Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-20
REMEDY OR NosTRuM?

ReWeuy OF noStrum! mat seems
to be the problem before the farmer.
That before the fellow who simply
wants votes is different; he does not
care whether 1t be remedy or nos.
trum. Which will secure the greater
immediate support from the farmers
is what he wishes to know. Those
who feature in the days political
news just now appear to favor the
nostrum method.
Many farmer, who would not
hire workman because he was talk
alive, will employ the politician be-
cause he promises and gesticulates,
and suspects or neglects the public
official who quietly goes about the
business in hand. This, notwithstand-
ing his good sense and observation
should have taught him that those
who are really doing things are not
talking much about it. They are so
busy at construction they let the
work speak for itself. And just this is
what the wise employer expects Of
them and forms his conclusions from
inspection Of the work rather than
1rom listening to the workman.
1t surely could do the farmer no
harm to give little more attention
to what has and is being DONE Those
who expect to get benefits from leg
islation better consider what was
I'd ho
nance Corporation. Then the farmer
was really in bad way, otherwise
there would have been no excuse for
the Government of all the people to
extend special privileges to the farm
er. All classes want that sort of favor.
The coal miner wants enough wage
= for six months work to support him
twelve months and leave a surplus;
the railroad worker wants the Gov
eminent to take over the roads and
let him run them while the Govern
ment pays the bills. And so it goes.
But with regard to the farmer, the
conditions were somewhat different.
His is the basic work, for all must eat
to live and the farmer was not inclin-
ed to raise food on which others
might live unless a way might be
found to get a living himself If fl
11ancial disaster overtakes him the
whole structure is endangered.
Such being the situation the Gov
eminent advanced, for agricultural
and livestock purposes in 81 states,
$433, $4,000. The Board helped in
various ways. There are those yet
distrustful regarding the equity of
such methods, but some good results
seem to be quite generally admitted
although the idea of Ioaning money
to the farmer to enable him to hold
his crops back for higher prices is
. seen to be one likely to be carried to
questionable lengths. 1t is significant.
. however, as shown in the report for
: the period ending June 80, that dur
ing the year but forty four millions
, had been loaned while $146,Q0e,000 of
--leans had been collected, an excess of
$1o2,00o,000 in collections over loans,
While for the year before the loans
exceeded repayments by $4,000, OOO
Evidently some of the farmers aren't
so badly off as the wheat raisers
would have us think they are.
Then there is the relief which far
seeing leaders have been trying to &C
complish by bringing the producer
and consumer into closer and less ex-
pensive relations. Cooperative ef-
fort Of this kind has enlisted much
earnest endeavor and already is at
tended with success. The farmer in
many instances is being aided t.
help himself, which is as much better
than being helped by special legisla-
ton as there is between being edu.
Gated and equipped to make a goot
living and being thrown ION the
town. And those who are largely in.
stfumental in this undertaking are
NOT basing their efforts on legislative
subsidies or the hot air of the politi-
caf campaigner. They are too busy
with real things. They are seeking
~the remedy while the other fellow is
hullabalooing the nostrum.