The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-03-17

i OU941w0o DANGERS THAT CON-
FRONT q. .. m FARM SITUATION
-EARMER's FEARS DASED ON
FACTS. -. -
BY HENRY G. WALLACE.
Editors Note.-Henry G. wallace,
secretary Ct agriculture, 10 In a po-
sition no other human being can oc-
cupy. the executive head Of the gov
ernmeut's vast activities in and for
the farming Industry He senses the
cause Of much Of our trouble and Of
fers series Of suggestions that may
help clear up an evr darkening situa-
tton.
Most Of the cpoch-making machinery,
the plow, the corn planter, the two
horse cultivator. the mower, the reap
er and the steam. thresher, were in
vented prior to the Civil war. but It
was net until after 1860. that these
implemnts came into wide use. They
were especially adapted to the great
prairie country where the farmer could
turn furrow straight awy for a mile
or more. With the wooden plow, the
sickle. and The hail weeks labor Of
enc man Wa required to produce TWEEN
ty bushels Of wheat on an acre. of land.
With the improved implements the
same amount Of wheat could be pro-
duced on the same amount of land in
ono and one-half days. Better machin-
cry and trger teams multiplied man
labor by four.
The increase in the domestic and
foreign demands for food was one OF
the most important factors in sttmu-
lating agricultural production. Our
urban population in 1860 stood at 16
per cent OF the total: by 1900 it. had
risen to 40 per cent Of the total. Cheap
food and cheap transportation greatly
stimulated our industries and also
gave US success to foreign markets,
more especially the countries Of west
ern Europe filled with large industrial
population. The improvement in trans
J portation and the cheapness of our
focdstuffs opened TO US the markets
of the world.
As a result of this extraordinary
combination Of forces the production
Of crops per capita CT agricultural
workers was increased by about So per
| cent. and production per capita of to-
tai population increased about 80 per
cent. We became the largest surplus
producing country in the world.
| Naturally such conditions made for
an extensive type of agriculture. The
richest large body Of land In the world
was either free or very cheap and the
best farm machinery in the world was
to be had. Labor was net plentiful,
therefore, the tendncy for the 'ndi-
vidual to cultivate the maximum acre.
age and lean toward a one-crop .sys-
tenn which did not give the greatest
yields per acre but which did result In
the highest yield per man.
Early in the twentieth century 1t
became evident the tide was turning
| in agricul tural production as related
to domestic consumption. Our per
| capita production was showing UNI
mistakable signs Of decline. City pop
ulation was increasing far more rap
idly than rural population. In the 20
years following 1900 urban and VII
lage population Increased by 2S,6O0,OO0
while rural population increased but
300. 900. In 1900 urban and village
population was IS per cent OF the
total: in 1920 1t was 60 per cent. Dur
| ing the ten years 1910 to 1870 the
cities and villages OF the North mao
increased in population by % per cent
while the increase in the open coun-
try in the same region was but la
per cent. -.
! With the coming of peace ana line
inevitable period Of reconstruction, the
unusual foreign demand for our agrl-
cultural products subsidized. The seas
were opened and South America and
Australia, which had been bottled up
were able tC, deliver their accumulated
surll us. For n year nd half Amer
Iican agriculture has been undergoing
a very serious depression due 10 the
production of more foodstuffs than We
can use ourselves and more than We
can sell at a fair price. Fam crops
have been selling for vrey much less
than the actual cost Of production ano
very much below the prices which RE
vailed during the five pre-war years
also they have been selling TOR very
much less relatively than other bas''
&C mmodities. That Is but another way
/ OF saying that the wages CT Farmers
are far lower now than the wages o
any other group. This has resulted II
la condition which, If continued, Wi
within relatively short period I'M
lpose a heavy burden upon dcmes1l
consumers. The farmer can not con
ltinue to produce at loss. Decrease'
} | production will result in prices so hig'
that city consumers will complain ut
lterly.
During the next twenty years esne
ccnspicuOusly or unconsciously tn
United states will adopt fairly def
mite policies as to industry and asr1
culture. We are approaching that pc
Rod which comes n the life OF ever
nation when we must determine whe
Their we will strive for Il well-rounde
self sustaining national life In whtc
there shall be fir balance betwee
industry and agriculture or whethe
: as have SO many nations In the pas
B We shall sacrifice our agriculture fo
the building of cities and expect GU
e food to be produced not by independ
I ent farmers but by men and wome
of the present type.
Dispassionate consideration Of th'
I larger problem is made harder no
e because our agriculture is in very ba
shape, much worse than is fully rea
9 ised especially here in the East. Thel