The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-02-03

when W. ponder ON
the farmers problems. They are truly
common problems, and there should
be no attempt TO deal with them as
II they were purely selfish demands
Of q clear-cut group, antagonistic to
the rest Of the community. Rather
should we consider agriculture in the
light OF broad national policy, just
as we consider oil, coal, steel, dye
stuffs, and SO forth, as sinews OF ma.
tional strength. Our growing popula.
ton and a higher standard Of living
demand increasing food supplies, and
more wool. cotton, hides, and the rest.
With the disappearance Of free or
cheap fertile land, additional acreage
and increased yields can come only
from costly effort. This we need not
expect from an impoverished or un-
happy rural population.
1t will not do to take q narrow view
Of the rural discomfort, or to appraise
II from the standpoint of yesterday
This Is peculiarly an age Of hux and
change and new deals. Because a
thing always has been so no longer
means that It Is righteous, or always
shall be so. More, perhaps, than yer
before, there Is q widespread feeling
that all human relations can be inn
proved by taking thought, and that it
Is not becoming for the reasoning ami
NAL to leave his destiny largely to
chance and natural incidence.
Prudent and orderly adjustment OF
production and distribution In accord
ance with consumption is recognized
as wise management in every business
but that OF farming. Yet, | venture
to say, there Is no other industry In
which Il Is so important TO the pub
llc-to the city-dweller-that produc-
ton should be sure, steady, and in.
creasing, and that distribution should
be in proportion to the need. The un
organized farmers naturally act blind
ly and impulsively and, in conse'
quence, surfeit and dearth, accompa-
MED by disconcerting price-variatlons,
harass the consumer. One year pota.
toes rot In the fields because Of excess
production, and there Is a scarcity OF
the things that have been displaced
to make way for the expansion of the
potato acreage next year the punish
ed farmers mass their fields on some
other crop, and potatoes enter the
class Of luxuries; and so on.
Agriculture Is the greatest and fun
damentally the most important Of our
American Industries. The cities are
but the branches Of the tree Of ma.
uonal life, the roots of which go deep
~ into the land. We all flourish or
decline with the farmer. So, when we
of the cities read OF the present uni
versal distress of the farmers, OF @
slump of six billion dollars In the farm
value OF their crops In a single year,
Of their inability to meet mortgages or
TO pay current bills, and how, seeking
relief from their Ills, they are plan
ming to form pools, l%naugurate farm.
ers' strikes, and demand legislation
abolishing grain exchanges, private
cattle markets, and the like, we ought
not hastily to brand them as economic
heretics and highwaymen, and hurl at
them the charge OF being seekers of
special privilege. Rather, we should
ask II their trouble Is not ours, and
see what can be done to improve the
situation. Purely from self-interest,
II for no higher motive, we should
help them. All Of us want to get back
permanently to "normalcy;" but Is 1t
reasonable to hope for that condition
unless our greatest and most basic In
dustry n be put on a sound and solid
permanent foundation? The farmers
are not entitled to special privileges;
but are they not right In demanding
that they be placed OF an equal foot
Ing with the buyers Of their products
and with other industries?