Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-01-23

liable to be manipulated to the dissdvan-
tage Of the producer, shall be reduced to
the minimum.
with proper financial support for ag
ricuJtura. and with Observation-Disclosures for
the collection and dissemination of use
full information, a group of cooperative
marketing organizations would be able
to advise their members as to the proba
BILE demand for staples, and to propose
measures for proper limitation of acre
ages in particular crops. The certainty
that such scientific distribution of pro
duction was to be observed would
strengthen the credit of agriculture and
increase the security on which financial
advances could be made to it. The dis
astrous effects which arise from over
production are notorious. The Congress
siOnal Joint Committee on agricultural
conditions, in the valuable report which
1t has recently issued, declares that
deficiency of one tenth in the production
of a particular staple meaens az Increase
of three tenths in the price; While a
deficit Of two-tenths in production will
mean an increase OF eight-tenthS IN the
price.
1.-The converse of this is just as EN-
phaticalIy true. In a recent address TO
the Congress, l stated this situation
thus:
at is rather shocking to be told,
and to have the statement strongly
supported that 100000 bales of cot
In a given year, will actually De
worth more to the producer than
100000 would have been. Equally
/ Shocking - the statement that 100
100000 bushels of wheat, raised by
American farmers would bring them
more money than a billion bushels
Yet these are not exaggerated state
ments In a world whore there are
tens of millions who need food and
clothing which they can not get, such
social system which makes it pos
sible.'
at is apparent that the interest Of
the consumer, quite equally with that
Of the producer. demands measures to
prevent these violent fluctuations which
result from unorganized and haphazard
production. Indeed, the statistics of this
entire subject clearly demonstrate that
! the consumers concern for better sta
bilized conditions is quite equal to that
of the producer. The farmer does net
demand special consideration to the dis
advantage OF any other class; he asks
only for that consideration which shall
place his vital industry on parity Of
opportunity with others, and enable it
to serve the broadest interest.
mo country is so dependent upon rail-
road transportation as is the United
States. The irregular coast lines or
Europe, its numerous indentiDg arms Of
the sea as well as It's great river system,
afford that continent exceptional water
transportation. The vast continental
area Of the United States is quite
differently situated. its greater depend
ence upon railroad transportation being
sttested by its possession Of near one
half the railroad mileage Of the world
and even this Is not adequate. The
inevitable expansion Of population will
enormously increase the burden upon
our transportation facilities, and proper
forethought must dictate the present
adoption of wise and farseeing policies in
dealing with transportation.
CARE NEEDED IN
RAILWAY PROBLEM.
III broad vlsioned statesmanship shall
establish fundamentally sound policies
toward ranspOrtation, the present crisis
Will one day be regarded as a piece Of
good fortune to the Nation. To this
time railroad construction, financing,
and operation have been uuscteutinc and
devoid OF proper consideration for the
wider concerns Of the community. no
say this is simply to admit a fact which
applies to practically every railroad
system In the world Il IS as true re-
garding the railroads OF Canada and
those Of the United States. 1t is equal
~ applicable 10 the railways of CON
tinent al Europe. In whose Development
considerations of political aud military
economic usefulness. In America we
have too long neglected our waterways.
We need q practical Development OF water
resources for both transportation and
power. A large share OF railway
tonnage Is coal for railroad fuel The
experience Of railway electrihcatlon
demonstrates the possibility Of reducing
this waste and Increasing efficiency. We
may well begin very soon to consider
plans 10 electrify our railroads II such
a suggestion seems 10 involve iuortinate
demands upon our financial ana indus
trial power Il may be replied that three
generations ago the suggestion OF build
ing 100000 miles Of railways ia this
country would have been secuted as "a
financial and Industrial tmpossIhility.
Waterway Improvement represents not
only the possibility Of expanding our