Evening star., 1922-01-23
Text of Presidents address
In Opening Farm Conference
Continued from First Page,

rertsin re,ied upon for good security and
IN the aggregate, the capital in
oeDtedness of the country's agri-
cultural plant is small, not large.
Compared with other industries,
the wonder is that agricultura'
thus deprived Of easy access to
both investment and accommodate.
tion capital, has prospered even
so well.
The lines on Which financial
support of agriculture may be or
ganized are suggested In the plan
OF the federal farm loan board,
and In those rural finance socie-
ties which have been so effective
In some European countries. The
cooperative loaning associations
OF Europe have been effective in
centives to united action by
farmers. and have led them d.
rectly into cooperation in both
production and marketing, which
have contributed greatly to the
stabilization and prosperity Of ag-
riculture. Whether we examine
the cooperative societies Of Rus
STA, now recognized as the most
potent support in that disturbed
country for orderly society, .or
whether We turn to the great and
Illuminated cooperative associa-
tions which have strengthened the
California agricultural industries,
whether we examine the co-opera-
tive societies of Ireland and Dem
mark or the like organizations
which handle the potatoes Of
Maine or the cantaloupes Of Colo
RADIO, whether we consider these
organizations as means to buying
the farmers requirements in a
cheaper market or to selling his
products in a more remunerative
one. the conclusion is in all cases
theA same. 1t is that the farmer is
as good business man as any
other when he has the chance: that
he is capable of organization, CO.
operation and coordination: that
he will apply sound methods to his
business whenever he has the
chance; that his credit can be bet
ter established. his particular
needs Of capital on terms suited
to his requirements can be met;
that, these things accomplished.
he ceases to be an underpaid Ia
borer. an unpaid executive. and
capitalist with an unremunerative
investment.
self-Help Necessary.
It cannot be too strongly urged
that the farmer must be ready to
help himself. This conference
would do most lasting good If it
would find ways to Impress the
great mass of farmers to avail
themselves Of the best methods.
By this l mean that. in the last
analysis, legislation can do little
more than give the farmer the
chance to organize and help HIM
self.
Take cooperative marketing.
American farmers are asking for.
them. ample provision of law un-
der which they may carry on in
cooperative fashion those business
operations which lend themselves
to that method, and which, thus
handled, would bring advantage to
both the farmer and his consum-
ing public. In countries where
these facilities and opportunities
have been afforded such co-opera-
tive organizations have been car
ried to the highest usefulness and
are recognized as aiding both
farmer and consumer. They make
the farmers selling price higher
and the consumers buying price
lower.
But when we shall have done
this. the farmers must become re-
sponsible for doing the rest. They
must learn organization and the
practical procedures of co-opera-
tion. These things We cannot do
give them the chance to do them
for themselves. 1t will be for
them to demonstrate their readi-
ness and willingness and ability
to utilize such instrumentalities.
There is need for wide dissemina--
tion of information and UNDER
standing of methods. and for de-
velopment of what l may call the
spirit and purpose of cooperation.
The various excellent societies of
farmers which are represented
here have a large responsibility in
this regard. They have already
done much. but they have much
more to do If the American farmer
shall be brought most effectively
to help himself through organiza-
tion and cooperation.
One of the most serious obstacles
to a proper balancing of agricul-
turaI production lies in the lack
Of essential Information. All too
frequently such information is
gathered by private interests
whose concern is private profit
rather than the general good.
Agriculture cannot thrive under
conditions which permit the specu-
lator. the broker. the forestaller,
to become chief beneficiaries. The
element Of speculation in crop
production is at best so great as
to dictate that other speculative
elements, always liable to be
manipulated to the disadvantage
of the producer, shall be reduced
to the minimum.
Suggests Methods Of Aid.
With proper financial support
for agriculture, and with instru-
mentalities for the collection and
dissemination of useful informa-
tion, group Of cooperative mar
keting organizations would be able
to advise their members as to the
to propose measures for proper
Limitation of acreages in particu-
lar crops. The certainty that such
scientific distribution Of produc-
tion was to be observed would
strengthen the credit OF agricul-
ture and increase the security on
which financial advances could be2
made to it. The disastrous effects
which arise from overproduction
Joint committee on agricultural
conditions, in the valuable report
which it has recently issued. de-
clares that a deficiency of one
tenth in the production of a par
ticular staple means an increase
of three-tenths in the price, while
a deficit of two-tenths in produc..
ton will mean an increase, OF
eight-tenths in the price.
The converse of this is just as
emphatically true. In recent
address to the Congress I stated
this situation thus:
1t is rather shocking to be told,
and to have the statement strongly
supported, that 100000 bales Of
cotton, raised on American planta-
tions in given year. will actually
be worth more to the producers than
$4,000, 900 would have been. Equally
shocking Is the statement that 70o,-
O00, 900 bushels Of wheat, raised by
American farmers. would bring them
more money than billion bushels.
Yet these are not exaggerated state
ments. In world where there are
tens Of millions who need food and