Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1922-02-17

IAN, n unrest, ami there is an un
o.roue;ed volume and intensity OF DE
',run.d. II not angry, protest, and al
,moous swarming Of occupationai con
,areprps, interest groupings. political
movements and propaganda. Such O
,r,,otl cannot but arrest our atten
n,n Indeed, It demands our careful
,pjy and examination. 1t Is not Ike
=, .r,, six million aloof and ruggedlS
ir,ep.ndent men have come together
snJ ,anded themselves into active
rnln1s societies, farm bureaus, ana 80
t,rte for NO sufficient cause.
m.c.,ication of the subject conclu
,,yel, proves that, while there Is much
over.,a,ement of grievances and mis-
,on.e,iion Of remedies, the farmers
,r,. r,gIt in complaining of wrongs
Ion. ,idured, and right in holding that
# +, ,ci.ihle to relieve their ills with
senr6, 10 the rest Of the community.
This being the case Of an industry
t,a. contributes, In the raw material
form slone. about one-third of the ma
uonai annual wealth production and
IN The means Of livelihood of about 40
Der cent Of the population, 1t In OBJ
y!cus mat the subject In one Of grave
coucsTn. Not only do the farmers
make up one-half Of the nation, but
the wel.being Of the other half de.
pends upon them.
So long as we havS nations, wise
POLITICAL economy will aim at large
degree Of national self-sufflciency and
telfcontanment. Rome fell when the
food supply was too far removed from
the belly. Like her, we shah destroy
our own agriculture and extend our
sources Of food dlstantly and precari.
ously. II we do not see to 1t 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
senewed from the country, but an i'm
ptrer,shed countryside exports inteIli.
gence and retains nnintelligence.
Only the lower grades of mentality
and character will remain on. or seek,
the farm unless agriculture is capable
OF being pursued with contentment and
adequate compensation. Hence, to EN-.
bitter and lmpoverish the farmer Is TO
dry up and contaminate the vital
sources of the nation.
The war showed convincingly 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 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 clcar-cut group, antagonistic to
The resi- Of the community. Rather
should we consider agriculture In the
light Of broad national policy, Just
Us We consider oil, coal, steel, dye
stuts, and so forth, as slnews of ma.
uonal strength. Our growing popula-
uon and higher standard Of living
demand Increasing food supplies, and
more wool, cotton, hides, and the rest.
"lth the disappearance of free or
cheap fertile land, additional acreage
ana increased Yields can come only
from costly effort. This we need not
expect from an Impoverished or un.
happy rural population.
1t VIII not do To- take a narrow view
VI the rural discomfort, or to appralse
y from the standpoint of yesterday.
ms Is peculiarly an age Of fiux and
cnahge ana new deals. Because a
uing always has been so no longer
means that II is righteous, or always
nail be SO More, perhaps. than ever
veiore' there Is a widespread feeling
4'et all human relations can be i'm.
proven by taking thought, and that II
Iot becoming for the reasoning ami.
@al 10 leave his destiny largely To
cnsnce and natural Incidence.
frudent and orderly adjustment OF
PRODUCTION and distribution in accord.
snce with consumption is recognized
Is Wise management in every business
Out thaf OF farming. Yet, I venture
% say there Is no other industry IN
~n'ch It Ia so important to the pub.
IV-to the city-dweNer-that produc.
sOn shou'd be sure, steady, and In
~ hsns' and that distribution should
&c 10 proportion to the need. The un.
ST'Sanlled !" farmers naturally act blind
y and impulsively and, in conse.
Saence, S,', surfeit and dearth, accompa.
sled BY disconcertinE price'vsriStIons,
..s Ss the consumer. One year pota.
0es rot in the fields because Of excess
Esouuctlon, and there Do a scarcity of
s thinEs that have been displaced
s.,as m.Ke way for the expansion Of the
800 acreage; next year the punish.
-. .tfmers mass their fields on some
NE S crop and potatees enter the
AN OF Injuries; and % on.
AEriculture is the greatest and FINN.
IntAlly the most important OF our
sS~st,osn industries The cities are
s@ the branches of the tree ~ ~.
eoesI life, the roota - -I'-S