The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1922-01-19

pu'"ieieu NOiulue ana intensity OF ue-
termined, IL not angry, protest and an
ominous swarming of occupational con
ferences. interest groupings, political
movements and propaganda. Such a
turmoil cannot but arrest our atten-
ton. Indeed, 1t demands our careful
study and examination. 1t 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 so
forth, for no sufficient cause.
Investigation of the subject conclu-
sively proves that, while there is much
| reinstatement of grievances and mis-
conception of remedies, the farmers
are right in complaining Of wrongs
long endured, and right in holding that
1t 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 welI-being of the other half de
ponds upon them.
| So long as we have nations, wise
POLITICAL economy will aim at large
| degree of national suliicency and
seff-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 distantly and precari-
ously, il we do not see to it that our
farmers are well 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 inn
| poverished countryside exports inteli-
gence and retains uninteligence.
! Only the. lower grades of mentality
and character will remain on, or seek.
the farm, unless. agriculture Is capable
Of being pursued with colltentment ami
adequate compensation. Hence, to EN-
bitter and impoverish the farmer Is To
dry up and communicate the vital
sources of the nation.
The war showed convineingly how
dependent the nation is on the full
productivity of the farms. Despite
herculean efforts, agricultural produc-
ton kept only 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 or
the farmers problems. They are truly
common Problems, and there should
be no attempt to deal with them as
| If they were purely selfish demands
of a 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 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 I'M
happy rural population.
1t will not do to take narrow view
Of the rural discomfort, or to apprafse
| 1t from the standpoint of yesterday.
This Is peculiarly an age Of flux 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 ever
before, there Is a widespread feeling
| that all human relations can be i'm
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 II is so important to the pub
lic-to the city-dweller--that produc-
fion should be sure, steady, and in
creasing, and that distribution should
BE in proportion to the need The I'M
organized farmers naturally act blind
! ~ and impulsively and, in conse-
! Iuence surfeit and dearth. accompa-
MED by disconcerting REPRESENTATIONS,
Iarass the consumer One year pota-
toes rot in the fields because of excess
production, and there Is 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
! danentally the most important of our
American Industries. The cities are
hut the branches Of the tree Of ma
lstidnal life. the roots Of which go deep
~ into the land We all flourish or
| decline with the furmer. So, when we
| az the cities read Of the present uni
yersal distress Of the farmers Of a
| slump Of six billion dollars in the farm
value Of their crops in q single venr
lon II $500 l~t,,f ,oraf..1lxy