the administration of the depart
| ment of agriculture, and said that the
department in the last two years, has
| rendered a particularly notable SER
| vice along somewhat new line.
New Direction
There was a time,'' the letter con-
tinued when the department of agri-
| culture was looked on as an instru
mentality for inducing constantly lar
| ger and larger product on from the
| farmer, rather regardless of questions
of marketing of transportation, of fl
nancing. and other things of that sort
1
when these other questions demand at
tention and think the country owes a
great deal to the fact that we have
had new direction given to import
ant activities of the department I
mean that these broader questions
| have been given a consideration and
attention which formerly was not al
ways recognized as due to them.
"The other day a farmer said to me
that the farmers could themselves re-
habilitate agriculture very promptly if
they would just unite on a program of
reduced production | replied that the
farmers would never unite on such
a program because of the peculiar
economic circumstances of their in
rustry. Every farm is an economical
entity by itself Every farmer is
captain of industry. The elimination
of competition among them would be
impossible without sacrificing that
| fine individualism that still keeps the
farm the real reservoir from which
the nation draws SO many of the finest
elements of its citizenship.
4 Need arm Products.
Moreover, it would be a calamity
If the farmers should unite in such
dimunition of production a9 would
force famine prices, or something abb
proximate to them. The world can get
along without a good many other
things, but it cannot get along without
the products of the farm It is rather
a striking fact that among the worlds
industries, that of agriculture has been
most rapidly rehabilitated since the
war The crop statistics of the world
for the past two seasons are proof of
this We may attribute it TO that
very individualism and self-sufficiency.
"Our own country has evidence by
every index of business and CONNER
cial condition is on the way to a new
era of activity and prosperity. In that
new era, we can be very sure that the
farmer will be among the first to get
the substantial recognition which he
needs and must have for what he has
done to make these improved condi
tions possible"