Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-03-02

TO do his work or purchase the feed
from a neighbOr, instead of buying
gas and oil from the Standard Oil COM
pany, he would Immediately reverse
the condition, and the agricultural
industry would be the most prosperous
of any industry in the United States.
The consumption of food products of
this country is so little below the line
of production that a very small varia-
on would put the producer in con-
troll of his own market. And for the
farmer to produce his own farm power
is a simple solution of the problem.
The tractor manufacturers have gone
together and are continually holding
meetings throughout the country, try
ing to induce the farmer to use trac-
tor power on the farm, and they are
fairly successful in their efforts, al
though the farmer should know, and
the manufacturer must know that the
farmer is cutting his own throat and.
digging his own grave when he listens
to them. And it seems that herein
would lie an opportunity for the
farm bureau to get in its work, call
meetings and put out propaganda TO
offset the propaganda put out by the
manufacturing interests.
The writer took this up recently
with Dean f. j. Iddings of the Uni
versity of Idaho. Mr.. Iddings was
enthusiastic He admitted that it was
a very simple solution of the problem.
or if not an entire solution il would
be a very great help. He agreed to
dig into it, find out the draw-bar
horse power of tractors used in the
United States, estimate the number of
acres that it would take to produce and
grow that number of horses to maturi-
tv. also the number of acres It would
take to feed them in their daily work
after they had been put into service,
and to forward this information to the
writer. And, of course, the information
will be available to anyone.
And I believe my farmer friends
will find it very interesting reading,
and perhaps open their eyes and show
them one department where they can
successfully use business methods.
There seems to be some argument as
to the relative cost of the two diff
fernt classes of farm power. In fig
uring this cost, the farmer should not
overlook the fact that in growing and
maintaining the horses he is utilizing
n certain percent of material for which
he would otherwise have no market
He must figure the farm value Of
hav and grain used instead of the mar
ket value; he must add to the cost
of oil and repairs; the trouble of
TRANSPORTING it from the place of pur-
chase to the farm; he must figure the
farm life of a tractor, and the farm
life of n horse, not overlook the re-
pair bill of the two classes of power,
and take into consideration the re-
sale value after five years of use. And
above all. he must understand In one
instance he owns and operates fac
tory which manufactures his farm pow
err. and creates a market for his own
product. Tn the other ease he is patron
ling the other fellow. This patro-
mage has a tendency to increase the
price of all farm machinery and All
other manufactured articles, even 20
the shoes that he nails on his horses
and it decreases the value of every
thing that he produces.
Now, my farmer friends, instead of
swallowing whole all the propa ganda
the manufacturer puts out. take the
other side and go to the extreme: Use
the horse for all work on the farm
if YOU wish power for pumping water
or grinding feed, buv cheap horse
mower. or better still make one out
of an old moving machine. Urge your
county officials to use horses wherever
nossihle for county work, and put out
propaganda for everyone else to do
likewise. and practice what you
preach. Stay away from the factory,
stick to the farm and YOU will very
soon be able TO say what You will take
instead of asking the other fellow
what he viii give.