The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-12-05
AMERICAN FARMERS, DESPITE HARD WORK,
FIND SELVES AT SERIOUS DISkDvANT AGE

show that any other group Of workers
would have taken the reduction in
wages in the spirit in which the farm
ers have taken their reduction. Many
thousands of farmers have not been
able to weather the storm, notwith-
standing their strenuous efforts. Thou
sands who purchased land during the
period of high prices have been obliged
to give up the struggle, let their land
go back, lose all the money they paid
ON it, and start anew. Many thou
sands of renters who had substantial
savings invested in farm equipment
and live stock have gone through the
same experience and have lost every
thing"
There are some hopeful aspects to
the situation Notwithstanding the con-
tinued low purchasing power of farm
products, Secretary Wallace pointed
out.
In Better Position
at Is fair to say that in general the
farmers of the United States are in a
better position financially now than
they were a year or eighteen months
ago. he said. Farm products are
selling at considerably higher prices,
and it is estimated the aggregate
value of the crops in the country this
year is about S1.250, 000,O 900 more than
last year. Considerable quantities of
these crops will be fed and the in
creased value will not be wholly re-
coveredby the farmer, but the bare
fact that such large increase in
money will reach the farmers peck
cts this year is most gratifying and
reassuring.
1.-THE advance in price of cotton has
been most helpful throughout the cot
| ton growing states. Considerably
higher prices for wool, lambs and
sheep have resulted in pulling the
| sheep industry out of the slough OF
| despond and setting it on its feet
again Right through the period of de
| preston hogs have been selling at con.
siderably higher prices relatively thar
corn. On the whole, it has been 9
fairly satisfactory year for cattle feed
ers- Credit conditions have improved
and interest rates have fallen.
See Menace to Themselves
Another hopeful sign is the increas
! ing willingness and desire of people
| engaged in industry, commerce ant
finance to help bring about a more fav.
orable adjustment Fer the farmer
Such people are coming to realize
more and more the menace to them
j selves in conditions so unfayorable tt
agriculture as those of the last three
years. Their attitude toward the far
mer has changed from that of ben
evolent paternalism such as was 81
/ much in evidence during the ten years
! preceding the war. They now under
stand more clearly that their own flu
ture is inseparably linked up with thu
farmer, and that in doing what they
can to help him get on his feet AGAR
they are helping themselves as WELL
In relation to the price of farm pro
ducts at the farms and prices charged
for farm products in the cities, Score
tary Wallace said the cost of distribu
ton remains high, Notwithstanding
frequent violent denunciations of prof
teers in the cities. In part, this higt
cost of distribution, he said is caused
by the multiplication of distributing
agencies during the last six years, il
part by the increase in rent, and sup
plies, but in larger part by the higher
wages which employees in the dis
tributing business have been able tt
maintain.
Taxes on farms in most farmins
states have more than doubled and i.
proving to be one Of the most fire
quent subjects of complaint by farm
ers, and during the next few years tnt
whole question of taxation, Mr.. Wal
lace said, will evidently receive con
siderable attention by thoughtful
farmers