The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-01-05

: m be shipped back IN parts TO III
vicinity of production before 1T
available in Minnesota or North De
kota for food? Why should a poun
or two of cotton pass through doz
ems of hands on the way from Okla
homa to Maine and then back agai.
before the farmer who produced
can get it back in the form of
palm beach suit? And why shout,
a dozen or more men who contribut'
nothing to the growing of the cot
ton, the making of the cloth or tn,
manufacture of the suit-who neve
see or touch either of them-takt
tolls from cotton, cloth and suit, anc
often in the form of speculative
profits only?
"The answers to all these quest
ions and numerous others are hard
to find, but they must be found if
farming is to be kept from falling
into the hands only of old men who
are passing from the stage and child
rem who will flock to the cities as
soon as they grow Up. In fact, the
most saddening aspect of many
farming districts is the scarcity if
not the entire absence of young men
and women who already have gone
en- mass to the cities.
"The problem is a farming one in
the primary only. The matter
of earnings is only incidental. The
great question is keeping people, and
the right sort of people, on the
farms to produce the food the coun-
try's population must have. You
must remember that no mar is bound
to the farm as once was the case;
theoretically anyone there car leave
thousands and thousands have
done.
"And they will continue to leave
as long as the best prizes of life lie
outside of farming. We are already
the verge of becoming importers
instead of exporters of foodstuffs.
When (if we should) we become de-
pendent upon foreign countries for
food, our country will be in a dan
gerous position. If present tenden-
cies continue that is liable to happen
less than ten years.
'It will be much easier to meet
and solve the crisis before than after
It comes. This is the lesson of other
countries and of our own, in the last
or two, with regard to railroads
md merchant shipping.
"The farmer must be recognized
rs a business man and industrialist
md given the protection and help
hat the country has given to other
businesses and industries. He must
lave the credit facilities that go with
sound business. He must be inform
ID on national and international con-
litions that will affect the demand
md prices paid for his product, so
hat he may not produce SURPRISES
hat will be wasted for lack of mar
and yet avoid deficiencies that
nay cause thousands to go hungry.
lie must have some say as to when
nd how he shall sell what he pro-
Iuces, just as other business men /:
an hold or sell as conditions warrant :
he process of distribution must be :
implified and cheapened, for the :
enefit of consumer as well as pro- :
ucers. Opportunities for specula- :
ion must be reduced. He must be :
nabled to keep up his plant, for :
nat plant, as until recently could be :
one, cannot be duplicated whenever :
lie old one wears out. :
"The farmer must not only be en- :
bled to live, without taking from :
oming generations the wealth that :
allure spent centuries in storing in :
lie soil and fairly to accumulate :
ithout depending upon unearned in :
'ement; he must be enabled to live :
other people live, that is, he must E
I'VE his measure of the comforts, :
r%ecreations, the luxuries, as it :
ere, which progress has provided :
for n~on-farmers. This :
cans good and we'll equipped homes =
!urches, schools and roads. :
"The American farmer can do a =
eat deal through cooperation and :
is now ready, as never before, to :
t in concert with all in his class. :
1T he can't do it all. Others must =
lip, and they should help, for the =
ricultural problems of the country =
farmers only incidentally. =
~ must not forget that if famine =
me, the farmer would have first :
on what food is available. Hence :
the last analysis the subject is =
IRE important to city folk than to =
; farming population. :
Its Importance may not be real :
d by city people now, though the :
of food prices to remain :
n despite the collapse of farm :
ces should bring it home to them. :
nat they should remember is that :
en- the crisis comes they will suf- =
most and it will be too late to :
/ easily applied remedies" :
ALIAS SUMMONS -